Insulation

[Corinarose]

I live in vermont and have a 30' yurt with the full

insulation

and snow load package.
I heat with wood and was able to be toasty warm when the wood was burning. What bothers me though is for a space that is just over 700sf I am burning more wood then friends in conventional homes with much more space.
I want to find a way to add

insulation

that helps to hold heat not just lose heat

I wanted to live in a yurt to simplify~maintaining a woodstove in a yurt is by no means simplifying~ it is a full time job. I have a great stove.

Have others used insulation beyond the reflectix insulation? Sources?

Thanks

Corina

[Airbryan61]

Yup, that's what I would love to see! What better way is there to heat a yurt? Any idea's ?

[Jafo]

Welcome to the forum Corina!

I am no expert for sure, but I do know you can use that rigid foam insulation between the rafters. The manual that came with my Pacific Yurt even has directions on how to. Is your floor insulated at all? Does your yurt have upright supports for the rafters (studs)?

[Karl]

We just built our yurt in April, and have not lived through a winter in one yet. We have the full insulation and snow and wind load package. Foam board would fit nicely between the rafters, which was something we hadn't thought of. I was thinking of stapling thick cloth on the rafters. Any other suggestions or proven solutions would be great.

[Corinarose]

I have the full snow load package which means 2x4's under each 2x6 rafter. Securely attached to each rafter and the floor. I have been in the yurt with 75 mph winds and only heard some creaking over one window~ I have real windows. Also my floor is insulated with 2" of foam board between the floor joists

Back to insulation~ mostly I have thought about using foam board but wanted a snugger (?) fit. Also the work of fitting the foam board between each rafter seems like a lot of work. One writer on this forum wrote about using denim insulation between her rafters and on the wall and reported only using 1 1/2 cords of wood
I went through 5 cords last winter and wasnt in the yurt for almost a month .
I dont mind when the temps are in the 50's in the yurt at night but going through so much wood really gets my goat!

I am going to try denim or roxul but then want to cover them. I dont think covering with fabric makes sense insulation-wise so I am considering using wood of some type. I am just concerned about the weight on the rafters and the wire that supports the whole roof.
I tried heavy curtains on the walls, even added another layer of reflectix to my north walls and only used my south exposed door last winter.

One other company that I spoke with talked about using quilt batting~ you can get it in various sizes~ it doesnt absorb

moisture

.
I researched online the cost of 2" of this type of material and it was not cheap~ even buying in bulk.

There is one couple in NC that used foam board~due to town regs and it looks awesome.
I live alone so doing some of these 2 person projects become a challenge.
I am also putting on storm doors as that was a big heat loss area as well as the dome~ which I put 4mil plastic over (on the inside)and held on with the velcroe with the bug screen. It helped some

Has anyone tried the foam board?
Any insulation is a good investment if one is living full time~ even this summer with all my windows open (6 ) it would get up to 100 so I left the doors open~praying that no bears (I am surrounded by berries) or other critters ventured in.
Thanks to listening to my ramblings
Corina

[Airbryan61]

Here is a link to a yurt owner and his experience with Radiant heat.

"The pex tubing embedded in my sub-floor, along with the water heater, makes my floor a heater. The following three additional items make my floor an efficient

heating

system…finally......

» Notes on a hydronic radiant floor

Also, I know the Colorado Yurt company must have all kinds of experience with

heating

a yurt.

Bryan

[Jafo]

Originally Posted by Corinarose

One writer on this forum wrote about using denim insulation between her rafters and on the wall and reported only using 1 1/2 cords of wood
I went through 5 cords last winter and wasnt in the yurt for almost a month .
I dont mind when the temps are in the 50's in the yurt at night but going through so much wood really gets my goat!

Are you referring to face cords or full cords? I have to think you mean face cords, because I would have a hard time burning 5 full cords in my outdoor fireplace in a month.

I am starting to wonder about your wood stove. What type of stove is it? Is it an airtight stove? Has it been properly sealed? An airtight stove that is functioning properly uses very little wood.

[Corinarose]

Reply to Jafo
I didnt mean to imply that I burned 5 cords in one month- I was saying that from October to April/May I burned 5 full cords and during that time I was not in the yurt for a total of atleast one month--not consecutive days..
I have consulted with most yurt companies and most stand by reflectix insulation~which while it does reflect heat and is warm ~ it does not hold heat worth a dime and therefore one is burning more wood. I have not been able to talk with other long time yurt dwellers, except Becky Kemery~ who will be sorely missed~who have used other forms of insulation. Recommending a type of insulation is different than using it and living with it to know how efficient it is( how much wood one goes through) and whether moisture/mold is a problem.
My woodstove is a jotul, it is well sealed and a very efficient stove. I know 3 others who use this stove and love it- they live in well insulated homes.
One other local couple who have lived in a yurt for two years go through 7 full cords of wood each of the last two winters~they only have reflectix insulation.

[Jafo]

Ahh ok, well I cannot speak to it yet, this is my first year and I haven't even put in the wood stove yet. I am curious, do you have your yurt divided into multiple rooms?

[HawaiiYurts]

Talk to Colorado Yurt Co. on this one Corina. They have excellent insulation kits that meet r-values and are made out of recycled materials. Good stuff!! I haven't seen anyone in the industry with an equal solution for this yet. Foam board would likely work, but installation would be a pain. SIPs panelling floor is also a great way to build in cold climates. Not something you can easily add on after the fact, but for anyone who is still planning, that's a good route to go.