That ‘crepe paper’ in the ceiling isn’t from New Year’s past

Property Improvement

Moreover, is changing a tub with a stroll-in shower really worth the value at resale?

By Mark Philben — Globe Correspondent

January 4, 2023 | 10:49 AM

Q. We are in the midst of rest room renovations on a house developed in 1950. Soon after opening up a part of the ceiling in the upstairs lavatory, we observed what appears to be like like layered black crepe paper utilised as insulation. It is pretty friable. Ought to we exchange ir or incorporate contemporary insulation. Could executing do result in issues with snowmelt on the roof, which is almost flat? We are presuming that other regions of the household also have crepe paper or potentially no insulation. We are hesitant to change all of the insulation at as soon as.

SYLVIA

A. We constantly remove and swap all the old current insulation that we can. More mature insulation is much inferior to what we have these days. What minimal R worth it experienced when new is nearly completely long gone by now. As soon as we get rid of the old insulation and run the new utilities, we put in shut-mobile insulation in which achievable. It seems as if you can use that in the ceiling. Putting in new insulation below that nearly flat roof should really support prevent ice dams in that area for the reason that very poor insulation is the major result in. But other sections of your roof will continue to be vulnerable.

Q. We are aged and have to have a wander-in shower, but we have only showers with tubs on all 3 flooring of our property. How long do we will need to continue on in the household to make this sort of a conversion worthwhile monetarily?

LORAINE

A. You cannot set a price on remaining safe and sound in your home, specifically in bathrooms, exactly where lots of home incidents happen. We normally recommend clients to check out to hold at minimum one tub in the dwelling this is important for long run purchasers with small little ones. If you were being to exchange a tub in your key rest room with a stroll-in (curbless) shower, it would most possible enrich the benefit of your dwelling. Primary baths with a shower are considerably a lot more simple and common than a standard tub arrangement. In my head there is no persuasive rationale not to transform at least just one of your tubs to a shower.

Mark Philben is the project enhancement supervisor at Charlie Allen Renovations in Cambridge. Send your questions to [email protected]. Inquiries are subject to modifying.