Id like to install a thinner insulation along this wall due to this wall will encroach on an already tight stairwell. The exterior consists of vynil siding and Tvec. Thanks D. David No difference.free markets driving price.nothing more. It is completely sealed off. Below my condo is a parking garage the tiled areas of floor are generally cold. The outside walls are a decorative type masonry block. Unfortunately, I never get to see the costs. Jazz First off the foam can be sealed very well with the right type of tape. The floor is painted two coats SW concrete paint. Thanks. Humidity is also an issue. 3. slab concrete insulation under foam xps fibercement larger
Here is another great use for the panels. Sounds like a fun project! PermaBASE CI Insulated Cement Board is a composite cement board combining the strength and benefits of PermaBASE Cement Board with rigid insulation to create an ideal substrate for exterior finishes that meet or exceed most continuous insulation requirements. Then seal it and solve the additional R-19 or 30 later. My winter basement temperature is 50-60 degrees and I have had small, isolated water leakage problems a couple of times over 6 years when too much water got close to the outside walls (downspout problems). 2. Insulating basement walls in cold climates is a great way to keep your home warmer and drier. 
However, a product like that will really only help with horizontal siding products. Generally very moist most of the year. Thank you, Dawn Dicarlo. Its reasonably priced, light weight and easy to use. Any other ideas how to get an R-Value of at least 30 in a 5.5 inch rafter space without increasing the rafter depth? There are many tapes on the market now that stick very well..just be sure its not duct tape! Manufactured in a convenient 1", 2" and 3" overall thickness, PermaBASE CI utilizes common trims and accessories. 3. You can definitely add more to what youve done. 2 might meet your local code but you should check. I think I would have had more and better options before the walls were built. Alan Blown in insulation is a great option for attics. The Iso starts, per the NRCA, at 5.8 at 75 degrees F and drops to 5.0 st 0 degrees F. 3- The polystyrene is recyclable and the Iso is not. Skip It really depends on how youre going to use it? Earnie Hot climates like TX are a different animal compared to here in the north. ALso, will I then also need another moisture barrier like plastic sheet before drywalling? Todd, another insulate the attic question. I definitely think the 2 blue board is a very good idea. 2. Without going into a huge long dissertation Im asking for some help from readers. Cheapest way is installing the laminate directly on the concrete. Mike. I live in north central connecticut, my house was built in the 50s with a Frank loyd Wright design in mind (not original Frank L Wright).It s 2 stories about 3600 sq ft outside. Composite cement board creates an ideal substrate for exterior finishes that meet or exceed most continuous insulation requirements. The Delta MS is a little bit further away from the wall and this leaves a little gap under the Clad Mate where the Delta is connected to the block wall. Steve Im not surprised that the garage wasnt insulated. Todd, your article says polyiso is more expensive than XPS but is higher R-value per inch. Thank you so much!!! Thanks Mel, Hi Todd, Well, after reading your reply, I got to checking I think Ill go with R-13 Kraft faced for the walls and R-19 for the roof. Thanks so much for any insight you can provide. Thanks for this informative site. Therefore when you walk in the interior, you can see the outside brick wall as some areas of the outside boards and tar paper were removed. Or would a dry fit and taping do the deed?
Next I would install a layer of rigid foam board (XPS would work fine).
The exterior has 1 XPS covered with vinyl siding. Hi all! I would spray 2 on the four walls and 2 also on the ceiling. Even then, what do I do with the top flap of house wrap? If thats the case you should consult with a structural engineer before moving forward with your projectenough of that. If so which one would be the best type (eps, xps or the foil facing?. What are your recommendations or thoughts on these? One place I looked said that sealing the concrete could lead to other problems. yes we would need to do the extension as a nailer for the corner board idea as well.
Will be building a home in Vermont soon and one of the builders is telling me to use roxul insulation and also put 1 inch dow foam on the exterior of the osb board. Thanks for your question. Should blue board and fiberglas be installed on them as well? Does it glue on? Would this configuration still require some type of vapor barrier? It never had any insulation.
