OT: 'Off topic' thoughts

WTFMAN99

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Jun 17, 2009
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I'm on a 14 hour shift so haven't gone too seriously down the road but thought I would ask about this in case anyone was in my situation.

I am in an older home (40ish yrs) we bought like a year ago and noticing the exterior walls this year are cold AF. I assume the way to get it sorted is to open up a small hole and have spray foam go in?

1. Is that the method? Don't fancy tearing down perfectly good drywall, install insulation, put drywall, mud, sand, paint etc all over again.

2. Any incentives/government rebates you had when/if you did it?

Cheers.
 

rumman

Registered User
Sep 10, 2008
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What dog did you end up getting?

I was always a "dog" but over time have come to appreciate cats as well. Love them both.
Sweetie Pie is a lurcher, it’s a sight hound mix, greyhound, whippet, Scottish deerhound mix. Lovely breed, active outside, couch potato inside, zero smell even when wet. Our cat Spike was a Devon Rex, supposedly non allergic, but that was a lie, I’m allergic to mist dogs/cats, but tolerate the lurcher quite well……..

1734997666809.jpeg
 
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thewave

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Jun 17, 2011
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I'm on a 14 hour shift so haven't gone too seriously down the road but thought I would ask about this in case anyone was in my situation.

I am in an older home (40ish yrs) we bought like a year ago and noticing the exterior walls this year are cold AF. I assume the way to get it sorted is to open up a small hole and have spray foam go in?

1. Is that the method? Don't fancy tearing down perfectly good drywall, install insulation, put drywall, mud, sand, paint etc all over again.

2. Any incentives/government rebates you had when/if you did it?

Cheers.

Not sure they can spray it like that. They can do blow in but it already had insulation. Seal or upgrade the windows. Set the temp a bit higher to offset. I think that's the best

Old homes cost a bit more to keep comfortable. Closed cell foam is great to seal and get a 2x4 wall up to r20 range. Without a rebate hard to justify especially if you need to rip walls to do it.
 
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BallardEra

Leafs&Caps Since 1982™
Dec 26, 2017
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East York, Ontario
Sweetie Pie is a lurcher, it’s a sight hound mix, greyhound, whippet, Scottish deerhound mix. Lovely breed, active outside, couch potato inside, zero smell even when wet. Our cat Spike was a Devon Rex, supposedly non allergic, but that was a lie, I’m allergic to mist dogs/cats, but tolerate the lurcher quite well……..

View attachment 950565
Beautiful dog. 🥰
 
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Anthrax442

Registered User
Aug 4, 2008
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Toronto
www.russianroulette.ca
I'm on a 14 hour shift so haven't gone too seriously down the road but thought I would ask about this in case anyone was in my situation.

I am in an older home (40ish yrs) we bought like a year ago and noticing the exterior walls this year are cold AF. I assume the way to get it sorted is to open up a small hole and have spray foam go in?

1. Is that the method? Don't fancy tearing down perfectly good drywall, install insulation, put drywall, mud, sand, paint etc all over again.

2. Any incentives/government rebates you had when/if you did it?

Cheers.


Not aware of anyone doing that method anymore, plus wouldnt recommend it - you have no idea what is in these walls and just slathering it with insulation without seeing can be problematic.
 
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Confucius

There is no try, Just do
Feb 8, 2009
23,830
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Toronto
I'm on a 14 hour shift so haven't gone too seriously down the road but thought I would ask about this in case anyone was in my situation.

I am in an older home (40ish yrs) we bought like a year ago and noticing the exterior walls this year are cold AF. I assume the way to get it sorted is to open up a small hole and have spray foam go in?

1. Is that the method? Don't fancy tearing down perfectly good drywall, install insulation, put drywall, mud, sand, paint etc all over again.

2. Any incentives/government rebates you had when/if you did it?

Cheers.
Neighbour added an exterior hard styrofoam finish to the back wall of his house. It looks very nice, the styrofoam gets some type of stucco finish. You would never know it was just styrofoam. Cost him 8 grand but that was 10 years ago. Huge wall 50 x 12, Still looks like new though.
 

WTFMAN99

Registered User
Jun 17, 2009
34,303
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Not aware of anyone doing that method anymore, plus wouldnt recommend it - you have no idea what is in these walls and just slathering it with insulation without seeing can be problematic.

