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Fine Homebuilding Project Guides

Insulation

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  • Energy Efficiency
  • Air-Sealing
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Project House Official Blog

Insulate Your Basement, Part 1

The process of making a home more comfortable and energy efficient starts by managing water infiltration at the foundation walls and basement floor.

By Justin Fink
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      In this episode, Justin Fink does a walkthrough of an unfinished basement looking for signs of water entry through the slab, walls, and windows and outlines a plan to deal with each issue to get the basement dry before moving on with the rest of the insulation work.

      Videos in the Series

      • Insulate Your Basement, Part 1

        The process of making a home more comfortable and energy efficient starts by managing water infiltration at the foundation walls and basement floor.

      • Insulate Your Basement, Part 2

        Seal up air leaks around doors and windows, and you will control heat loss and condensation.

      • Insulate Your Basement, Part 3

        Insulate the walls and rim joists with rigid foam for a durable, dry, and comfortable basement.

      Previous: Adding Insulation to Basement Walls Next: Insulate Your Basement, Part 2

      Guide

      Insulation

      Chapter

      Installing Insulation

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      View Comments

      1. user-5913140 | Jul 07, 2016 05:54pm | #1

        nice, thanks!

      2. golfgloeckner | Jul 14, 2016 05:26am | #2

        Very thorough, concise. A LOT of good info in a short clip.

      3. user-483171 | Aug 31, 2017 01:04pm | #3

        Outstanding! Really informative. More like this please.

      4. Lightsourceon | Mar 30, 2018 12:02pm | #4

        I so appreciate these videos! Very good quick, concise info with details on what type of sealants are needed for different areas/solutions and why.

      5. EdR | Aug 30, 2018 03:26pm | #5

        I find it hard to believe that in 2018 fine homebuilding continues to recommend waterproofing the interior surfaces of masonry surfaces given all the clear evidence of the pitfalls of doing so. Given that masonry surfaces act like sponges with respect to moisture it is equally difficult to understand the thinking behind the view that it is sufficient to put an impermeable barrier over a damp floor to mitigate excess moisture.

        1. Steven_Olson | Oct 22, 2019 09:59am | #6

          I agree. It would be VERY helpful if someone at finehomebuilding would respond to this comment.

      6. EddyP1 | Apr 06, 2020 03:51pm | #7

        Although I installed basement insulation based on this video, I now find there are issues with Blue insulation (not the best for basements.. ) .. mold .. etc.. Has there been more up to date articles / videos on Insulating basements.. Thank you.

      7. laagm57 | Jan 31, 2023 11:07pm | #8

        What about the thin foil insulation for basement ceilings?

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      Insulation

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      Energy Efficiency
      • Understanding Energy and Houses
      • Building Energy-Efficient Homes
      Air-Sealing
      • Air-Sealing Basics
      • Air-Sealing Tools and Materials
      • Foundations and Floors
      • Walls, Windows, and Doors
      • Attics and Roofs
      Choosing Insulation
      • Insulation Basics
      • Material Choices
      Installing Insulation
      • Insulating Attics and Roofs
      • Insulating Walls
      • Insulating Floors, Footings, and Slabs
      • Insulating Foundation Walls
      Water Management
      • Water-Management Principles
      • Materials
      • Installation Methods

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