Great site, I wish I found it sooner as I am midway through my project. The thickness will depend mostly on how it affects trim details at doors and windows. The link you provided had a lot of information about new construction in hot humid climates. Youve in essence created a double vapor barrier that wants to trap water in the stud wall. Other than housing vehicles, we entertain a lot and want a shelter /entertainment space for guests at our outdoor parties. George For the slab I would recommend 2 of XPS foam under the slab. Good luck. 1. 1. We are converting our 2128 garage into a family room. Use spray can foam (Great Stuff or similar) to seal each piece in place. I am replacing my peeling wood siding with vinyl on a 60 year old 1500 sqft ranch house in Wisconsin this summer. I have heard so many conflicting things about insulation that Im ready to do nothing! Ill also use 3 1/2 of Polyiso between the rafters but I plan on installing that from the finished side most likely (unless we have time to do it from the top side after tearoff). 4. what would estimate the R-value to be on this? Dear Todd. I think Im getting a good price for some 26-30 R-Value stuff. Can I install 2 foil backed rigid foam board on top of the wood floor? Would it be fine to start at the knee wall and go up to the rafter ties? It may be tough to tear down what I have done, or should I just finish with 1. What do you think? 
Using 3/4 foam will most likely not provide a very good vapor barrier. I hope youll consider signing up for our FREE Weekly Newsletter! Look for coatings that are both UV Blocking and Resistant. 2. My plan was to glue at least 1 1/2 of foam board to the concrete walls, leave 1/2 gap, then frame a wall with R13 fiberglass and cover with drywall. I will only be able to put in about 5 inches of insulation and wanted to up the R value by adding 1 of foam over the rafters then putting the drywall up.
6. We use our bathroom fan for 20 min after showers and do all we can to keep the moisture down. First and most importantly youd need to verify that the recessed fixtures are rated for in contact with insulation. Joyce Great question. Thanks Mel. Its important that each sheet of foam be sealed with an approved taping system. If you dont need more rafter capacity for the room loading (not much snow there? The problem is it will hold water like a sponge. Basically no insulation in the roof like Im used to here in the states. Space will be used as traditional butlers pantry, i.e. The upper level has attic space that is used for storage with exposed roof trusses. Should I be concerned with creating a double vapor barrier by doing this or is the unfaced 1 foam board sufficient? Thank you again. Sounds like there may be other sources of humidity, are the appliances properly vented? I think youre on the right track. My contractor is installing what looks like polyiso panels 1.5 inch R10, behind new vinyl siding on 2nd floor exterior wall. If youre looking to do all the work yourself then youve got a couple options. I was hoping to leave the above ground walls open in the unfinished area of the basement for easier insect and mold inspection. Michele Not really, the real issue is being sure its closed cell foam. 2. #1) **** Now, working from the outside would the foam panels be a viable option? Your opinion would be appreciated. Was thinking about building up the floor with additional rafters and adding another floor since the roof is very high. Also being in New England what thickness of foam should i use 3/8, 1/2, or 1. If youre going to spend that kind of money on a new roof Id address those rafters at the same time. I have a concern about the space between the back of the studs and the block wall. 1. Have the wall spray foamed after you remove the drywall. The eave area is always a problem because you typically cant get enough insulation in the tight area and proper ventilation. My scuttle can barely accept a 32 piece of 3/4 polyiso (1/3 of a 48 sheet). Here is my question. Seems like the same type of product. DIY foam is really difficult and not something I recommend. Thanks for your help. They plan on pouring 4 inch concrete over visqueen vapor barrier and granular fill after the plumbing stuff. Any time you tear off a roof its likely youre going to invoke some new code provisions. The basement, if I finish it will be framed with 24 with the cavities filled with Roxsul.
Having said that I also dont think your approach will work very well. When we build this type of wall that divides conditioned and unconditioned spaces we treat it as though it were an attic floor, meaning we want at least R38 or more if we can get it. I wonder if they would receive the same test results if the seams were installed vertically? Hold a thin piece of ISO up to the light and think about all those cell walls breaking down from UV damage. Insulation would probably be blown in cellulose or fiberglass rolls. A builder also recommended moving to 26 studs what do you think? Have you spoken to your building code official yet? PS also bought a dehumidifier after finding mold. Not only is it subject to breakdown from extended exposure, it also loses significant insulation value when wet. What product should I use for a thermal heat break and insulation to keep all the heat being sucked into the slab an not into the room? Thanks, Ryan. What would you recommend using under the siding and why? I have the picture, I just dont have a email to send it to? Jeremy I havent used one of the kits and I hear they only work well for small areas like a rim joist. Sometimes you do need to apply some temporary shoring but not often with this product.
