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Residential
Foundation
Insulation
Basement Heat Loss Basement Condensation
54% Warm moist late Spring
1 ft. Heat Loss/Lineal Foot/Year and Summer air
Basement air humidity
(conditioned basement) increases as a result humid
16% 2 ft. outdoor air and soil
Southeast Kansas moisture migration
60 %
9% 3 ft. (Parsons) 67 o
76,000 Btu Warm air flowing over Deeper soils remain cold
from winter, cooling
50 %
7% 4 ft.
Central Kansas cool wall condenses
uninsulated basement
(Liberal to Kansas City) moisture producing walls o
5% 5 ft.
97,000 Btu damp basement 63
40 %
10 %
56 o
2
As little as R-2 insulation
o
3
58
57 can essentially eliminate
Ground Temperature,
1 55
2 54
3 53
52
Crawl Space
51
1
50
2 49
3 48
Basement 64 66 68 70 72 74
o
$0.00 $0.50 $1.00 $1.50 $2.00 $2.50 $3.00 Basement Air Temperature, F
$/Lineal Foot/Year 70 % Rh 80 % Rh
Minimum R-value Preferred R-value
Foundation Insulation Heating Cost Savings Foundations Insulation Cuts Moisture Problems
A wide variety of foam boards are
well suited to foundation insulation.
A Builder’s Guide to
Residential Foundation Insulation
Glass and mineral fiber batts of
many configurations can be used Prepared for:
on the interior of basement and Kansas Corporation Commission
crawl space walls. Blown cellulose between furing Energy Programs
strips. SW Arrowhead Road
Topeka, Kansas 66604
785-271-3349
Foundation Insulation
Jim Ploger, Energy Program Manager
Prepared by:
Joseph E. King, AIA
Coriolis architecture energy
123 West 8th Street
Polystyrene foam held in place with
Lawrence, Kansas 66044
duct tape and cap flashing until 785-841-1906
backfill is complete.
Gene Meyer, PE
Engineering Extension Service
Kansas State University
Ward Hall
Manhattan, Kansas 66506
785-532-4994
Wrapped batts are easily installed
Fiberglass batts stapled to furring in crawl spaces. Fall 1999
studs.
Acknowlegements:
We greatly appreciate the support and encouragement of Jim Ploger, Director
of Energy Programs at the Kansas Corporation Commission, and Steve
Palomo of the U. S. Department of Energy’s Denver Regional Office.
Cement board nailed to plate
protects exterior foam from damage.
Insulation Protection
Residential Foundation Insulation
The Purpose of a Building’s A team of building scientists at Oak < concrete foundation walls enclosing
basements must be dampproofed with a
Foundation Ridge National Laboratory conducted a
bituminous material from the footing to
comprehensive investigation of the
Vitruvius set forth building design grade,
impact of residential foundation
guidelines in 1st century B.C. Greece, < masonry foundation walls enclosing
insulation practices. In The Building
stating that “Durability will be assured basements must be parged with portland
Foundation Design Handbook that cement prior to dampproofing,
when foundations are carried down to
resulted, they concluded, “an
the solid ground and materials wisely < foundation walls of habitable rooms
uninsulated basement may represent up
and liberally selected...,” a concept that below grade must be waterproofed,
to 50% of the heat loss in a
remains just as valid as we enter the 21st < exterior foundation insulation must be
tightly-sealed house that is well
century. protected from weathering, sunlight, and
insulated above grade.” physical abuse,
Foundations connect a building to the
ground structurally, transferring the Kansas Residential Energy < all foam plastic exposed to the interior
weight of the building to stable soil. A Disclosure and the Model must have a maximum flame spread
rating of 75 and a maximum smoke-
properly designed and constructed Energy Code developed rating of 450 (ASTM E-84)
foundation insures a building endures The Energy Policy Act of 1992 strongly and shall be covered with a ½” gypsum
seasonal changes in temperature and encouraged states to upgrade their wall board or equivalent thermal barrier.
moisture with little movement. residential building energy standards to These requirements and all other health
Foundations also connect a building to require efficiency levels at least equal to and safety requirements of codes
the ground thermally. the Model Energy Code. In response, adopted by local jurisdictions prevail
< The common statement that “soil the 1997 Kansas legislature required all over the MEC and any suggestions in
temperatures are constant and therefore new homes have a disclosure form this guide.
below grade insulation is of little value” itemizing their energy performance
is not correct.
features, or stating the home complies Benefits of Foundation
< Unless geothermal heat is present, the with the Model Energy Code (MEC). Insulation
heat that comes from deep in the earth is Compliance with MEC provides a
insignificant compared to the flow of Insulating a home’s foundation offers
solar energy at the junction of the air and home buyer with assurance that the many benefits.
the ground. home has an integrated set of energy < Foundation heat loss can be reduced
features meeting significantly and space heating costs can
minimum stand- be reduced as much as 50% in an
ards, and it almost otherwise well insulated home.
always requires < Insulation improves foundation moisture
foundation insula- control and indoor air quality. Insulation
tion. This guide is on either side of the wall results in a
intended to provide warmer interior surface, reducing the
home builders and potential for condensation and associated
mold growth that reduces indoor air
home buyers with quality and can cause material damage.
concise information
< The warmer surface also results in a more
on available foun- comfortable space, not only in the
dation insulation basement, but also the floor above.
materials, installa-
< Exterior insulation provides protection
tion details and for dampproofing or waterproofing,
methods, installa- extending their life.
tion costs, and
Soil Temperature Change with Depth and Season These benefits are evaluated in detail in
benefits.
the following sections.
