Any easy way to confirm proper insulation is in walls?

[StageLeft]

House is a few years old, and people around here generally disrespect the builder. When it's windy I am noticing a ridiculous draft from one of our sockets on an outside wall. Also, I can hear whistling in a separate room, so distinct it sounds like the wall is hollow. Should there be any draft on an outside wall's internal socket? If it's stuffed with insulation, how could air move? They are fairly diligent with county inspections around here, but could the builder have sneaked by? He did sneak by on an electrical hookup, when we bought the house, that our private home inspector found.

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As an aside, a neighbors' siding blew off the side of the top half of his garage and there was ply right there--no tyvek home wrap at all. Is it likely that this is against code; should siding be attached directly to ply walls or have home wrap there first?

 

[CraKaJaX]

Insulation could of gotten wet somehow and got weighted down therefore opening up a bunch of the wall? Just a guess. Also, I know when my dad was building houses, home wrap always went up before siding was put on. (I'm also in NY)

 

[SonnyDaze]

Originally posted by: Skoorb
As an aside, a neighbors' siding blew off the side of the top half of his garage and there was ply right there--no tyvek home wrap at all. Is it likely that this is against code; should siding be attached directly to ply walls or have home wrap there first?

Here in NC it is not against code. Though it is a cheap ass way of doing business for a builder. Some will do it to save a few bucks (figuring he builds a couple subdivisions). Wrap can definitley increase the insulation of a home and also add water proofing to the exterior wall.

 

[Vette73]

Check with code on the siding issue. If it was an unheated part of the house, garage, the code is lower then the rest in some areas.

For insulation drill a hole, about 1/4", and stick a wire in there to "feel" around. Pull out and see what ya got.


If the house was built in the 50's it may not. There was a rush for housing after WW2 and limited insulation, my house has none in the old walls. But since you said it is newer then it probable does.
The draft you feel does not mean there is none. Walls to be cheap use 2x4's and R13 insulation. The problem is the outlet needs room and there is not enough for insulation and the outlet in a 2x4. So you can get sponge gaskets at Lowes/HD/etc... and put them on the outlet cover to close the air leaks at the outlets.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I'm not sure if you can rent one but an infrared gun may be able to tell you. I can't remember if it was on the news or not but I saw where someone had their heating/electrical company perform an energy audit and one of things they did was zap the walls of the house to find cold spots/sources.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Capt Caveman
I'm not sure if you can rent one but an infrared gun may be able to tell you. I can't remember if it was on the news or not but I saw where someone had their heating/electrical company perform an energy audit and one of things they did was zap the walls of the house to find cold spots/sources.

I know for awhile Home Depot was offering free Energy Audits. Not sure if they still offer them though.

 

[bobdole369]

Ball fist up - Attack wall. Examine hole for pink panther.

 

[MikeyIs4Dcats]

Originally posted by: SonnyDaze

Originally posted by: Skoorb
As an aside, a neighbors' siding blew off the side of the top half of his garage and there was ply right there--no tyvek home wrap at all. Is it likely that this is against code; should siding be attached directly to ply walls or have home wrap there first?

Here in NC it is not against code. Though it is a cheap ass way of doing business for a builder. Some will do it to save a few bucks (figuring he builds a couple subdivisions). Wrap can definitley increase the insulation of a home and also add water proofing to the exterior wall.

building wrap has ZERO insulating value. It is used to provide a waterproof barrier under siding. It may or may not be required by your codes.

As far as the OPs question, it is not uncommon to have drafts at electrical boxes, as you cannot insulate behind them. They make foam gaskets for sealing them off. If you are truely concerned about if there is insulation in the wall, short of tearing off rock, you may be able to find someone to use a thermal camera to examine the wall for cold spots.

 

[jagec]

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
building wrap has ZERO insulating value. It is used to provide a waterproof barrier under siding. It may or may not be required by your codes.

As far as the OPs question, it is not uncommon to have drafts at electrical boxes, as you cannot insulate behind them. They make foam gaskets for sealing them off. If you are truely concerned about if there is insulation in the wall, short of tearing off rock, you may be able to find someone to use a thermal camera to examine the wall for cold spots.

Building wrap is superconducting?:shocked:

I'm about to be a BILLIONAIIIIRRRRREEE!

😛

 

[AlienCraft]

In viewing "Holmes on Homes", one of the most common building defects is proper insulation application and vapor barrier failure.
Yahoo "contractors" stuffing insulation where it gets damp, putting up vinyl sheeting as a vapor barrier, yet not taping around any openings, the wrong KIND of insulation in exterior walls, the list is endless.
Simply putting TYVEK (tm) around a structure doesn't a vapor barrier make.
There is a BUTT load of taping yet to do and as in building a sound studio, a vapor barrier can be compromised by a very small hole.'
Any exterior wasll that has voids in it will draft air.
Spray Foam ( the expanding kind) can be used to seal around electrical boxes and exterior holes to reduce air infiltration. Just squirt a bit in there between the box and the wall ( NOT IN THE BOX !!) and trimm flush to the wall after it sets.

I'm thinking about ripping the siding off off the home here and replacing all the insulation with the expanding blown in stuff, then re-doing the siding and vapor barrier, for better thermal performance in the summer months.

 

[Iron Woode]

Originally posted by: AlienCraft
In viewing "Holmes on Homes", one of the most common building defects is proper insulation application and vapor barrier failure.
Yahoo "contractors" stuffing insulation where it gets damp, putting up vinyl sheeting as a vapor barrier, yet not taping around any openings, the wrong KIND of insulation in exterior walls, the list is endless.
Simply putting TYVEK (tm) around a structure doesn't a vapor barrier make.
There is a BUTT load of taping yet to do and as in building a sound studio, a vapor barrier can be compromised by a very small hole.'
Any exterior wasll that has voids in it will draft air.
Spray Foam ( the expanding kind) can be used to seal around electrical boxes and exterior holes to reduce air infiltration. Just squirt a bit in there between the box and the wall ( NOT IN THE BOX !!) and trimm flush to the wall after it sets.

I'm thinking about ripping the siding off off the home here and replacing all the insulation with the expanding blown in stuff, then re-doing the siding and vapor barrier, for better thermal performance in the summer months.

Mike Holmes rocks!!

Inside a house, any outside wall requires insulation and a vapour barrier. The vapour barrier has to go from the bottom plate to the top plate. It needs to be tuck-taped and silicone sealed at the bottom plate. Receptacle boxes also need to be tuck-taped to prevent drafts.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: jagec

Originally posted by: MikeyIs4Dcats
building wrap has ZERO insulating value. It is used to provide a waterproof barrier under siding. It may or may not be required by your codes.

As far as the OPs question, it is not uncommon to have drafts at electrical boxes, as you cannot insulate behind them. They make foam gaskets for sealing them off. If you are truely concerned about if there is insulation in the wall, short of tearing off rock, you may be able to find someone to use a thermal camera to examine the wall for cold spots.

Building wrap is superconducting?:shocked:

I'm about to be a BILLIONAIIIIRRRRREEE!

😛

:laugh: I :heart: Anandtech