necessary for the successful creation of a livable basement room. But the
practice is fraught with pitfalls that can cause a host of problems. But here
are two pieces of advice that are certain:
• The exterior wall is a far better location for new insulation than the
interior foundation walls.
• Never insulate a wall that is not dry and well drained.
Almost all of the issues surrounding basement wall insulation have to do
with moisture and water vapor. How these issues affect your plans will
depend a great deal on your climate, as well as on the specific
characteristics of your house, your building site, and whether or not your
home was built with foundation drains and a pumping system.
Until recently, basements most often were insulated from the inside
because it is easier, faster, and cheaper. A typical installation would be to
attach furring strips (2 × 2, 2 × 3, or 2 × 4) to the foundation wall at
standard wall stud spacing, and then fill in between the strips with
fiberglass insulation batts. A sheet plastic vapor barrier would then be
stapled over the insulated wall prior to hanging wallcoverings (usually
wallboard or paneling). Experience has shown this model to be a poor
method, very frequently leading to moisture buildup within the wall that
encourages mold growth and has a negative impact on the indoor air
quality. The building materials also tend to fail prematurely from the
sustained moisture presence.
If your basement plans require that you insulate the foundation walls,
make certain that the walls are dry and that any moisture problems are
corrected . Then, look first at the exterior. Because it is
often unnecessary to insulate the full height of the wall, you may find that
an exterior apron insulating approach is easier than you imagined. If your circumstances absolutely require that you insulate
inside, use insulating products such as extruded polystyrene or foil-faced
isocyanurate that do not absorb water or provide food for mold. You
should also keep the wall isolated from the insulation: attach the insulation
first, seal it, and then construct a stud wall that has no direct contact with
the concrete or concrete block wall.
Exterior insulation results in a warm wall that will have less of a problem with
condensation. The wall also can breathe and dry out more easily if the interior side
has no vapor retarder.
High-Efficiency Upgrades
Replace old gas water heaters with high-efficiency models. Not only
will this save money on your utilities bill, it will also keep your
basement warmer. The more efficient your heater is, the less air it will
require for fuel combustion, which means less fresh cold air is drawn
into the basement to replace the air consumed by the appliance.
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