I have a 90 year old building. It is heated by hot water radiators which are under each window on the outside walls. The main floor rooms are draughty in the winter and I would like to replace the old windows and insulate the outside walls. This house is lathe and plaster on the inside and triple brick on the exterior. Contractors want to drill holes in the plaster walls and blow in insulation and then install wallboard over it. There is also talk of removing the lath and plaster. They also want to insulate what is presently a very cold basement under the kitchen. You talked on your show about a heating element that can be installed under ceramic tile in a kitchen. What's involved here?
Answer:
I would not remove the old plaster unless it was the only way to go. In a house of this age, there is probably no insulation in the walls anyway so the idea of blowing insulation in there is great. I would then apply 6mm poly to the perimeter walls and all uppermost ceilings before covering it all with half-inch drywall. You now have the plaster there as a good temperature retaining medium, your lungs have not been fouled by the asbestos in the old plaster, you have insulation and vapour barrier and smooth walls to paint and/or wallpaper. I would also insulate the basement and put in the electrical element to heat the kitchen floor and that is not at all an involved project.
