Here is a recent Q & A conversation. Q: I am adding an addition to my house. I have removed the cedar lap siding and the 1" Styrofoam board from the existing exterior walls and attached the addition. The new addition has OSB with Tyvek and then cedar lap siding to match the look of the existing structure. Can the Styrofoam be reused or recycled? Can I use it for attic insulation in the new addition by laying it between the rafters and blowing insulation over top? Can the Styrofoam be shredded and used for attic insulation? I hate to throw it away. - Julie A: Styrofoam re-uses: 1) You could cut it into the right sized squares and use 2-3" in your bandjoist (where the wood touches the foundation of your home). Most homes have fiberglass batt insulation jammed in there. A table saw works well in this case. Then caulk or use spray foam (the kind that won't eat the Styrofoam) around the edges of each bay. 2) Cover any "knee walls" in your attic. These are the vertical walls on the second floor that adjoin the attic. Again, you could do two layers of 1" if you wish. I also recommend taping the seams with Tyvek tape or duct tape as a second choice. 3) If you have an attic hatch you can adhere foam to the back of the cover and then make another cover at the top of the attic hatch shaft so you have two covers. 4) You could use it as additional attic insulation but it's very easy to do it in a way that will make things worse...think like "hot air" and try to stop its path and tape seams. 5) You could donate the Styrofoam to www.homerepairservices.org through their Builder's Abundance program and get a tax credit and some other lucky homeowner could use the excess building materials and fixtures. Best of luck, Julie. I love the way you're thinking of ways to reuse building products vs. just throwing them into a dumpster. Warmly, -brt Ben Thompson, CGR GCP Certified Graduate Remodeler (NAHB) Green Certified Professional (NARI) Thompson Remodeling, Inc. 616.942.1866 x 229 voice Receive my e-tips here Listen Live: The TR Home Improvement Show, Saturdays 8-9am ET, on Newsradio WOOD 1300 Podcast via Itunes Get Updates: www.twitter.com/thompsontrio Visit: www.ThompsonRemodeling.com www.BensBetter.biz
How to Integrate GREEN into Remodeling
Ben will be a part of the Mecosta Chapter of Green Built Michigan's "How to Integrate GREEN into Remodeling" event on November 6, 2009 from 8am - noon.
I want to credit Builder Track with some amazing information. Even with all the horrible economic news out there I heard an astounding figure this past week. There was $17.5M of project in excess of $50k+ in our target area (Kent County) YTD 2009. If you are a tradesperson or builder who just happens to read www.bensbetter.biz then I'd like to send you to this resource that you need yourself. http://www.buildertrackreports.com/Home_Page.php
Talking About Your Home
This weekend I was with a friend whose husband may take a job as a collegiate sports statistician. It got me thinking about a few relevant statistics. I have between 250-350 unique conversations with people like you about homes like yours on an annual basis. About 100-150 of those conversations are 20 minutes or less via phone, 75-100 are 90 minute consulations and the balance are somewhere inbetween. Add to that the 250+ annual calls Pat, Sandie & I field on the Newsradio WOOD 1300Home Improvement Show and that's about 170 hrs each year talking about homes like yours. Our mission: To help you Love Where You Live with information & advice or by directly helping the design-build remodeling clients of Thompson Remodeling. I make the time in my schedule to talk to people like you everyday so why not make it a conversation with YOU. 616-942-1866 is the office line.
Stinky Towels
I am a man of many particularities. I hate stinky towels! If I were to finish my shower and grab a towel, I would immediately hold it up to my nose and give it a sniff. If it does not smell fresh and wonderful my body reacts with an uncontrollable shudder and on my worst days a girlish scream.
Saturday morning is a time of hope and powerful aspirations - connect as a family, enjoy time outdoors, or insert hobby here. And then, as you perk up during your first cup of coffee, you realize it's not just raining, it's pouring outside. Here are 5 projects you can do without leaving the house.
5 Plumbing Tips You Need to Know
Last week on the Home Improvement Show Pat, Sandie, and I did a segment on 10 Common Plumbing Tips and we rated them based on how practical, beneficial, and probable people are to actually benefit from these tips. Here is my list of the 5 essential tips, nothing more:
Lead Paint
If you'd like to know more about new lead abatement requirements start at the source.
Love It
In the 90s there was about an 18 month period whenI kept a long hair style. I started off going for a Patrick Swayze look and just kept going. This hairstyle needed a $32 haircut to support it...plus tip.
Air-Conditioning Efficiency
You've heard me say it before but here are 5 steps that will take you 5 minutes to complete. Give yourself increased A/C efficiency:
Chair-Free
4 out of 5 mornings I trip over a chair while dressing. It's a lovely chair, we bought it at IKEA a few years ago, and it's lived in our bedroom for a year or so now. After reading this post: http://zenhabits.net/2007/08/a-guide-to-creating-a-minimalist-home/ something clicked for me. I knew I had to get that wonderful chair out of my bedroom. I also got rid of the air filter we never use, an iron wishbone (it's PotteryBarn don't you know), and a huge glass vase with stones in it. This act of simplification felt so good. Not as good as Kristin stealing me away from the office today at 5:05pm or watching my daughter play this evening, but still, it was in the top 5 moments of my day. I wouldn't even consider "my style" to be minimalist, but the principle of simplification breathed new life into me this evening. Here's to Chair-free living.
Silly Comment
I was out with some of West Michigan's rising leaders tonight and I made what I now consider a silly comment. I was referring to the home we live in and said, "To Kristin and I, 'It's just a house...'" As I sit here and reflect on my comment there are so many reasons why my own words bug me so much.
