What type of insulation should be used in a basement?
The following are types of insulations for basement walls:
- Spray Foam Insulation Spray foam insulation has been considered the best type of insulation suitable for basement walls. ...
- Bubble foil/ Fiberglass Insulation One thing about fiberglass insulation for basement walls is that its material is easier to get from a nearby hardware store, and it is easy ...
- Foam Board Insulation
Should you replace the insulation in your basement?
Insulation can last for 80 to 100 years under the right conditions. However, insulation can start to degrade in as little as 15 years if moisture or rodents are present. If your insulation is damaged to the point that it no longer provides the insulating value once intended, you should replace the insulation.
What are the dangers of fiberglass insulation?
What Are the Dangers of Fiberglass Insulation?
- Skin Irritation. Wearing protective clothing can prevent skin irritation from fiberglass. ...
- Airborne Particles. Strands of fiberglass which enter the respiratory system can cause irritation in exactly the same way as they do when they touch the skin.
- Possible Carcinogen. ...
Which insulation is best for basement walls?
Types of Basement Insulation
- Foam Board Insulation. Professionals often fix this type of insulation. ...
- Bubble foil/ Fiberglass Insulation. This type of insulation material can be gotten from a nearby hardware store, and it is easy to roll out and stick to the basement wall.
- Sprayed Foam Insulation. ...
What type of insulation is best for basements?
Fiberglass insulation is coated in a vapor barrier that is ideal for locking out the moisture that is common in a basement space. This material — which is known for its ability to last for years — can be easily installed with nails or an adhesive.
How do you insulate a basement with fiberglass?
Perhaps the most economical way to insulate the basement wall is to hang 4-foot-wide plastic-faced fiberglass horizontally from the sill down on the inside of the basement. This is simple to install and cuts the heat loss in the area where it is the highest. Most lumber yards carry this material.
Can you use R 13 in basement walls?
TBF closed cell foam insulation and concrete board basement wall products offer industry-leading R-13 insulation value that will reflect back 99.987% of heat back and lead to the optimal insulating of a basement area.
Can I use unfaced insulation in basement walls?
Unfaced means the insulation lacks a vapor retarder (paper or plastic facing). Unfaced insulation is great for new construction, remodels, walls, floors, ceilings, basements, attics and crawlspaces.
What is the cheapest way to insulate basement walls?
The smart and inexpensive way to insulate joist bays is to use extruded polystyrene (XPS) foam insulation panels cut to size to fit inside the bay and "glued" in with expanding foam. When the expanding foam hardens, trim away the excess and cover the foam with a piece 1/2" thick drywall to meet fire code.
Does fiberglass insulation mold?
Fiberglass Insulation Over time, given the right conditions, mold can grow in fiberglass. Some forms of fiberglass insulation can be covered or “faced” with paper products. This paper is often a food source for mold and can be a problem if installed directly against wet areas (like basement or crawlspace walls).
What R-value is best for basement?
The Model Energy Code recommends R-11 insulating values for basement walls in most of the country and R-15 for the northernmost states.
What should you not put in your basement?
Don't make these spaces your catch-all dumping ground. During a big move or organizing project, it's tempting to stash boxes in out-of-the-way spots....Furniture and décor made from natural materials. ... Important papers. ... Food (unless you store it carefully) ... Electronics. ... Candles. ... Anything flammable (near heat sources)
Is R19 good for basement?
As mentioned above, it is most common for basement walls to be finished with insulation that has an R-value between R-10 and R-30. However, for unfinished basements, the value is generally closer to the bottom of the range at R-10 through R-19.
What is best way to insulate basement walls?
0:525:08How to Insulate Your Basement: Part 3 - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo you don't need a lot of insulation on basement walls in fact. You can do the job well with just aMoreSo you don't need a lot of insulation on basement walls in fact. You can do the job well with just a two inch layer of polystyrene stuck right to the surface of the concrete.
Is there special insulation for basement walls?
Three types of insulation are used on the exterior of basement walls: rigid mineral wool boards, high-density polystyrene (Type IV) and polyurethane/polyisocyanurate boards.
Should I insulate an unheated basement?
