Thanks for the reply Worthy. There is actually no water running down the walls. They put the VB up only because they could not get there gutter system up against the floor / wall joint. The only way for the water to get from the holes drilled in the first course of block was to put in the VB to channel any water that "would" come in goes to the gutter system that is under the concrete at the floor / footer / wall joint. I have checked the access ports over the past year and they are always dry. The sump pump is not busy winter and late spring through fall. So the only action is sees is the wet spring and a good T storm in summer. After that it is quiet. If I have minimal water coming from the wall and all the action is from a high water table, how to proceed with insulating the basement.. I just want to insulate the best I can given my circumstances and move forward the best I can. An additional exterior system is water well under the bridge.

Thanks worthy, I appreciate the comments. I did remove a small bit of subfloor at one point to see what was under there. I'll take a closer look but it seems like just older concrete. I can't tell if it is heaving or cracked or moist, however. When the walls come down maybe I can access under the subfloor a litte easier and see. The furnace/laundry room area has no subfloor and by the looks of it more recently poured concrete. This concrete floor looks to be an inch and a half higher than the floor under the subfloor. I have made sure that the downspouts take the water well away from the house. Well the "finished" part of my basement is conditioned I think. At least if "conditioned" means hot air and return vents are installed. Is this what you mean by "conditioned"? Thanks again. gary

I have owned both and currently have a 4.5 foot crawlspace. In my old house, the finished full sized basement was waterproofed (french drain) and great for storage but over time, everything would get moldy. There was a need for a dehumidifier running 24/7 during the warmer months. The cold basement floor would cause condensation on the unfinished cement area during humid days. Metal washers and dryers would end up rusting and paint flaked off over time. Clothes could not be stored or else you would get that dirt smell. Metal storage cabinets would rust. Wooden doors would get a coating of mold over a period of years. Then there was the stair climbing which became a pain when it was laundry day. The sofa always felt damp and had a smell. ----------- In my current home, my 4.5 ft crawl space stays plenty warm. I have two 220V industrial space heaters which come on at 37 degrees (freezing pipes) and the floor above is insulated. I never have a cold floor. My entire house is electric. PPL has reasonable KW hour rates in my area. I will install an induction motor fan this Spring on the crawlspace wall to circulate the air. In my area, there is plenty of rock which is why some homes were built with crawlspaces. For homeowners with a slab or crawlspace, a good tip is to buy a high-end washer and dryer as they make far less noise than a cheapy. You don't think of these things when the appliances are isolated in a basement. A second tip for homeowners with a crawlspace or slab is to place your hotwater heater in a pan. In case of a leak, you will avoid a lot of interior damage. When you get older, you really appreciate a one level home.

Somebody might be pulling your leg. The 2007 New York State Residential Code is based essentially word for word on the 2003 International Residential Code (issued in 2000, 2003 & 2006) that requires crawl spaces to be vented but allows five exceptions, #5 being is a sealed, insulated conditioned crawl space (as recommended by Lstiburek and the Department of Energy). I find it highly unlikely that New York State has issued a mid-revision-cycle supplementary code revision to prohibit conditioned residential crawl spaces. But I could be wrong. Where are you getting the code information? Insurance companies cannot refuse to honor their obligations if the code violation did not lead directly to or increase the severity of the property loss although they would love for you to think so and therefore not make a claim. I don't think an unvented crawl space would be considered an increased insurance risk whether it was legal or illegal.