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What insulation should I use for basement walls?
There are several types of basement wall insulation, including sprayed foam, bubble foil, foam board and fiberglass. Sprayed foam insulation is a viable choice for a homeowner who is looking for a do-it-yourself option for a finished basement. The foam is applied in exactly the manner as it sounds — with spray cans.
What R value should I use in my 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.
Is R 13 insulation Good for basements?
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 you use regular insulation in a basement?
Remember, fiberglass does NOT resist moisture, so it’s generally a no-no when insulating basements. You can reduce the risk of moisture issues if you first cover the concrete with a continuous layer of rigid foam or closed-cell spray foam. Closed-cell spray foam is the best way to insulate concrete basement walls.
How thick should basement insulation be?
The thickness of foam insulation in basement walls will range between two to seven inches, depending on where you live and whether you use open or closed-cell spray foam insulation.
Should you insulate your basement walls?
Insulating your basement may seem like a project best suited for another day, but truthfully, insulating your basement walls can help improve comfort and reduce energy and maintenance costs to HVAC systems. It also allows for extra living space within a home, which can be invaluable.
Should I use faced or unfaced insulation in basement?
Place faced insulation between the studs with the vapor retarder facing the interior of the room. For the band joist, use unfaced cut-to-fit pieces of insulation and place them snugly into the space.
Can you use faced insulation in basement ceiling?
Can you use faced insulation in the basement ceiling? Yes. Faced insulation is actually recommended on basement ceilings and ceilings in general. The covering or “face” of the insulation prevents it from falling out and trickling down into the basement air.
Can you use faced insulation in basement walls?
Kraft-faced insulation should be installed in exterior walls, exterior basement walls, and attic ceilings by pressing the product into the wall cavity with the paper side facing outward, towards the installer. The insulation should be snug in the cavity, but not compressed.
What is R 13 insulation used for?
R13 batt insulation is typically used to attenuate sound in interior wall cavities. It is akin to a large blanket, designed specifically to fill a wall, floor, or ceiling cavity.
How thick is R 15 batt?
3½ ” thick R-15 EcoTouch® insulation delivers 36% more R-value than standard R-11 fiber glass insulation.
How thick is R30 insulation?
8¼ ” thick, R-30C EcoTouch® Thermal Batt insulation prevents moisture damage and helps assure long roof life by providing 1″ of ventilation air space between the insulation and roof deck.
Do I need vapor barrier in basement?
Building codes usually require a vapor barrier (4 mil plastic sheeting) on exterior basement walls if the framing is attached to masonry or concrete surfaces, or if the wood framing butts up against the outer basement walls.
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.
Which is better EPS or XPS?
XPS, at about R-5 per 25 mm, has only a slightly better thermal performance than EPS. However, EPS with the same level of density is less expensive. XPS is usually avoided in areas where materials with less density are needed or where the material, which is not produced below a certain density, is not applicable.
Do you need a vapor barrier with rigid foam insulation?
What I recommend to create a thermal break in basements is rigid foam insulation, with TUCK tape and no vapour barrier. Tuck tape all seams AND, be sure to use a spray foam in all the corners. You don’t need vapour barrier, and you won’t need to insulate between the studs.
How thick should spray foam be in basement?
You will have to decide based on your budget but as a rule of thumb we say, living space needs 3” and storage space can get away with 2”. Let’s face it, 2” of spray foam insulation from top to bottom is going to outperform anything else on the market; 3” is just a bit better yet.
Should a finished basement be insulated?
Insulating basement walls properly is extremely important if you want to enjoy your finished basement investment. Every year thousands of basements are finished with poor insulation details that lead to mold, mildew and moisture problems that render the newly finished space un-usable.
Why is faced insulation cheaper than Unfaced?
The modest difference between them indicates that faced insulation costs about $0.10 to $0.25 more per square foot than unfaced insulation, which is likely attributed to the vapor barrier.
Is R12 insulation good for basements?
That insulation alone is not sufficient for your basement. It is usually only an R12 and you’re required to have R22 in a basement with a minimum of at least R20. Some options are to insulate with Roxul and vapor barrier to get yourself to R20 or in some cases R22. The other more popular option is to use spray foam.