The fact is, an unfinished, uninsulated basement can significantly decrease your home's efficiency and value. Just investing in basement insulation can increase your home's efficiency, reduce stress on your HVAC system, and make your home more comfortable throughout the year.
What are the disadvantages of fiberglass insulation?
Disadvantages:Fiberglass insulation is not that much effective when there is a significant difference between the outside temperature & inside temperature because it keeps the heat inside and becomes less effective.If it becomes wet, it loses its insulation qualities, making it ineffective.More items...•
Is it better to insulate basement from inside or outside?
Compared to exterior insulation, basements insulated on the inside provide superior comfort. Water intrusion, high humidity and condensation are the biggest issues/concerns when insulating basements. Mold is the result of a moisture laden basement.
What is the cost of fiberglass insulation?
However, the average cost to install fiberglass insulation starts at $0.88 to $1.64 per square foot. You can expect to pay between $300 and $600 for a 500 square foot section of your home, including the cost of labor.
What is the best way to insulate a basement floor?
If the concrete floor is dry and reasonably level, insulate directly on top with a rigid foam insulation that is impervious to moisture, air leakage and radon gas. If the basement floor is wet, hire a professional, find the source of the problem and fix it before doing anything.
What are the types of insulation for basements?
Rigid foam board insulation: This insulation is typically found at the back of your home improvement store with larger building supplies.
Should you insulate basement ceilings?
For this room, we chose not to insulate our basement ceiling because we are leaving the ceiling unfinished and painted.
What R-value should I use for my basement?
Every area will have a different code requirement for insulating basement walls.
Why is it important to insulate a basement?
Insulating basement walls is an important part of a basement renovation. Adding insulation can make a basement room warmer, as well as add some noise-proofing.
How much does fiberglass insulation cost?
Fiberglass insulation is very affordable. At the time of installation, ours cost about $20 a roll and covered almost a 4′ x 8′ space. We needed about 5 rolls total for about 30 feet of almost 8′ walls.
Why do we remove insulation from the ceiling?
We have many reasons for removing the insulation from our ceiling, but our main concern was to keep mice out of the basement.
How to protect your skin from itchy stuff?
Protect your skin by wearing long pants and a long sleeve shirt. Wear gloves. If you’re sensitive to it, consider eye protection and even a mask.
What is the most robust insulation?
1. R15 continuous insulation (the most robust)
What is Dana's suggestion?
Dana's suggestion is an assembly that will ALWAYS work.
How to keep a wall from getting wet?
The other is to use fluffy insulation, but put a vapor barrier on the warm and wet side of the wall and no barrier on the cold and dry side of the wall. Moist air is kept out of the insulation, and if it gets in it has a chance to dry on the cold side. When heat travels from hot to cold it tends to drive the moisture with it which will dry the wall. Obviously weather changes over the course of the year and the same side isn't always warmer but in most placed there is one side that is warmer most of the year. So in cold climates you put the vapor barrier on the inside and dry to the outside and in hot climates you put the barrier on the outside and dry to the inside.
What happens if the dew point is higher than the temperature?
The situation you have to worry about is when the dew point on one side of the wall is higher than the temperature on the other, ie one side is relatively warm and wet. If you have an insulated wall assembly under those condition, there will be a point within that is at the dew point of the warmer air. If air is allowed to infiltrate you will get condensation at that point. If it is allowed to accumulate you will have problems with mold and rot.
Can you put fiberglass insulation in a basement?
It depends who you ask. Some builders are okay with fiberglass and other fibrous insulation in basement stud cavities, others think it is always a bad idea. That's the simplified version. If you are going to install fiberglass, I would recommend first installing rigid foam insulation against the wall (instead of having an air space). This will offer some thermal, air, and vapor control. Tape the seams and air seal the perimeter of the sheets. This article will do a better job of describing the work than I can do here: How to Insulate a Basement Wall.
Is 2x4/R13 insulation in zone 5?
2: A 2x4/R13 studwall does't meet IRC code minimum performance in zone 5, even if it DID have something blocking air transfer between the cavity and fluff. IRC calls out 2x6/R19 or R15 continuous insulation, or U0.065 (=R15.4 "whole wall" ). See TABLE N1102.1.2, and/or TABLE N1102.1.4, including the fine print regarding mass walls (since the above-grade portion of the wall is the same as a mass wall).