Check this out: http://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/basement-insulation-guide/ There are lots of links in that article to all my other basement insulation articles. In fact, my first preference is Certainteeds Monogram line that has a 0.046 panel thickness. When completed, my basement will have a finished area (that will serve as a kids play room & home gym)and an unfinished area (that will be a utility closet and tool area). Id ask around on the island and get some other input and suggestions. With not much room to build a 24 wall frame and insulate along the side of our basement stairs, we have opted for polyiso sheets with foil and plastic face. Thank you very much for your help! Cost = Polyiso is the most expensive of the foam board insulation products however its the highest R value. I was thinking of glueing 1.5 blue or pink rigid insulation between the studs. Will remove doors and add walls. Im going to need about 3000 sq. I was thinking a little air gap would be good ? That is definitely something i can accomplish and makes me more comfortable doing. Exterior foam of 2 will keep the dew point to the outside of the foam so the cellulose will stay drier and it will provide a thermal break and wind barrier over the whole wall, including the sill joists. Joe Ideally you wouldnt cut down the insulation. Thanks for any help you are able to give me. I understand your idea. If it were me Id go with 1-1/2 of foam board and call it good unless theres a more specific code issue. If this will cause moisture issues though Ill go a different route. The answer to your question really depends on the slab elevation with respect to top of footing. We are seeing this detail more and more as designers realize the importance of this critical issue. I have to add fiberglass for R value, is it resonable to put a 1/2 inch or 1/4 blue board without decreasing the effectiveness of the blue board? So I take it you would screw the hat channel to the cement wall,(Raised part towards the cement, or the feet? If I remove the existing drywall (stud cavity filled with R13 fiber glass), add 2 XPS foam and build an interior stud wall against the XPS and fill this new wall cavity with R13, then hang drywall. Good luck. Unfortunately, 24 rafters must have been the norm in 1919 when the house was built but youre right, I feel that beefing up the rafters would be a good thing to do but I was trying to avoid the expense in materials and labor involved in doing so. My garage is a attached garage to my home and is not insulated in the attic ,but the rest of my home is.
This gives another layer of protection against air infiltration and also water.
Since it is currently open we can pretty much explore any option. Ive been searching everywhere and cant find a single picture, diagram, video or how to with an extension under the flange. Ive thought of using packing peanuts (good way to recycle them!) I am planning to build a room over my attached garage. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. My boss wants me to design some insulated covers that we can install in the winter (the previous occupants just stapled up blue tarps and they said it was still freezing inside). My husband dug the cellar hole,he stated, the ground is pervious, with no ground water.
First of all I would remove the 22 and install a continuous layer of insulation. I am looking to add insulation to the above grade bedrooms on the North side of the home. But you gain square footage of living area because their is not any studded wall cavity. Then installing 24 walls with a PT base. That may be more manageable for him. What do you think we should do with the plaster that is covering the brick? I would say it is arced about 2ft with a length of 8.5ft. Built around 1900. That seems to be a lot of work. My bedroom over the garage is very cold. The ceiling has a slight curve as well. Do you actually try to get the insulation behind these items, or do you just get as tight as possible to them? But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. All this time, I thought EPS was closed cell. I live in a 90 year old home with minimal insulation.
Noise is best handled with independent framing. (They were removed from a walk-in cooler.) You see Google has recently changed the science on how they rank sites when you do a search. 2. Unless you remove it all and create a good vapor barrier youre doing to just push the wall moisture up higher and eventually into the remaining fiberglass. The attic has a wooden tongue and groove floor, but no insulation. I think youre certainly onto the approach Id take. Should the 2 poly and 1 poly be sandwiched together, or is it better to have an air cavity between them? I would have to put 20 2x10s in. Now you have open cell foam. Thanks for the advice. It will be a two story with a furnished walkout basement (built on a hill facing the water). Most building inspectors would definitely require that you cover it, but lots of houses dont. The R Value goes up as the temperature drops. Will a hepa vacuum filter work for cleaning up fiberglass particles after Im done removing this garbage? Brian Glad you found the video and article helpful. Tariq It may be possible to use a foil faced foam board. That would probably work pretty well. NO muss no fuss for about $100 per room to add a little R value (I know it is very little, but perhaps better than nothing? 