Insulate Stone Basement Walls & Rim Joists in North Grosvenordale, CT
Challenge
This homeowner's basement walls are buried in the cool earth that is about 17°F cooler than our indoor air should be. In the winter, the part of the foundation that is above ground is much colder than that. Heat moves from more to less, and flows continually from inside to outside through the perpetually cold wall. With a furnace, boiler, water heater, and ducts in the basement, the heat coming off this equipment is lost rather than warming the basement and floors above. Besides allowing heat to flow out by conduction, this homeowner's stone walls were letting outside air to leak in, since the home has lower air pressure at the bottom and sucks air in. A stone wall is bumpy and uneven, and flat ridged foam board insulation is difficult to install properly on this surface. The sill plate and rim joist above the stone wall were leaking air as well. Results - cold, drafty basement, colder floors above the basement, higher energy bills, and more difficulty heating the house.
Solution
Our homeowner's walls, sill plate, and rim joists were sprayed with two-part, expanding, closed cell, polyurethane foam insulation, about 1.5" thick. From the concrete floor all the way up to the sub floor we have the best insulation, with the highest R-value per inch, and no air leaks at all! Because this basement isn't finished, the foam was covered with a white thermal coating. All people and pets had to leave the house for 24 hours to ventilate - but it is well worth it! Our customer will notice a DRAMATIC difference in the temperature and comfort of her basement, the floors above it, and her home in general. The results are amazing! Results - a much warmer basement, far less drafts, much warmer floors above the basement, a more comfortable home that is easier to heat, and lower energy bills.