Does basement wall have tar?
The basement wall on the exterior has the black tar coating to prevent excess moisture from ever permeating, and the top 6" will always dry to the outdoors if the inside has the kraft vapor barrier, no?
What is batt insulation?
Batt insulation is very similar to rolls – the only difference being that batt insulation is cut to size in advance, and comes in sheets rather than a roll. These batts are installed in pieces, rather than being rolled out. In both cases, the fiberglass comes in sheets, allowing for easy installation.
Why is it important to have insulation in your house?
Almost every house has some form of insulation installed – increasingly, however, builders and consumers are becoming savvier about what type of insulation they want. Insulation prevents heat from escaping the house, thereby helping the house to stay warm. Not only does this have major practical benefits – having a warm home is one ...
How to cut insulation with facing?
towards the liveable space). If you have a cavity that is not the standard shape, cut it with a knife – but be sure to leave no more than a half-inch gap between the joist or stud and the edge of the insulation.
What happens if you don't measure insulation?
If you don’t measure correctly, you’ll end up leaving gaps, which defeats the purpose of installing the insulation in the first place. You should also be sure to measure the depth of the space, in order to buy the required thickness of insulation.
What is fiberglass made of?
This is where fiberglass comes in. Fiberglass is a material made from strands of glass, combined to make a reinforced plastic mat. Due to its insulating properties – as well as the fact it is lightweight and flexible – it is the most common fabric used in insulation. Because of the growing desire for high-quality insulation, ...
How is fiberglass sprayed?
In both cases – as the name suggests – the fiberglass comes as small segments, which are sprayed into cavities using compressed air. For more information on this type of insulation, see our guides mentioned above.
Why is it important to have a warm home?
Not only does this have major practical benefits – having a warm home is one of the basic requirements of having a liveable space – but it also has financial and environmental benefits. Good insulation prevents you from paying to heat the air around your home.
How do I install foam insulation in a basement?
Several years ago I insulated the basement walls in our basement storage room. I installed 1-1/2″ extruded polystyrene foam insulation board by DOW. I used a special Styrofoam adhesive to adhere the foam board to the concrete (you can also use “Great Stuff Pro” foam in a can). The foam board I am used comes with a tongue and grove so installation is pretty easy. Just cut the boards to length, apply some adhesive and press it against the wall. Note, you may need to apply pressure to the foam with boards until the adhesive dries.
What is the best insulation for a basement?
Whether you spray it in place or install sheets, closed cell foam is the answer for basement insulation. When properly installed, closed cell foam (spray or board) provides two benefits: first and foremost it’s a great insulator with MUCH better R values per inch than fiberglass, and secondly when you use closed cell foam that’s at least 1-1/2 inches thick, it actually acts as a vapor barrier. So essentially you get a vapor barrier and insulation all wrapped into one easy to use product.
Why is basement insulation so hard to understand?
Basement Insulation is difficult to understand because of water vapor issues. While this is a topic best left to another article entirely, it’s important to realize that there are two sources of significant water vapor in a basement.
Why do we use fiberglass insulation?
We can use it in this situation because we have an insulated vapor barrier between it and the concrete. By doing the combination of insulation materials I achieved approximately an R values of 16. This was much cheaper than doing it all in foam.
Can you use Tyvek tape on foam board?
Back then I used Tyvek tape but that product is no longer recommended for use on foam board. Most of the foam board manufacturers now manufacture tapes made specifically for sealing these products. DOW offers the WEATHERMATE™ Construction Tape, and Owens Corning has JointSealR™ Foam Joint Tape. These products are more expensive, but they are specifically designed for this application and very important to the long term performance of the insulation barrier.
Can fiberglass insulation be installed on concrete?
In this case only fiberglass insulation is installed between studs ( no plastic on concrete). A vapor barrier is installed, then drywall. This situation is really bad, water vapor from the concrete escapes into the stud cavity and condenses on the back of the vapor barrier behind the drywall.
How high is the back of a concrete block?
The back and 1 side wall are concrete 48’ up from the footer and block above that to 10’, other 2 walls are all block. The concrete areas are below grade and none of the walls are currently insulated. Excavating the outside of the concrete walls would be difficult due to decks and utilities.
