How to Ensure Reliable Insulation for your Basement?
When it comes to insulation, the basement is one of the most important areas in your home. So this is the first place you must think about when planning insulation. The following tips will provide you valuable information about how to go about ensuring a well-insulated basement.
Build Stud Wall
It is important to have wall frames before adding any insulation because it is essential to cover insulation. A good strategy will be to fix wooden boards along every 16-inch of the cellar partitions. The boards should also be installed along the bottom plates on the floor.
Basements will typically be 8 feet, but the vertical board may have to be trimmed at the bottom so that they will go easily on the bottom plate. It is important that the boards be seated below the sill plate atop the groundwork wall.
The bottom plate must be attached to the floor using liquid nails adhesive. Drill holes with masonry bit at a distance of 16 inches in the floor. Then draw concrete screws into the holes.
Similarly, the vertical boards must be attached onto the wall using the same method. Start from the prime and fix screws at a distance of 2 feet.
Foam Board
Foam board is recommended to be added to the interior of the basement walls. They are in fact meant to be added when the house is being newly constructed. During this time the walls are exposed. But adding foam board later can increase the risk of pest infestation, especially because of ants and termites. A solution to this problem will be to have foam board installed by professionals.
Strapping & Gypsum Drywall
A relatively better solution could be to add strapping over the insulation. It could then be topped with gypsum drywall. It will allow moisture on the wall to get dry from the inside.
Another unique and effective alternative could be to create a wooden frame wall within the basement, and insulate it using fiberglass batts. Using PE vapor barriers may seem innovative in keeping moisture out, but it can create the ideal conditions for the development of mold.
Insulate the Sill
It can be challenging to insulate the sill. One way to do so is of fill the insulation into the frame and cover it using a vapor barrier. A better alternative could be to spray PU insulation. It will be highly effective in providing insulation.
There are three main advantages of using spray foam:
– It has much higher R-value
– It provides strong vapor/air barrier
– It can easily and more effectively fill out all the nooks and corners and sell-off any leaks
Other insulation materials cannot provide all these benefits in the same place. But when it comes to applying foam, you cannot engage in a DIY project. It must be applied only by experienced and trained professionals. There are smaller kits available for conducting smaller tasks, but for a project like basement insulation, you will need the services of a professional contractor.
Basement foundation is something that cannot be ignored at all. Foam insulation is the latest and most effective technology available in this industry. It may cost slightly higher compared to other alternatives, but it is much more efficient and long-lasting. The initial cost of installation will be easily set-off within a short period of time, especially considering the amount of maintenance and upgrade other options require.
So follow these tips and create a more comfortable home interior the amount of energy you will be saving over the long term will gradually pay off for any investment you make in quality insulation for the foundation.