Insulation for new construction basement
jhouse2023
11 months ago
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jhouse2023
11 months agoRelated Discussions
insulating outside basement walls new construction
Comments (9)you don't need to insulate below the frost level I don't know your Code off-hand. That may be acceptable. But from the view of long-term cost efficiency and comfort, it makes more sense to insulate to the floor. And maybe even under the floor. I'm assuming the basement will be finished. Especially if you're planning to keep the basement above 50ÃÂF. in the winter. Without insulation, you stand a good chance of getting condensation on the concrete from air currents in the finished wall. Overkilling the wall with insulation for the first four feet (R 50+) then forgetting about the bottom two or three feet is rather odd. Insulating only the band, as you suggest, makes no sense and is likely not Code compliant. In any case, using exterior foam presents an insuperable problem on a masonry veneer home. Thermal bridging with masonry veneers negates the benefit of exterior insulation altogether. As well, unless the exterior insulation is meticulously protected before and after construction, it will be degraded. But, fatally to my mind, even if you get exterior insulation to work thermally, you've provided an interstate for termites. And, in Chicago, you've got them. I've been a licenced builder in Toronto for 20 years. After fiddling with different systems, now I insulate the basement on the interior with: 1" XPS followed by fg batts; or with cc spray foam to Code minimum or followed by fg, I have the key joist band area sprayed with cc or oc foam. Other acceptable alternatives include EPS (it has to be much thicker than XPS), isocyanurate boards or fg with Membrain vapour barrier. Here is a link that might be useful: Building Science Corp on basements...See MoreNew Home/wall construction and insulation assembly
Comments (3)I would take another look at SIP's- they're really easier than stick, IMO. Check out greenbuilding.com to get some very specific answers to your questions. The problem with stick construction is all the places that air can infiltrate. You can build a good tight house that way, but you need to be thorough in stopping air flow. Nowadays, they caulk wiring and plumbing penetrations, and of course any seams. One nice thing about sprayed-in foam is that it tends to seal everything up. Also, studs conduct heat, so you want to create a thermal break. One of the easiest ways to do this is apply foam over the outside of your sheathing. Firring strips are then applied to create a nailing surface for your exterior siding, and to create a drainage plane behind the siding. Even if no water ever penetrates your siding, condensation can build up....See MoreTax credit on insulated garage door for new construction?
Comments (2)No, all of the energy star tax credits do not apply to new home construction EXCEPT for the geothermal HVAC and the solar hot water credits. I highly recommend taking advantage of the geothermal credit. It is 30% of the total cost including all duct work and equipment. There is also no $1500 cap. For example, the quote for a high efficiency heat pump and all ducting installed for my house was $9000. The quote for a top of the line geo unit installed with ducting and vertical geo loop was $16000. I got back $4500 in tax credits on that $16000. The net difference was only $1500....See MoreInsulation considerations for new construction
Comments (8)Hi Solarguy, Thanks for the chock full of info. For the ornl.gov site, I'm not getting the same numbers. Did you assume polyurethane or something else for insulation? Either way, I think you are right that I should aim for a much higher R-value. Owens Corning recommends R7 rigid foam exterior sheathing and R21 for the wall cavities for R28 total. Right now for walls, I have cedar shingle siding, standard OSB sheathing, R-15 fiberglass batts, 6mm vapor barrier, then finally drywall. The air infiltration was below min standards so they added a heated air-exchange. I like the idea stopping air before it enters the wall cavity, so rigid foam sheathing and foam spraying the cavity perimeter makes more sense. I mean, I'm stopping the air from passing thru the houses interior, but I'm sure I've got air movement in the wall cavity which kills my fiberglass R-value. Gary Reif, If you could provide a link for the 8.5" wall contruction you are mentioning, that would be great. This along with solargary's insulation upgrade calculator should arm me with enough info to calculate various ROI. Thanks guys....See Morejhouse2023
11 months agoSusie .
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11 months agolast modified: 11 months agoDavid Cary
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11 months agojhouse2023
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11 months agojhouse2023
11 months agoCharles Ross Homes
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11 months agoCharles Ross Homes
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