- Joined
- Jul 12, 2016
- Messages
- 67
In this video I show the problems you can encounter with regular batt insulation in your basement walls, and also I show the way to insulate PROPERLY in a basement. Spray Foam Insulation!!!
The BEST way to INSULATE your basement apartment!
- Thread starter Marty Gordon
- Start date
- Joined
- Apr 30, 2015
- Messages
- 93
Thanks for sharing this. many people, including contractors do not understand this concept. The building code says you can build out the wall 1" away from the concrete and insulate with batt insulation and vapour barrier, but as you said, this will cause condensation.
The reason is because as you dig down, the temperature of the soil changes. It will stay consistent year round at about 6' down. So say it's winter and -10 outside. The top of your basement wall will be cold and the bottom will be warm. The cold air is denser and will fall, displacing the warm air and forcing it up where it cools and falls again, continually going round and round in a convection current. This will actually carry dust around in that 1" space which is why you will see black on the old batts of insulation.
Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air so as the two temperatures collide and the warm air cools it will reach its dew point and condensate, which will rot wood and rust metal.
As you said in your video, this can all be prevented with a thermal break, and spray foam is the best for this. Second best is extruded polystyrene boards pinned to the wall, the joints get taped and you spray the bottom edge to seal it completely. Then strap 1"x4"s to the wall horizontally followed by vertically. This way you can quickly run wires and plumbing through the grid work you've created and if you ever need to make changes it will be much easier than digging through the spray foam to get to the wires and pipes.
If you still prefer spray foam (which has a higher r value per inch and is the most energy efficient insulation money can buy) than you could consider running conduit for the utilities so you can make changes in the future and get the best of both worlds.
Love the videos, keep up the good work!
The reason is because as you dig down, the temperature of the soil changes. It will stay consistent year round at about 6' down. So say it's winter and -10 outside. The top of your basement wall will be cold and the bottom will be warm. The cold air is denser and will fall, displacing the warm air and forcing it up where it cools and falls again, continually going round and round in a convection current. This will actually carry dust around in that 1" space which is why you will see black on the old batts of insulation.
Warm air can hold more moisture than cold air so as the two temperatures collide and the warm air cools it will reach its dew point and condensate, which will rot wood and rust metal.
As you said in your video, this can all be prevented with a thermal break, and spray foam is the best for this. Second best is extruded polystyrene boards pinned to the wall, the joints get taped and you spray the bottom edge to seal it completely. Then strap 1"x4"s to the wall horizontally followed by vertically. This way you can quickly run wires and plumbing through the grid work you've created and if you ever need to make changes it will be much easier than digging through the spray foam to get to the wires and pipes.
If you still prefer spray foam (which has a higher r value per inch and is the most energy efficient insulation money can buy) than you could consider running conduit for the utilities so you can make changes in the future and get the best of both worlds.
Love the videos, keep up the good work!
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2007
- Messages
- 2,005
Thank you for sharing this.
I find that many people don't truly understand their options and this helps to open their eyes.
I find that many people don't truly understand their options and this helps to open their eyes.