Older co-worker apparently did that but your concerns were basically the first thing that came to mind...I have no idea what is inside the wall.

Neighbour added an exterior hard styrofoam finish to the back wall of his house. It looks very nice, the styrofoam gets some type of stucco finish. You would never know it was just styrofoam. Cost him 8 grand but that was 10 years ago. Huge wall 50 x 12, Still looks like new though.

So it's done on the exterior of the home? I have brick right now, I thought about stucco but it's expensive and not sure how it would be for retaining heat.
 

Evilhomer

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Oct 10, 2019
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Sweetie Pie is a lurcher, it’s a sight hound mix, greyhound, whippet, Scottish deerhound mix. Lovely breed, active outside, couch potato inside, zero smell even when wet. Our cat Spike was a Devon Rex, supposedly non allergic, but that was a lie, I’m allergic to mist dogs/cats, but tolerate the lurcher quite well……..

View attachment 950565
I don't mind cats, but I can't go hunting with a cat (mind you, cats are incredible hunters in their own right).
 
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Evilhomer

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Oct 10, 2019
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Can confirm, (part) maine coone we had put down over a year ago took out birds, rabbits, mice and god knows what else.
I had a cat growing up that was a damn terror for anything smaller than it. That little bastard would take out rats like a champion. But dogs man....it's hard to top the emotional attachment of a well-trained dog.
 

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Confucius

There is no try, Just do
Feb 8, 2009
23,830
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Toronto
Older co-worker apparently did that but your concerns were basically the first thing that came to mind...I have no idea what is inside the wall.



So it's done on the exterior of the home? I have brick right now, I thought about stucco but it's expensive and not sure how it would be for retaining heat.
It’s high density styrofoam 4 inches thick. It must be good insulation
 

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Nineteen67

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I'm on a 14 hour shift so haven't gone too seriously down the road but thought I would ask about this in case anyone was in my situation.

I am in an older home (40ish yrs) we bought like a year ago and noticing the exterior walls this year are cold AF. I assume the way to get it sorted is to open up a small hole and have spray foam go in?

1. Is that the method? Don't fancy tearing down perfectly good drywall, install insulation, put drywall, mud, sand, paint etc all over again.

2. Any incentives/government rebates you had when/if you did it?

Cheers.
1. I had a room that was always cold and a thermal image showed and the walls were fine but we had to blow some insulation in the ceiling.

2. The govt can FO. They don’t need to know what I’m doing to my house.
 

WTFMAN99

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Jun 17, 2009
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It’s high density styrofoam 4 inches thick. It must be good insulation

Yeah 4 inches thick especially if it's really dense would be very warm.

1. I had a room that was always cold and a thermal image showed and the walls were fine but we had to blow some insulation in the ceiling.

2. The govt can FO. They don’t need to know what I’m doing to my house.

There are a lot of rebate programs out there so if I can get a rebate for some or all of it, I am really interested.

I did reach out to a few companies via email but realistically expecting it'll be a while before I hear back.
 
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Nineteen67

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Yeah 4 inches thick especially if it's really dense would be very warm.



There are a lot of rebate programs out there so if I can get a rebate for some or all of it, I am really interested.

I did reach out to a few companies via email but realistically expecting it'll be a while before I hear back.
A little off topic but they stopped teaching trade in high schools about 10-12 yrs ago and now there are not many worthwhile young tradesmen in my neck of the woods. Fortunately that has changed recently and looks like it’ll get even better in the next couple of yrs and more young men are learning how to work again.
 
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WTFMAN99

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Jun 17, 2009
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A little off topic but they stopped teaching trade in high schools about 10-12 yrs ago and now there are not many worthwhile young tradesmen in my neck of the woods. Fortunately that has changed recently and looks like it’ll get even better in the next couple of yrs and more young men are learning how to work again.

We had a shop class but teacher was pretty bad and I don't think the budget was there.

My interests weren't there but in hindsight, I wish I was more interested in a trade when I was younger.
 
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GoonieFace

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Jun 24, 2013
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Yeah 4 inches thick especially if it's really dense would be very warm.



There are a lot of rebate programs out there so if I can get a rebate for some or all of it, I am really interested.

I did reach out to a few companies via email but realistically expecting it'll be a while before I hear back.
I sprayfoamed by basement about 4 years ago. Between that and the attic, it ended up costing me next to nothing with the rebates. I used Great Northern Insulation and they helped with the rebate process. The rebate also depends on your current R level and what you are upgrading to.

