The House Project :: Old School Insulation

According to the local paper, my house was built in 1940. Or maybe it was 1942. It really depends on which wall you are reading. The insulation of my house was done in layers: first a variety of wallpapers, then newspaper, and finally flattened cardboard boxes. It was probably the best they could afford at the time. 

I am still sifting through the legible bits of paper. A pair of saddle shoes were $1 and you could pick up a pair of young mens slack for $2. Don't forget a new spring hat with 'a smart felt buckle' for $2.98.

The fuzzy (read horribly itchy!) pink fiberglass insulation was added much later, probably only 20 or 30 years ago. With all the settling and nesting that has been going on since then, the insulation had to be removed.








<-- This is a giant gap between the old part of the house (right) and an addition from 1980 (left). The gap is about 18" and was never fully closed up. The final count of bird nests was 17. There is nothing quite like the sound of a family of Starlings living in your walls. Look closely at the horizontal log. See that white, powdery stuff? Yeah, its birdshit. There was also a body count of mummified baby birds, but we won't get into that.

Next up: Construction Practices of Southern Appalachia 

(aka, Who needs a tape measure, let's just build the dang thing!)