Home Improvement Stack Exchange
Home Improvement Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [basement-insulation]

90 questions
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Are there any reasons I shouldn't remove this odd nook from a basement room?

I'm thinking about taking out this weird nook in my basement, along with the white-topped blocks/supports that surround it. Is there any reason I shouldn't? In other words - is there a likely purpose the nook serves that means I ought to leave it…
infinitely_improbable
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Should I run vapor barrier across the ceiling in a basement?

I'm currently working on finishing my basement. Right now I'm working finishing up the insulation and am getting ready to install a plastic vapor barrier. Since I live in Massachusetts which is a cooler climate, I plan to install the vapor barrier…
user2704238
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Will I lose a ton of efficiency by removing the blue foam insulation from my unfinished basement?

My house inspection noted that the exposed blue foam insulation in my basement is not to code and (if there’s a fire) could be dangerous due to noxious fumes. The insurance provider has told me to remove it, or cover it with drywall to ensure…
user138192
2
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2 answers

How to insulate around obstacles in basement?

I'm using my unfinished basement as a workshop, and it's really cold in there, so I want to insulate the walls, preferably with rigid board. I've watched some videos, but they don't give a lot of information about how to work around the many…
Benjamin Evett
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How can I insulate a crawl space with very large joist spacing?

I have an older home (60's era) with rather cold floors. I was thinking of adding fiberglass batting to help with this, but when I went to measure the joist spacing, it seems MUCH larger than I expected. Spacing between the joists in the photo is…
James C.
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Can I attach tongue and groove wood paneling (or similar) directly to foam over concrete block?

I am currently working in the cinder block basement of a small cabin in a climate with very cold winters. The convective cold from the cinder block walls in the winter is quite chilly. I want to attach one inch thick XPS to the walls to aid in heat…
absentx
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Is there any reason *not* to add shipping styrofoam pieces to wall insulation?

My basement walls are covered with a few inches of polyiso foam board with interior stud walls being built over the foam board. I have some extra pieces of foam board from the installation that I am going to add to a couple of the stud bays (a…
susie derkins
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why is there a full batt of insulation inside my HVAC ductwork?

Im replacing the drywall around a vent in my finished basement. When we removed the old vent cover we noticed what looks like a a whole batt of insulation that appears to be running the length of the vent. Seems like it was done intentionally and I…
Fabienne Elie
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How can I provide enough insulation with the minimal depth for my laundry room area?

I am remodeling my laundry room. As you can see from the elevation drawing, I am building out a custom cabinetry for the washer/dryer so they are elevated. There will be drawers below which can be fully removed to reach the cleanout access. But,…
myermian
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basement sill plate insulation replacement?

I’m trying to redo basement insulation, but not sure if what I’m seeing from the original owner was correct to begin with, or up to current standards. Most research I’ve seen talks about rim joist insulation, but doesn’t cover what to do for a…
colej4586
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Insulating a slightly-damp crawlspace

I've got a crawlspace under my living room that's connected with the basement for the rest of the house. In the winter the floor of the living room gets cold, even though there's R19 fiberglass between the joists. I was thinking of insulating the…
John Bauman
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Vapor barrier for sil plate and fire block

I'm about to start working on my finishing my basement; but every time I'm about to start I realize a new question. From what I understand from discussing with the local building department I will need a fireblock between the floors, they seem to be…
Per Larsson
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Should the ceiling of a basement be insulated?

I have a basement, which is currently only used as storage and has no heating. I want to remodel this to be a liveable place, i.e. heated. To have a sensible heating output, of course I want to insulate the basement. For the wall I will be using…
dirkk
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Framing basement wall against blanket wrap insulation in tight corner

My house, located in SE Michigan, was built in 2012 and basement left unfinished by the builder. The basement is insulated with a wall wrap insulation blanket that is rated at R-11. The blanket is secured to the top plate and 6" above the concrete…
Ellis Valentiner
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Can GreatStuff "Pro" cans be layered to achieve the same thickness as "Big Gap Filler?"

all! For some reason Great Stuff offers all of their cans in Pro style, but not the Big Gap Filler. I have 3"-ish gap between a base plate and a floor joist in the basement that has very little insulation behind it. The reason is I think that the…
Zoinks
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