< While the earth is often thought of as a
Foundation Foundation Heat Loss
stable temperature mass, soil Building Code Requirements
Soil can hold a great deal of thermal
temperatures at depths less than eight Several requirements of the widely
feet vary considerably during the year. energy, particularly if damp, but it is not
adopted CABO One and Two Family a good insulator. Depending on soil
The graph above shows how soil
temperature varies with depth and season Dwelling Code affect foundation type, 7 - 11 feet of soil would be
from both ground water and mean air insulation: required to provide the same insulation
temperature which ranges from 56o in < drains are required around all concrete
as two inches of foam or three inches of
northwest Kansas to 62o in the southeast. and masonry foundations enclosing fiberglass insulation. Uninsulated
habitable or usable space below grade,
1
Residential Foundation Insulation
basement walls loose the most heat below shows three widely recognized such as windows, walls, or attic
where exposed to winter air above Kansas climate zones. insulation, to offset lower performance
grade and at shallow depths where the The table below shows typical net in another area, such as foundation
ground is annual heat loss, in Btu per lineal foot of insulation.
often frozen. foundation, for the three major founda- MEC Minimum R-Value
Floors above tion types in the three climate zones.
crawl spaces Zone 1 Zone 2 Zone 3
can be Kansas Climate Zone
Full
insulated but Basment 10 10 8
1 2 3
are often not
Full Crawl
to prevent 111,000 97,000 76,000 Space 16 16 10
Basment
pipes in the
Basement Heat Loss Crawl Slab-on- 5 5 5
crawl space 47,000 41,000 32,000
Space Grade (min. 4 ft) (min. 2 ft) (min. 2 ft)
from freezing. Heat passing from the
floor into the crawl space is lost through Slab-on-
Grade
60,000 52,000 40,000 Foundation Insulation R-values
the foundation wall similar to base-
(MEC prescriptive minimum)
ments.
Annual Foundation Heat Loss For a more detailed evaluation of such
Slab-on- (Btu per lineal foot per year)
grade floors trade-offs investigate the MECcheckä
wick con- Potential Cost Savings software developed by Pacific
siderable Northwest National Laboratory for the
While foundation insulation has many U. S. Department of Energy. This easy
heat to the benefits, the principal criteria for
exposed to use software is available from the
determining how much should be Kansas State University Engineering
slab edge installed is the economic value of
often result- Extension Service (785-532-4994) or it
energy savings. Foundation insulation can be downloaded from
ing in a cold may actually slightly increase cooling
floor. Add- <http://www.energycodes.org>.
energy use since the foundation looses
Crawl Space Heat Loss itional heat less heat to the ground during the Energy Cost Savings
flows cooling season, but the effect is The foundation insulation levels shown
through the soil beneath the slab and negligible in the Midwest. Cost of in the preceeding table will yield
out the perimeter foundation. Actual space heating energy (natural gas, estimated annual energy costs savings
foundation electricity, or propane) and the shown in the following table. The cost
heat loss efficiency of the space heating system levels used in the table are based in the
varies by are also important. following delivered heat costs:
climate
zone, soil The prescriptive method of complying Low less than $8.00/million Btu
type and with the MEC sets out minimum Medium $8-12.00/million Btu
moisture insulation values for each type of High more than $12.00/million Btu.
content, the Slab-on-Grade Heat Loss foundation (basement, slab, crawl These costs are based on typical energy
tempera- space) for individual climate zones purchase prices and combustion system
ture maintained in the house and a host based on average energy prices. The efficiencies. Use the low energy price if
of other subtle variables. The map table below shows the MEC required you have natural gas heating and
minimum foundation insulation for conventional air-conditioning, an
each of the three foundation air-source heat pump with costs below
types for each of the three
1 climate zones.
While it is seldom possible to
$.05/kWh, or a water-source heat pump
with electric costs below $.08 per kWh.
2
Use the medium energy price if you use
comply with the MEC without propane in combination with a
foundation insulation, there is conventional air conditioner, an air
actually a great deal of source heat pump with electric costs
3 flexibility. The performance
method of compliance allows
below $.07 per kWh, or a water-source
heat pump with electric costs below
improved performance of one $.12 per kWh. Use the high energy price
Kansas Climate Zones building envelope component, if electric costs exceed those noted
2
Residential Foundation Insulation
above or you use electric-resistance Causes and solutions for each of these the outside and in some cases both sides
heat. potential sources of moisture problems of the footing are required to remove
are reviewed in the following sections. high ground water. If site conditions do
Kansas Climate Zone not permit sloping the drain to
1 2 3 Surface and Ground Water “daylight” an electrically powered
Surface water problems are caused by sump pump is required. Since storms
High Energy Costs
inadequate slope away from the producing high water are sometimes
Full
$256 $197 $160 foundation accompanied by power outages, many
Basement or poor elect to install a battery back-up.
