Basement remodeling question?

[never_retreat]

I finishing the basement right now and I'm trying to decide if I should insulate the walls.
Yes or no?
Its a ranch house and the foundation is almost completely buried, it does not stick out more than a 1 foot anywhere.
Would keeping the basement a little warmer in the winter be worth the difference of it not having to cooling effect in the summer.
I'm studding the walls so the insulation would just be r13 fiberglass.

[Triphammer]

If you were to insulate the top three feet you may have the best of both. The outside air & ground surface changes temp with ambient. deeper level doesn't change much.  Better would be to insulate horizontally two feet deep on the outside perimeter but that would call for some major landscaping.

[Tallpine]

Funny, when we bought our house in town 16 years ago, the FHA inspector required the unfinished portion of the basement to be insulated.

However, the textured and painted outside walls of the two "finished" rooms were okay 

Obviously, no one pointed this out  , and we tore down the awful exposed insulation right after we moved in.      Didn't have any trouble with that on selling it either.


I would think that if you're already firring out the concrete walls then you might as well stuff some insulation in there.  It's cheap and doesn't take much time.

[roo_ster]

Given the dampness problem some folk have with basements, I would avoid adding something that both masks a leak's origin and stays damp.  Especially since you have all that earth to insulate most of it.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Given the dampness problem some folk have with basements, I would avoid adding something that both masks a leak's origin and stays damp.  Especially since you have all that earth to insulate most of it.

yup   vapor barrier and done

[Fly320s]

Do you spend more money heating your house or cooling it?  I'd go with whichever option saves on energy costs.

As for moisture protection, there are many products that seal the concrete.

[Hawkmoon]

I would insulate.

In fact, when I finished a basement 30 years ago, I did insulate.

[never_retreat]

I already put up a vapor barrier of 6-8mill poly. When I was studding out the walls I left a gap between the studs and the concrete wall.
Mostly because there was a french drain slot thing and the concrete walls are not exactly straight.
What about sliding some 1" foam board behind the studs and just shoot it into the wall with those washered hilti nails? I was thinking the top 2 feet?
Foam is a good insulator (no freaking itching fiberglass) and it can not absorb water.
What does the resident aps builders think about that?

I know another thing I have to do is insulate the rim joists, thats going to be a sucky itchy job. Cutting all those little pieces of r30.

Do you spend more money heating your house or cooling it?  I'd go with whichever option saves on energy costs.

Its probably a draw.
The basement seems to stay a constant 60 year round.

[Fly320s]

It is a very good thing that you are studying the remodeling of the walls and basement. If you want more information or want to study in detail then I would like to say that you can ask to any professional architect for this. They will surely guide you in this matter.

The Mr has a good opinion. You should consult to a architect professional. You should question to the professional in regards of your questions.  Many joyous answers will come to you.

[roo_ster]

The Mr has a good opinion. You should consult to a architect professional. You should question to the professional in regards of your questions.  Many joyous answers will come to you.

Indeed, they will help you come the time of clouds and rain.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

I already put up a vapor barrier of 6-8mill poly. When I was studding out the walls I left a gap between the studs and the concrete wall.
Mostly because there was a french drain slot thing and the concrete walls are not exactly straight.
What about sliding some 1" foam board behind the studs and just shoot it into the wall with those washered hilti nails? I was thinking the top 2 feet?
Foam is a good insulator (no freaking itching fiberglass) and it can not absorb water.
What does the resident aps builders think about that?

I know another thing I have to do is insulate the rim joists, thats going to be a sucky itchy job. Cutting all those little pieces of r30.Its probably a draw.
The basement seems to stay a constant 60 year round.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF5V5fpL2mU

[Hawkmoon]

What about sliding some 1" foam board behind the studs and just shoot it into the wall with those washered hilti nails? I was thinking the top 2 feet?
Foam is a good insulator (no freaking itching fiberglass) and it can not absorb water.
What does the resident aps builders think about that?

Waste of time, effort and materials.

Concrete is a heat sink, and a heat conduit. Insulating the top 2 or 3 feet on the inside doesn't accomplish anything. The direction of heat flow is always from the warm side to the cold side. If the wall is 8 feet high and you insulate the top 2 feet, you have six feet exposed to the interior heat. The concrete will soak up that heat, transmit it vertically, and radiate it to the outdoors through whatever portion is exposed above the ground. Either insulate the full height, or don't bother.

If your studs aren't in contact with the concrete walls, don't forget you need a vertical closure every ten feet (max) that does contact the concrete, as a firestop. You also need to close off the top of that gap for firestopping purposes. That's a code requirement -- not to mention good practice.

[never_retreat]

Waste of time, effort and materials.

Concrete is a heat sink, and a heat conduit. Insulating the top 2 or 3 feet on the inside doesn't accomplish anything. The direction of heat flow is always from the warm side to the cold side. If the wall is 8 feet high and you insulate the top 2 feet, you have six feet exposed to the interior heat. The concrete will soak up that heat, transmit it vertically, and radiate it to the outdoors through whatever portion is exposed above the ground. Either insulate the full height, or don't bother.

If your studs aren't in contact with the concrete walls, don't forget you need a vertical closure every ten feet (max) that does contact the concrete, as a firestop. You also need to close off the top of that gap for firestopping purposes. That's a code requirement -- not to mention good practice.

I've never heard of the vertical thing?
I did put a strip of fireboard up top, I knew about that one.