Rockwool. Superior value for soundproofing, moisture control, and R-value. edit: and Fire Resistance.
5 months ago (edited) | 13
Hi David - I have watched this video some time ago and ive recently converted my car to lithium and a charge controller instead of the standard deep cycle because i need to replace them every year, you gave me inspiration and i love these types of videos with the different generation methods you do - keep it up man!!
5 months ago | 1
If it’s an off grid cabin that will sit empty a good portion of the year: consider no insulation and very good ventilation to keep moisture out of the walls and stuff to keep Mold and mildew down. Make the vents block able so you can heat it in very cold weather when needed. However if this is an always occupied off grid cabin, consider cellulose or rock wool. Fire place with good thermo mass like rocks concrete or heated water and air to air heat exchanger.
5 months ago | 3
Dense pack, do a Manual J for heat loss, build another one of your EPDM liner drainback tanks and a low-mass radiant ceiling! Bonus points for a buffer tank, A2W heat pump and switchable to radiant ceiling in summer. Admittedly that's pretty ambitious for a cabin. Heh
5 months ago | 2
I just realized a few days ago when temperatures got to 34c that my full time home (camp shack build) has no insulation in the ceiling or my south wall. Impossible to live in that way. I'm rectifying it now
5 months ago | 1
If I got to choose, I'd want to see one of each built in parallel to provide a comparison of required power to maintain comfort under identical environmental conditions for each, and illustrate the significance of insulation.
5 months ago | 2
David, I’m building my own house right now with double stud walls (12” thick), blown in cellulose, and an interior-side 2x4 service cavity (insulated with R12 fiberglass) so all electrical and plumbing is inside the poly vapor barrier. Large overhangs to shade windows and keep moisture away from the walls and foundation, and no windows on the east/west facing walls. Front facing due south for good rooftop solar opportunity. The total wall assembly will be R56-ish. Not only will it be incredibly efficient and inexpensive to heat/cool, but if there’s a loss of power it will be days before anything risks freezing, even in the dead of winter. I used Zip sheathing and sheathed right over my window openings to facilitate air sealing. I have one builder-grade door to access from the garage until our window and door package is ready. I have a makeshift blower door test setup to estimate air tightness, and right now I’m at 0.25 ACH50 with most of that leakage happening through the unfinished foundation. My goal is 0.1 ACH50. I’m just a guy building his own house, a nobody in the building world. If I can do this anyone can, it just takes research and careful planning. You only get one shot at building your envelope, I recommend getting it right from the start. Over the life of the building it will save immense amounts of energy, and in an off-grid home the systems getting much smaller and cheaper is certainly a huge benefit. You’re a very handy, motivated person. I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with!
5 months ago | 1
I did a DIY pool house build this year. Hired very few contractors but im very happy with the open cell spray i hired out. R19 walls - r30 ceiling. DIY spray insulation kits were more than a contractor.
5 months ago | 1
Fantastic options suggested, but may I also suggest 1" polyisocyanurate foam board, great stuff or equivalent to seal around the edges, and fill the remainder with fiberglass? I did this on my garage and it's fantastic. Wind resistance and r-value from the rigid foam is excellent, and the walls are still able to be fished later due to the fiberglass fill. It's also very DIY and budget friendly when compared with closed cell spray foam. Just food for thought. 🙂
5 months ago | 0
We want you to heat it with solar in the winter and the cabin can't be in Florida lol.
5 months ago | 2
With double wall construction, you can put as little or as much insulation as you would like with low lumber costs.
5 months ago | 0
Foam boards or spray insulation. Spray foam IS more expensive, but with the right depth of a coat you get a vapor barrier and an insulation all in one and it is superior to all other insulations due to it fully sealing everything up. The only downsides are 1. price as stated before 2. Having to finalize where you want your plumbing and wiring BEFORE spraying or at least running conduit in between all of your studs so you have some freedom in the future for changes. There's not really a problem with cutting out insulation later if you need to install something after the fact, but the more you can minimize that the better.
5 months ago | 0
Consider a mix. Rockwool (or fiberglass), polyiso + urethane foam and XPS. Each has its place in different situations and yields more skills (and potential sponsors). Don’t forget vapor management and radiant barriers— they’re relevant too.
5 months ago (edited) | 0
I like the idea of dense pack because you can always modify it later if you need to for new wires or pipes, unlike spray foam is very permanent.
5 months ago | 0
Blown in insulation is something that I've always wanted, but don't know if I should swing for the expense. If you do it for me, let's see what the results are for everything else you have to buy!
5 months ago | 0
I would use rockwool bats i built our off grid cabin with 2x8 walls its cheaper and more efficient and strong we can heat our 1800sqft cabin with a blow dryer🤣🤣🤣
5 months ago | 2
Spray foam kits are insanely expensive... I'd be curious if you've considered the XPS foam boards from Home Depot or similar... 4x8 sheet 2" thick is $45 at my local store. Approved for wall cavities if covered, R-5 per inch.
5 months ago | 1
Rockwool would be the best. Not flammable and naturally resists mold.
5 months ago | 0
Closed cell foam professionally installed. I hear it’s about half the cost of the insanely expensive DIY kits and the guys who install this do it quick and do it correctly for the best bank for your Buck$. Insect resistant, seals infiltration cracks way better than blown in cellulose, sheets or fiberglass bats.
5 months ago | 0
DavidPoz
I'm about to start a new build of an off-grid cabin. For my DIY off-grid cabin build, what level of insulation are you most interested in seeing me install for maximum comfort and efficiency? Note: the better the insulation you do, the smaller the heating and cooling systems you need to buy.
5 months ago | [YT] | 43