Insulation Question

[offthegridcortland]

I am the builder of a  very small cabin in upstate New York.  This is a seasonal place on a seasonal road, so I won't be there in the dead of winter.  The walls are very simple- T-111, builder's felt, and 2x4 studs.  I am looking to add drywall to the cabin to brighten the place up.  I would also like to add a wood burning stove for the colder autumn nights.  I do not want to add insulation primarily because the place is so small (10' x 12', 8 ft. walls, and a 12/12 roof), even a small fire will overwhelm it with heat.  My question is this: will having the fire and the drywall without the insulation cause a condensation problem on the back side of the drywall? Our nights can get cold and I am sure there will be a significant temperature differential.  If so, is there a way to combat this problem?  Thanks for your help.

You can see me building the starter cabin at a blog I kept so my wife and family could follow my progress.  The address is offthegridcortland.blogspot.com.

I always say I could have built four times the cabin with one more set of hands.  Add a nail gun to the mix and who knows.

[John Raabe]

1. Air leakage from the interior (warmer, more humid) traveling through the wall or ceiling will likely condense on the inside face of the building paper or T1-11 when its temperature is below the dew point. Insulation slows down this process by will not stop it entirely if there is air leakage.

2. Without insulation it can happen that moisture will condense on the inside (painted) surface of the drywall as well if it is cool enough and the humidity high. The paint will be a vapor retarder and a condensation surface (much like single glazed windows).

3. In an unoccupied, unheated situation (insulated or not) with no moisture source inside the building, temperature and moisture levels will equalize and there will not be a driving force for condensation.

If it were my cabin I would not seal up the wall without insulating the frame. I feel the longevity of the building would be enhanced even if you never spent a winter night there. And, should you ever want to make the place a four season retreat, you would then find it much more expensive to insulate properly later.

[offthegridcortland]

John-

Thanks so much for your clear, concise, and balanced advice.  I know you hear things like this quite a lot, but I hope you know how much your website, your work, and your ideal have meant to me.  There is an idea, a sort of self-sufficiency, which I hold on to, and which fuels my life more than almost any other.  It is that I can build my own home, I can grow my own crops, I can find my own meat- in short I can care for myself, not just work so I can pay someone else to care for me.  It is the most freeing idea I have ever known.  When my son was born, the idea that I could do those things for him, could care for him in the most basic of ways filled me with such hope and promise, and a primeval impulse to do just that.  So, thanks for taking what for most people must be only the glimmer of a dream, and through your careful pedagogy fostering the possibility of achievement.

[glenn kangiser]

I like the way you think, offthegridcortland and don't think I said it yet but to the forum.

[Squirl]

The cabin looks great.  Kudos for using used windows.  I know the focus of the question was on condensation.  I also realize that you do not plan to be there in the dead of winter.  But that part of NY does get cooled at night.  Now I don't mean to get personal, but I saw a lady in many of those pictures.  If you did get a 4 wheel drive and did head up in the late fall or early spring.  My experience is to keep the lady happy.  Adding insulation would be easiest to do now.  Considering how many single pane windows that you have, every little bit would help.  With all of that glass, as long as you are not facing north, you might want to consider the thermal mass of the interior.  This would be especially helpful in the fall and late spring.  My main point of all of these meanderings is not how quickly the woodstove will heat up the cabin, but how much of that heat will be retained throughout the night, and if you may be miserable in the morning. 
Also, if you plan on using it mostly as a summer place, plenty of thermal mass and shading will help keep it cooler in the summer.
By the way, where did you buy the metal roof?  I am looking for a supplier in that area.

[John Raabe]

Glad to see you posting such a fine project. Welcome to the forum and best wishes on this great little place.

I will add a few photos from your blog.

[offthegridcortland]

Thanks everyone for your advise and support. 

Squirl- pretty much everything (with the exception of the windows) came from the True Value in Cincinnatus.  They've since changed their affiliation, but their phone number is still 607-863-4175.  Their prices seem reasonable (they are not a Home Depot) and they will deliver free of charge on orders over $100.  They also give discounts on orders over $300 if I remember correctly.  The lady in the pictures is my wife who was pregnant with our first son at the time.  You're nothing but right about keeping her happy (please note pretty yellow house with pretty white trim).  She's a really good sport who has been incredibly supportive so I certainly do want to keep her happy.  I live and work in NYC (a place I do not love) and was just up at the cabin for a few days; Squirl, if you have not spent much time up there, wait until you see the stars- you almost can't imagine something so beautiful.  Good luck with your project.

[Squirl]

Thanks for the info.  Free delivery is a great deal.  I can't seem to get that from Lowes.

[soomb]

OffThe-  Is that a security camera in the under the soffit?  PS- after being born and raised on the other side of the GWB I know how you feel about NYC.