Basement wall insulation

Basement wall insulation can significantly reduce your energy bill. The process of basement insulation will mostly depend on the condition of your house and your geographical location.

Here are some tips for basement wall insulation:

• Inspect your house first. If you think about insulating an existing house, you should start with an evaluation. Hire an energy inspector. Before insulating, you need to make sure your house is properly sealed. Insulation will not help if you have gaps in the walls and windows that allow warm air to escape. Inspectors can perform a series of tests to determine problem areas. They can also find out whether you already have enough insulation and recommend proper type of insulation in case you need to add some.
• Insulating new construction houses. If you are building a new house, invest in proper insulation during the construction stage. The type of insulation will depend on the material your walls are made of. The most common type of basement wall insulation for wood studs is blanket insulation. It is the cheapest way to insulate. The insulation comes in rolls (with or without facing), which you can easily cut and insert between the studs. You can also choose loose-fill insulation for hard to reach areas or sprayed-foam. A new trend in construction today is insulated concrete forms. The forms are used instead of wood framing and have ratings of R-50. The concrete is poured inside foam blocks, providing inside and outside insulation of the walls.
• Insulating existing homes. If you have concrete wall and you don’t worry too much about the esthetic part of the project, you may want to consider insulating with expanded foam. When applied, the foam will stick to the wall. Then simply paint over. If you have drywall over studs, the easiest way to insulate is by blowing loose-fill insulation. Cut an opening by the ceiling and spray insulation through that hole. You’ll need a hole to the left and right of each stud. Patch the hole after you are done. Because you’ll need special equipment to spray the insulation, consider hiring a professional.