A comfortable and dry home, including the basement, is important for any home. Using insulation to reduce heat flow between the interior and exterior of your home will make it energy efficient and provide comfort. While installing insulation is not an easy task, installing it in a basement is even more of a challenge due to high moisture levels and cooler temperatures.
Problems you May Face for Basement Insulation
Finishing your basement and being able to utilize it to the maximum is certainly a good idea. But prior to starting work on insulating it, you need to make sure that this is going to be practical. If you have flooding or water leakage issues in your basement, you will save yourself a lot of effort and money if you don’t finish it. If all looks good and dry in your basement, you still need to use the proper process and the correct materials to put in insulation that will not create any problems for you in the future.
Using fiberglass insulation right up against the concrete walls, for example, is a big no-no as it can lead to serious mold problems which, obviously, could be a health hazard. The key point to remember with basements is that even though the concrete wall as may seem “bone dry”, there is always some moisture present, due to the type of material that concrete is and how it can pretty much soak up and hold water almost like a sponge. So keeping this in mind and working around it will help to get proper insulation for your basement.
Choosing the Right Insulation Material
You need to pick the insulation material that not only insulates the concrete walls but also offers some air seal. The important thing to remember is that warm air can hold more moisture, and if it hits a cold surface (the concrete walls, in the case of a basement), it will drop that moisture. So a good idea is to insulate the concrete basement walls with rigid foam. You can seal these rigid foam pieces in place using spray foam. For tighter seams and gaps, use house wrap tape. Using these materials and installing them properly can stop moisture movement and also prevent mold growth. These choices of materials are affordable and most commonly used.
However, if I had to select one material, I would say using foam spray is the best possible material for basements and other damp areas. It provides excellent and easy coverage over pipes and wires and also appropriate R-value. The downsides of spray foam include high cost and that using it can be a very messy task. The next best thing to use is foam board. Using foam board for the correct thickness and sealing it properly will create an effective vapor barrier. Lastly, if you are on a tight budget, you can also think about using a hybrid system of foam board and fiberglass to insulate your basement. Remember though, if you have any water infiltration in your basement, even a very small amount, this system should definitely not be used.
The Insulation Experts at A Best Insulation can Help You
If you feel comfortable with insulating your basement as a DIY project, you can do that, but calling the experts to make sure that the job gets done properly is a good idea too. In Fort Lauderdale insulation services are best provided by A Best Insulation. When we at A Best Insulation provide any insulation installation, we think of many important things- the humidity dynamics, codes, regulations, and construction laws, installation procedure, insulation materials, and more. By having trained and experienced team members, we make sure that your insulation job is performed in the best possible manner that you are satisfied with.
We consider ourselves the best insulation contractors Fort Lauderdale has, and with good reason. Despite the fact that we have years of experience in having performed thousands of energy conservation jobs, we strive every day to be even better through science, experience, education, and ethics. Our team continuously learns to increase their knowledge and keep up with the latest developments in the field. We also learn from our experiences and are honest about our pricing and work process.
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