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results after insulating my 28*36 pole building

Pcoghlan

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Oct 2, 2012
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75
Early days yet as the place was only drywalled and insulated in the last 48 hours, however...

Prior to this, with bare framing, it would take maybe 2 or more hours for my little heater to get the place (which has 14' 6" walls) up to the mid 60s from about 30 degrees. It would go through an entire tank of kerosene (about 3'ish gallons) in maybe 4 hours, struggling to keep it in the 60s. If I spent the day out there it would go through nearly two tanks of fuel.

I filled her up last night and left it running through the night to try to get the mud dry on the walls. Left it set to 70 degrees and just checked on it a few minutes ago. Managed to keep the place toasty warm and in 12 hours only used maybe a third of a tank!! i.e. one or so gallon. Wasn't a warm night but not horrible, about 28 degrees.

The building is 28*36 and being a pole building I added some framing to support the drywall, then a single 100 foot sheet of 6 mil plastic which provided a vapor barrier. Blew 25 bags of Atticat inside the green mold resistant drywall (total cost $800 for the Atticat). Had to use about $130 of R19 faced insulation in the area around the door openers, bringing total insulation to about $1k. FAR less than I had expected.

As I say, early days yet but I am over the moon with the difference in heating cost so far. To keep that place up around 70 for 12 hours and only use a gallon or so of kerosene, I am a happy camper!

Many thanks for the feedback and help from members here. I know I have deviated from the recommended path on several instances but have tried to balance the perfect way to get things done with a practical, cost effective way to get things done.

Painting the place in the coming week. Got a local co putting up 2 coats for $450, seemed a bargain to me! I supply paint etc.

I will post some 'before' photos shortly.

PS: As you can see in each photo, I had WAY too many bags of Atticat and had to return 14 or so of them to HD
 

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Pcoghlan

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Oct 2, 2012
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Here you go, framing prior to the plastic and drywall.

Note the Atticat is in the lower 12' or so. We ran backed insulation around the top.
 

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3pedal

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Dec 29, 2009
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Brighton, CO
That sounds like a great improvement. I'm just starting to think about how to insulate mine, glad to hear it had such possitive results.

What type of heater are you using?
 

1953mercury

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Nov 25, 2012
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Steamboat Springs CO
Nice building. How much did you put up top? Good move on going 14'6" and going with a taller hoist. It can get really old whacking your head on low hanging components. What block do you have on the stand? You have a really great work area there, and low heating cost is a big plus. :beer: Mike
 
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Pcoghlan

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Oct 2, 2012
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See last photo in first post, sitting in front of the garage door. The little yellow tornado (I think they ca,ll them that) kerosene thing from HR. I think it is 75k BTU. Probably a little small for this area but it is working well and MUCH MUCH cheaper with insulation! :beer:



That sounds like a great improvement. I'm just starting to think about how to insulate mine, glad to hear it had such possitive results.

What type of heater are you using?
 
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Pcoghlan

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Oct 2, 2012
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75
If I am honest, I was going with something like a 11' - 12' ceiling until my father in law (who grew up in workshops, unlike me!) basically put me straight. I am 6' 2" and he said a ceiling lower than 14' would mean I would be crouching under the car, and I think he was right.

The engine is a 1955 322 Buick nailhead, destined to go into the Model A...

Yes, SUPER happy today. Cant wait to get it all back together. Managed to get 4-5 air outlets plumbed in the evening before the drywall went up so hopefully less hoses all over the place too.


Nice building. How much did you put up top? Good move on going 14'6" and going with a taller hoist. It can get really old whacking your head on low hanging components. What block do you have on the stand? You have a really great work area there, and low heating cost is a big plus. :beer: Mike
 
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KPSquared

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Aug 18, 2010
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Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada
Do you have a way to keep tabs on the Atticat in the walls? My friend did a 2 shops like this a while ago. . . one with cellulose and one with blown fiberglass. He had to take down some sheet rock a few months later on the one and the cellulose had settled at least 8" from the top of the wall if not more.

So he went and pulled some sheets off the fiberglass one. . .guess what. . .no insulation on the top 6-8" of the wall.

Not sure if he did something wrong but it kinda scared me away. How do you keep it from settling in the wall?

Either way, looks great! Nice to have it warm, hey?
 
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Pcoghlan

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Oct 2, 2012
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I was worried about this too. I looked at 2-3 types of blown in material. HD sells 2, this and one made of recycled stuff, it is grey. Apparently that stuff settles something awful. I spoke to a few people about Atticat and they said were of the opinion it wont settle.

The Atticat site itself references settling, says fiberglass insulation doesn't settle:

http://insulation.owenscorning.com/...atticat-expanding-blown-in-insulation-system/

In a year or so I might end up opening a small hole in the wall near the top to see what is going on but at $1k for this big an area it was hard to resist.



Do you have a way to keep tabs on the Atticat in the walls? My friend did a 2 shops like this a while ago. . . one with cellulose and one with blown fiberglass. He had to take down some sheet rock a few months later on the one and the cellulose had settled at least 8" from the top of the wall if not more.

So he went and pulled some sheets off the fiberglass one. . .guess what. . .no insulation on the top 6-8" of the wall.

Not sure if he did something wrong but it kinda scared me away. How do you keep it from settling in the wall?

Either way, looks great! Nice to have it warm, hey?
 

KPSquared

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Aug 18, 2010
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Location
Wetaskiwin, Alberta, Canada
I just went back through my texts on my phone. Turns out it wasn't atticat but another fiberglass product that they used.

I've heard there are techniques for insulating that can prevent settling.

It would be cool to have a look and share your findings.
 
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