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Old 02-27-13, 10:19 PM   #1
menaus2
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Default Apartment renovation project

Hello fellow Ecorenovators,

I'm starting/started work on a rental property (the same one I installed a solar hot water preheater in last year) for next 3 months. It probably hasn't been measurably updated since the maybe the 70's so there are a lot of cosmetic and eco renovations to be done. Here's a laundry list of goodies:
  • Existing exterior walls are 2"x4"s with blown-in fiberglass. The cavities will have 2" of XPS board foamed in place. Over that a second wall will go up and dense-pack cellulose will fill the cavity. The 2 walls' studs will be offset of each other to basicallyeliminate thermal bridging. Many thanks go to AC_Hacker for invaluable advice on this.
  • Sanding and sealing existing hardwood floors
  • Replace all the single-pane windows with vinyl-dual pane windows (I'm considering interior storms for additional insulation as well protecting the windows from people)
  • Replacing the toilet (made in the 60's ) with a Niagra Stealth UHET (0.8gpf! )
  • 1.5 gpm water saving showerhead (again going with Niagra products).
  • Drain water heat recovery (DWHR) into the Solar Hot Water Preheater Tank. Considering trying a DIY route cause I have a **** load of pex-al-pex laying around .
  • Try this design for an energy saving shower mod.
  • Gutter system overhaul to reduce/eliminate need for a dehumidifier in the basement as mild flooding has been a problem.
  • Adding and/or replacing room lighting with LED's ( here's a good source of information that helped me decide to commit to LEDs)
  • Installing a 4'x6' solar air heater I have kicking around (builditsolar style)
  • ERV of somekind if the unit's gonna be better sealed :P
  • And of course all the crap to make it look good )

I've already begun demoing the plaster and lath, gutting the old insulation and foaming maybe 6 cavities so far. Expect pictures to be posted soon.

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