1- Per BSAF, 1#/cu.ft. This would at least eliminate the need to frame a new wall. What type should I use? Then Ideally youd install some type of drain plane (strapping or rain screen material), then the polyiso, then the siding. Also, what do you recommend for our 26 walls? You can just install ISO foam board insulation, then a layer of plywood with long screws. What will be the structure above grade? Eric The foam board should be installed first with all the joints taped. Which would be the best kind of foam board to get and proper thickness ? We would end up with somewhere near r19, without having the added expense of him furring out the studs, etc. I will install 2 of rigid foam insulation under the slab. From the attic side, install the foam board, tape all the seams very well. House is in New England. Not being able to pull the trigger about which thickness of polyiso is really bugging me. All this does to windows and doors is require 2 deeper extension jambs which shouldnt be a problem. Does the door qualify as a fire-stop, therefore allowing me to use foam board on the attic (cold) side? I could also use the spray foam (Great Stuff comes to mind) to seal the gaps between the foam and the studs. Then I was thinking of putting one inch ridged foam board over the outside of the slab and the lower 28 wall. Cut a hole in drywall in upstairs bedroom last week to find that owner placed drywall directly on concrete block with firn strips no insulation whatsoever. If the polyiso is foil faced does that protect it against moisture and act as a vapor barrier. However, note also that the rigid foam board is installed in the horizontal position in this article. You need that much to stop water vapor from leaving the block wall and getting trapped in the new wall cavity. Stan You have lots of options and some of the options depend on the type of siding youll be installing. My home has been breathing for 40 years without mold in the walls, so Id better keep letting it do so. Any ideas on this? I would only have steel on the outside and sides, leave the side facing the building with just exposed foil faced insulation. Im going to be doing the inside of all the exterior facing cement walls of our vacation home in Philippines. Window and door trim will be dealt with by using 3/4 ply boxes inside the window ROs, and custom furring trim on the few doors, for finish trim nailing Im leaning towards 1 XPS, while finding some type of fastener that will give me the stud penetration depth I would get without the foam. Hi Todd, I am interested in putting down a temporary floor in a garage (aprox.
or polyiso [that latter not looking good based on all these blogs Ive read about moisture and gases]. If so maybe an inch or two so the snow load should be minimal. 5. It still has the original wood siding. I live in Jacksonville, FL and due to age and water damage, I had to replace the bottom sill plate on my 1940s garage apartment. Todd- I have a bedroom wall that is exposed to the attic area above my garage. I plan on replacing the roofing this spring. Any help would be appriciated. If you insulate below the slab then some folks dont actually insulate above. Should I still fill cavity in between studs with R-13 fiberglass insulation? Thanks Todd for the quick reply, the info you provide on the site is great (wish I had found it before I had started with the 1 inch rigid foam!). I think the XPS is better suited for your shell application. Can I use the foam board cut to fit between the studs for insulation and then re-install the lap siding directly to the studs? Nice and dry and almost totally dust free. Not sure tar paper is going do to much of anything for you in this situation. You want to be sure youre using galvanized or stainless steel screws and be sure the screw heads are sealed well afterwards before the gypsom board. Question: Can I install Extruded or polyisocyanuarate between the studs for my insulation needs then cover it up with 1/2 sheetrock. Time has come to insulate the underside of the floor and I wanted to go with spray closed cell foam for its vapor barrier and insulating qualities.Plus it will hide some ugly bits of framing, as this house was built out of what appears to be scrap wood from an earlier home. The foil facing also makes it very easy to seal with good quality foil faced tapes. Far superior method than insulating from the inside and trying to seal out moisture. Thanks for any advice you can offer (this is not really in my bailiwick). The main reason i wanna do that is because the ceiling in the room now is too low and the windows are higher than the ceiling meaning they are partially enclosed by the ceiling. Most commercial buildings have an R19 in the wall.
Daryl Id insulate that block with foam board, then frame in front of it to cover the foam board. 7.
My question is, is this a good idea, what type of rigid board should I use? Ive competed one wall already.
Where the old walls were taken down you can now see exposed areas of brick (there is no exterior wall sheathing beneath the brick in some areas). Harry Part of it depends on what kind of doors they are, how they are made, how you will attach it, etc. Lastly, is it ok to insulate an area (under stairs) that i will not be drywalling? I hope youll become a Newsletter Subscriber and remain a member of our site.
I would like to know if I can put the polyisocyanurate over my outside wall which has stucco on it to reflect the sun rays and will it last? Tearing off the outside siding is not financially an option. I just bought a house built in 1964. I would avoid the roll insulation. As of July 2010 our county adopted a new energy code that requires a minimum of R38 for any re-roofing applications. You can certainly install another layer over the old after its inspected. Then sheet with OSB, felt paper and shingles. The cabinet in the bar will need to be insulated to keep my already cold kegs from my basement kegerator outside while throwing a party. 2. The better solution is the insulation on top of the roof sheathing or applied to the bottom chord of the trusses so its continuous. What are your thoughts? And in either case what is the best to use for a vapor barrier and where?? I am insolating my basement but the Swiss tend to over-engineer their walls so I want to provide some guidance to my wall-guy. Doing this showed me that there was no insulation and Id like to add it.
