I'd suggest a layer of Exterior Continuous Insulation - particularly ROXUL Drainboard (Mineral Wool) insulation would get the job done. Add on furring strips as in the photo below, and you can re-side your home.

I am looking to buy a 720 sq. ft. cinder block lake cottage. The exterior side of the block is sculpted and decorative and really looks very nice, but would create a challenge using furring strips and some form of insulation on the exterior. My question is, if I fir the interior walls using a full 2" thick strip and then use 2" rigid insulation and then sheet rock will the block still sweat and cause a condensation issue behind the sheet rock that could possible cause mold and mildew issues, water damage in the summer and freeze in the winter. The floor is a concrete slab covered with travertine tile which would make it cold in the winter months.

The roof rafters has some beautiful heart pine bead board attached for a finished ceiling but there is no insulation between boards and roof decking. I have built and remodeled a few home so I think I understand the challenges and options of insulating the ceiling but my concern is exterior/interior walls.

If anybody has ever used firing strips, rigid foam boards and sheet rock only and no exterior insulation did you have a condensation issue and was it worth the cost and loss of some interior square footage?

Any first hand experience would be greatly appreciated.

Lori: I know this is a vintage 2014 post but would love to get a follow up on how you addressed the insulation dilemma? Particularly the roof... Thanks!

We had to get a new roof last Summer. we'd gone up to clean it off and discovered the painted on roof membrane was blistered badly. We got a EPDM roof. A thin insulation went down first. Not a big R value but it has to help. Heating costs have been down due to a mild Winter so it's hard to tell. In looking at our plans again I believe we have double course block walls with air space in between. We are tightening up the many gaps around windows & doors.

Thanks for the follow up!

I have a 1907 concrete block house that had 16 X 32 pre-sheetrock nailed directly to the block with plaster over it. I removed being the rooms were small already and every part of in inch was needed. I used 2" metal studs with 2" foam board insulation- if you have the room use a 2x4 or 2x3 inside. I already had new windows and plenty of insulation not only in the between the attic and the living space but in the roof for added insulation. If you use the 2x3 then using wool insulation vs fiberglass appears to be a better option due to the wool handling moisture better than fiberglass. There is one wall in the house I couldn't do that with due to it being a stairway wall and the old house has an extremely narrow staircase and I couldn't make it any smaller. There is a major difference.

There also is a new 3-m product with the studs attached and it really seals the house. We have purchased another one with some insulation but we need to see how it works out.

I've also heard that EFIS is a good exterior cover as the best exterior way to raise the insulation factor. The big issue with EFIS is when they put it into the soil as it is a hidden way for termites to enter the structure.

Window shades are great for insulation! http://www.halcyonshades.com/

These are all super old posts so I may not catch the eye of anyone but here goes. I have a brick exterior with what I think is a cinderblock frame. This was built in 1945. The interior walls seem to be double thickness, one layer of drywall and a layer of plaster.

My problem is the exterior walls in the closets get condensation which turns into mold and mildew. This is in all the closets with exterior walls. The biggest problem are the closets above the front porch. They have a recessed window between them and a sloped roof above. This means that all three walls, the ceiling and the floor are exterior. Any clothes hanging in there in the winter are wet. The hardwood floor is warped and moldy as are the walls. This is not a leak. This is all from condensation. The basement room below the porch which has cement floor and ceiling and cinderblock walls, has drops of condensation all over the ceiling all winter long.

I would love help fixing this. No I will not run heaters and dehumidifiers in closets all winter long.