Unlike the others before it, the This Old House East Boston project has two ‘stories' to tell. Living on the first floor, Liz Bagley has modern sensibilities, while her aunt Christine Flynn prefers a more traditional approach for her second-floor unit. With minimal improvements made since the two-family house (steps away from the waterfront in East Boston, MA) was built nearly a century ago, its homeowners today are struggling to reconcile their wish list as they prepare to renovate on a limited budget.

Liz is looking to open up her floorplan front-to-back to create more informal spaces, while Christine hopes to preserve more traditional elements such as the formal dining room. And with two kitchens and two bathrooms, Icynene^® has to work double-time to satisfy requirements of installation, affordability and performance.

Retrofit without sacrificing retro style
Retro-style homes bring forth simplicity combined with charm and elegance… not to mention retro-style energy consumption! Typically draftier, older homes suffer from excess heating and cooling loads that result in wasteful energy bills.

Icynene's unique pour fill formula helped the crew “inject” the latest building technology into this home to minimize drafts and maximize energy efficiency while still preserving its original architectural details. The pour fill application eliminated the need to tear out any walls. For this project, the crew simply applied Icynene in most exterior walls by making small, 1-inch holes and pouring the foam into the wall cavity.

In areas with open cavity construction, the This Old House crew applied Icynene's spray formula to increase homeowner comfort and efficiency. Icynene^® spray foam was installed in the roofline as well as some interior walls and floors in the East Boston project. With the help of Icynene^® insulation and air barrier material, Liz and Chris can enjoy a Healthier, Quieter, More Efficient^® living environment.

The story will unfold over multiple episodes premiering nationally on PBS in October 2006 (check local listings or www.thisoldhouse.com/tvschedule for show times).

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THIS OLD HOUSE is a registered trademark of This Old House Ventures, Inc. Used with permission.