If you dont tape those seems water will get in. Michele Can you put an extension on the sill plate, then trim the bottom of the extension with a PVC trim board after caulking the joints? Any issues whatsoever or points or anything you can do or throw at me to consider would be appreciated. Installing the foam board in the spaces sounds easy but its a real pain around all the electrical and mechanical equipment. I will implement the basement wall according to your Oct 12th post. My second question is can I use polyso as the board between the shell instead of xps because it has a higher r value. So if you left a gap between the 2 sheets of isoboard would that give you a higher r value we were told it would then we read that there would be condensation between the 2 sheets.This is my last question.Thank you :). Obviously there are times when its no practical. The outside concrete wall is painted on the outside only.
The ceiling rafters will be furred out to 12. And to allow for heating ducts, the floor is raised about 14 on 28 joists. My idea now was to put air-vents underneath the roof, stuff the space between the rafters with faced Fiberglas insulation (might bring it up to R-19) and add a layer of 2 inch foam boards with an R-Value of 13 on top. Hi Todd, I recently purchased a home built in 1965.the previous owners have been numerous plywood panels laying on top of loose insulation. I am unable to find building size sheets in more than 2 inch thickness, so I guess I will have to double the amount of sheets to obtain maximum insulation value.
The walls were blown with fiberglass insulation years ago. This means pushing the windows out a bit further and making deeper extension jambs but the reward will be well worth it. Is this ok to do and is a specific type of foam board more compatible with the spray foams?
Interesting question! Using pink foam on concrete walls and caulking all infiltration areas first. Should I include a vapor barrier on the underside of the interior foam before I insulate? He wonders if hell have to move the foundation wall out to accomodate another 2 in addition to my planned 26 walls. from the interior to the exterior plastic, batt insulation, OSB, tyvek, foam board insulation). Do you have a vapor barrier on the exterior wall over the batt insulation? I have original cedar clapboard and shingles on there now. Again I am in Wisconsin. The more insulation you install on the very outer edge the less likely you are to have a dew point problem inside the wall cavity. I believe the moisture is coming from cooking/bathing within the unit itself or from the outside through the concrete, (if this is possible under what situations does this occur?) I was going to put 1 inch foam instulation over the entire wall, then do a 24 wall maybe 1/2 inch away from the foam and insulate it with Fiberglass. Details: Zone 6 climate. I also was hoping to find xps board pre-manufacture with foil on one side (for radiant purposes) and a rough fiberglass mesh surface on the other side (stucco ready). The boxes will be bolted down to compress the seal. slab insulation foamex polystyrene maximise I asked about Tyvek wrap and he said not necessary, but can they really seal that well with tape. You could do the R11 fiberglass followed by an inch of XPS foam. Mark Well it really does depend on where you live and what Energy Code if any is in effect. 5 windows/ doors. Do you have any suggestions or comments? The whole point is to mechanically fasten and glue xps board to a painted metal wall without creating a thermal bridge.
I would install some type of wrap whether traditional or even tar paper over the old siding before the new foam. Good luck. You can glue it all together. He showed me the Drylok.
I use the foil faced polyiso in the rim joist because it has a higher R value and better vapor barrier properties. Contractor friend advised foam board over existing drywall, then re-drywall over that. Ive noticed pink carries a premium price to the blue. It is also warm.
And should the foil be facing out? Read this: http://www.homeconstructionimprovement.com/how-to-insulate-basement-walls/ The answer is in there.what youre proposing is not sufficient.
If I lived in Alaska Id spend every dollar I could on insulation versus other nice to have things like nice countertops, etc. Would that be better than spray in foam? I started using 1 DOW Clad mate and was going to frame and continue insulating using batt insulation and cover with drywall. Only issue is that the new sheets obviously look newer than the 13 year old panels that were previously installed. So if you enjoyed the site any help promoting it would be GREATLY appreciated. This site was adversely effected by those changes which means Google things the site is just Spam. Please let me know what you think and if there is a better way of insulating and attaching the gutter and fascia in your opinion.