I need some information I live in the northeast and building a new home the foundation was poured three days ago and has not been back filled yet. I have heard a lot about using rigid insulation on the outside of the foundation. Is it worth the time and money and will it really make a difference? Iam planning on making the basement a work shop and will be spending alot of time down there. What is the best way to attach it to the foundation? Thank you in advance for any help.
John
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Replies
I am in way cold way upstate NY, in the mountains. Temps here go to minus 50 in some winters. If we are serious about keeping warm in the basement, we use Dowfoam at 2" thickness shot onto the outside walls, after waterproofing. Three inch Hilti nails with the huge plastic washers are just the ticket. You should be able to rent the tool at a good rental yard, and buy the fasteners and washers from them.
Inside, we studframe the walls, using pressure-treated sill plates, and spacing the studs so there is a nominal 1/2" of space between the wood and the concrete. This is only to get the studwalls enough away from the 'crete so as to be able to build 'em straight. We have pretty competitive urethane foam insulators that will spray-foam the studwall cavities, filling at about a 2" thickness. Our costs here for the foam run about 60 cents per square foot of one-inch thickness.
Outside, we bring the foam up to just below finished grade, or if we have an exterior wall finish with enough depth, we continue it up to the sillplates, and then use a synthetic stucco to finish over the exposed foam.
Good luck and stay warm.