They can’t spray foam unless the drywall is completely removed (can’t make small holes and fill). It’s noticeably warmer, but who knows how many tumors I will grow from this point on.
 

WTFMAN99

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Jun 17, 2009
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I sprayfoamed by basement about 4 years ago. Between that and the attic, it ended up costing me next to nothing with the rebates. I used Great Northern Insulation and they helped with the rebate process. The rebate also depends on your current R level and what you are upgrading to.

They can’t spray foam unless the drywall is completely removed (can’t make small holes and fill). It’s noticeably warmer, but who knows how many tumors I will grow from this point on.

Basement walls are okay actually.

The basement ceiling is basically just plywood and hardwood on top of it right now, currently renovating the basement so no insulation or anything between the main floor and basement of the bungalow.

Thanks for suggesting that company though, I will reach out to them.
 

rumman

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Sep 10, 2008
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I don't mind cats, but I can't go hunting with a cat (mind you, cats are incredible hunters in their own right).
Roger that, living in the country dealing with mice in the house is inevitable, our cat took care of that problem now it’s traps. Lurchers ate used to hunt coyotes up here, our dog has zero killer instinct. BTW we looked seriously into getting a vizsla, but the higher energy ws a concern, beautiful dogs none the less.
 

Nineteen67

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We had a shop class but teacher was pretty bad and I don't think the budget was there.

My interests weren't there but in hindsight, I wish I was more interested in a trade when I was younger.
Shop class was fine but I’m thinking vocational school where you learn practical stuff, plumbing, electrical, building, using all the tools, mechanic, how to drive and haul a trailer, etc. Too many fathers can’t teach their kids these basics today because they have no idea how do anything and are scared to learn, what’s worse, their proud of it.
 
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WTFMAN99

Registered User
Jun 17, 2009
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Shop class was fine but I’m thinking vocational school where you learn practical stuff, plumbing, electrical, building, using all the tools, mechanic, how to drive and haul a trailer, etc. Too many fathers can’t teach their kids these basics today because they have no idea how do anything and are scared to learn, what’s worse, their proud of it.

I have learned my first instinct with plumbing is correct about 33% of the time, fun times =)
 
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rumman

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Sep 10, 2008
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Shop class was fine but I’m thinking vocational school where you learn practical stuff, plumbing, electrical, building, using all the tools, mechanic, how to drive and haul a trailer, etc. Too many fathers can’t teach their kids these basics today because they have no idea how do anything and are scared to learn, what’s worse, their proud of it.
The trades get a bad rap, I was never unemployed from the age of sixteen till I retired at 53, made more money than 90% of my friends who went to University, better benefits too. Only downside could be having to work in bad weather, but that’s offset by working in wonderful weather instead of being confined to a cubicle. I always suggest to young people to look into it as a career, you can take those still and wirk anywhere in the world………
 

Evilhomer

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Oct 10, 2019
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BTW we looked seriously into getting a vizsla, but the higher energy ws a concern, beautiful dogs none the less.
It's nice to see people be responsible when considering a dog breed. Too many people get V's because they look nice, but then badly underestimate their energy and brain needs. These are working dogs, and while they have one of the sweetest natures of any breed I've been around (and I have spent most of my life with dogs), they become miserable creatures if they don't get the outlets they need. I hunt with mine, so she is trained on hand signals rather than voice commands, but her prey drive is so high that sometimes sitting still can be a challenge...

Meanwhile, if you have a greyhound/whippet mix, I can only imagine the speeds that one can reach in an open field.
 
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rumman

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Sep 10, 2008
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It's nice to see people be responsible when considering a dog breed. Too many people get V's because they look nice, but then badly underestimate their energy and brain needs. These are working dogs, and while they have one of the sweetest natures of any breed I've been around (and I have spent most of my life with dogs), they become miserable creatures if they don't get the outlets they need. I hunt with mine, so she is trained on hand signals rather than voice commands, but her prey drive is so high that sometimes sitting still can be a challenge...

Meanwhile, if you have a greyhound/whippet mix, I can only imagine the speeds that one can reach in an open field.
With a sighthound, recall is non existent once they see something of interest, in the house, she’s very obedient. The exercise needs of a hunting dog was the factor that eliminated the Vizsla, and your right, too many never consider the dog’s needs before getting them…….
 

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