Insulating
by
Chick Smith
what is the easiest way to do quick insulating in the basement. I bought insulation but not sure were to put it at in my laundry room
3 answers
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I was watching this old house on TV and i think there is a styrofoam sheet insulation that they use in the basements , look at thisoldhouse ,com to find it .
Judy Adams
on Feb 11, 2014
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Before you decide on what needs to be insulated you need to do some research in the areas you are planning to improve. Moisture is the main concern when it comes to doing insulation, from attics to basements they all have indications of this and the moisture is the first issue that must be addressed. Look around along the walls and floor edges. Is there any signs of efflorescence? That white powdery material that remains after dampness dries up. If you experience leaks on occasion or see this white material you need to address this first before you waste money on installing the insulation. Hiding it will not make it go away, and in fact it will only get worse with the development of mold. Many people use fiberglass insulation and several have done so with great success. However best practices say to use foam board type as the foam boards (pink or blue) are closed cell types that do not allow moisture to travel through them keeping any dampness trapped behind them. If he basement suffers from that occasional flood, this type of insulation will not absorb moisture and will easily dry out as long as you can get air around both sides of it. This leaves only a few options to install. Ideally you should construct your walls off of the basement foundation wall area and place the boards tightly between each wall joist. Allowing air to flow behind the wall allows for dehumidification systems to remove any dampness that may seep through your foundation. When you near the ceiling joists, you bridge between the foundation wall and the new finished wall with plywood and foam boards. This assures that you have created a fire stop as well as brought the insulation from the finished walls up to the outside wall that is located above the finished grade outside. There are so many different methods of installing insulation as there is types of the products. But remember, Foam boards need to be protected from open flame and exposure to living areas. This is code. Should this material burn it will release harmful smoke and fumes that can injure you and your family should they be exposed to them.
Woodbridge Environmental Tiptophouse.com
on Feb 11, 2014
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How do you build your walls off the basement wall? what do you use to secure the framework to the cement blocks that will not wick moisture? And same question for freestanding walls on concrete floor - how do you prevent wicking? And you put the foam boards between the studs & not on the cement blocks, right? Trying to be sure I understand your recommendations.
Kate S
on Feb 12, 2014
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