Expert Q
Question:
I want to know the proper way to insulate the walls of my basement and how to determine the proper cold air returns to put in the rooms down there. Presently, the basement in my new home is unfinished with insulation (R8) and vapour barrier down the wall below grade as required.
Answer:
When insulating any below-grade masonry wall it is best to build (in place) a 2X4 structure with studs 16" O.C. and pull it an inch and a half from the wall in order to accommodate R-20 fibre insulation without compressing it. The insulation actually goes from the sub-flooring above to within eight inches of the concrete floor and so does 6mm polyethylene vapour barrier. This system avoids a lot of condensation problems and at the same time, permits a bit of heat loss to the drainage tile along the exterior perimeter of the footings. In areas where frost is a problem, it is important that drainage at this point not be impeded.
Answered By: Ren Molnar
More Questions & Answers ...
1.
I have an open area wood stove in the basement with an open stairwell to the kitchen. The kitchen heats fine, ...
2.
The property was built in 1908. The basement walls are concrete & stone, about a foot thick. The basement wall ...
3.
I have a 37 year old home in Ottawa, Ontario. Long ago the then owner poured a 5 inch thick concrete raised "p ...
4.
Is it possible to utilize hot water from hotwater tank to create source for u/floor heating. it is an area of ...
5.
We have an unfinished basement with a finished concrete floor about 4' below grade. It is extremely cold ...
6.
Your tip on keeping insulation 8" above the concrete floor, Does this include a basement with in floor heat? A ...
7.
Currently I have 60% humidity in my house. If I run the furnace fan constantly, the humidity drops to 54%. T ...
8.
I am finishing my basement and would like to know where is the ideal placement of cold air returns in a baseme ...
9.
Our unfinished basement has no air returns to the furnace. I've read that one should be installed as close ...
10.
Currently the basement laundry room is bare block. Approx 3 ft is above ground level. I know it should be in ...
11.
My home from 1948 has an add-on attached off the kitchen. It is built on framed 2 by 6's. These are just ...
12.
I have an older home that had an addition added in the 50's. The mechanical was trenched and then the foun ...
13.
I plan to finish our basement - 3 year old home with 2x4 construction which currently has two heat registers o ...
14.
I'm finishing the basement of my new house and had a cold air return question. The cold air returns for ea ...
15.
I recently bought a lakeside cottage. The cellar is not heated but is open vented year round. The cellar wal ...
16.
People have noticed that there is no heating in the garage and recommend that I should install some sort of he ...
17.
My wife listens to your program here in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, and heard a portion regarding fresh air vents ...
18.
Do we have to put in another vent for the air being forced into the crawl space to go out. My husband seems to ...
19.
We just installed a ceramic floor in our bathroom, hall, kitchen, and sunroom. The ceramic is installed over s ...
20.
You have always talked about not installing insulation to the floor on a basement wall. Could you tell me why? ...
21.
I have an 11 year old 2 story house and I am looking to finish the basement into 3 areas. There only appears ...
22.
We purchased a hi-ranch type of row unit where the ground level is a walk-out basement. The upper level is the ...
23.
My mother lives in a wartime house and has recently had the basement leaks fixed. She does not have any heat ...
24.
I'd like to know the best way to keep the basement floor warm. Would it be feasible to nail 2X2 to the concret ...
25.
Many years ago the rec. room ceiling was insulated and I don't think it should be. The room is directly under ...
26.
I keep hearing you say not to put underlayment under a carpet in the basement on concrete floor. Why is that? ...
27.
The basement will be divided into various rooms. Building code says I have to take the heat venting down the w ...
28.
I want to know the proper way to insulate the walls of my basement and how to determine the proper cold air re ...