Crawl control of On persist-
Space $107 $92 $70
roof enly wet
Slab-on- drainage. Surface water sites, Rising ground
$134 $117 $92 Water moves along
where water exerts
Grade wall to gap.
adjacent to ground hydrostatic
pressure on
Medium Energy Costs the foun-
Hydrostatic
water is floors and walls
dation penetrating any
Full know to
Basement $182 $140 $107 pressure opening.
seeps increases with rise to or
Crawl through depth. above floor
Space $75 $63 $48 pervious level, or
backfill where hab-
Slab-on-
Grade $95 $83 $65 until it itable
finds a spaces are
Low Energy Costs crack, cold Surface Water Entry below
Full joint, or grade, the
Basement $126 $92 $68 utility penetration through which it basement Ground Water Entry
Crawl
enters. Incorporating overhangs in the wall must
Space $51 $43 $32 building design installing gutters and be waterproofed. Many effective water
Gutter carries proofing products are available, in-
Slab-on-
Grade $66 $58 $46 away rain water. cluding liquid and sheet membranes,
Overhang diverts cementious coatings, built-up tar and
rain from side of
Foundation Insulation Annual building. felt, and bentonite clay. Some liquid
Energy Cost Savings Impermeable membranes and adheshives used with
backfill cap
(1700 square foot house with 170 lineal ft. perimeter) diverts water other systems chemically dissolve foam
from house. insulation. In selecting a water proofing
Foundation Moisture Control system make certain all components are
Downspout
Most new homes in Kansas have carries water compatible with any exterior foam
basements. Home buyers expect them away from house.
foundation insulation that will be
to provide useful space, first for storage Minimum 5%
slope away from installed.
but eventually as finished space. house.
Nothing detracts more from this Capillary Moisture Migration
expectation than a damp musty Soil without free flowing water may
smelling basement. still contain considerable moisure. The
Aside from broken pipes and flooding, wicking of ground moisture through
basements get damp in four ways: materials with small pore size, often
< free flowing surface or ground water Surface Water Control called capillary movement, can be a
entering through cracks or openings in significant source of moisture
the basement wall or floor, downspouts, capping backfill with penetration. To break the capillary
impervious clay, and providing proper action between a basement wall and soil
< soil moisture wicking through the
basement wall by capillary action, drainage away from the house can pro- the outside surface of the wall must be
vide effective control of surface water. completely covered with damp-
< water vapor migration from cool damp
soil to a warmer basement, or When ground water rises above the proofing. Dampproofing fills the poors
< condensation of water vapor on cold house floor it exerts hydrostatic in the concrent to prevent wicking.
basement walls. pressure on the floor and wall; Waterproofing also provides damp-
penetrating any opening. Drain tiles on proofing, but where a basement wall
3
Residential Foundation Insulation
4
Reidential Foundation Insulation
wall has an overall R-value of about 1.1 resulting in a damp and often moldy benefits far outweigh the environmental
and a U-value of 0.9. For each degree smelling basement even though no impact of manufacturing and installing
of temperature difference between the water leakage has occured. Exterior the insulation. In selecting which
inside and outside, each square foot of foundation insulation generally raises product(s) to use however, you should
wall will transmit .9 Btu each hour from the wall temperature above dew point consider a variety of environmental
the warm side to the cold side (U-value preventing condensation. Interior impacts resulting from their production.
x Area x Temperature difference = Heat foundation insulation actually causes Check product labels and brochures
flow). If insulation with an R-value of the foundation wall surface temperature regarding the topics listed below.
two is added to the wall, the total to drop, increasing the risk of Embodied energy is the energy
R-Value becomes 3.1, the U-value .32 condensation. A vapor barrier is contained in the material and consumed
Btu/hr· ft2 · oF, and the heat flow .32 required on the inside surface of the in its manufacture, delivery, and
Btu per hour, a 65% reduction. If the insulation. installation. Materials with lower
insulation is increased to R-6 the Early installation of the vapor barrier embodied energy are preferred.
U-value and heat flow becomes .14, an can create other moisture problems.
84% reduction. The first Rs have the Ozone depletion, the destruction of the
The new concrete contains a great deal earth’s protective stratospheric ozone
most impact. Sound detailing and of water. Because the exterior is
proper installation are essential for layer, is caused by gases that were until
dampproofed or waterproofed and in recently widey used to blow the bubbles
achieving real performance. Gaps and contact with soil most of the excess
thermal bridges of conductive material that make foams effective insulators.
moisture must esacpe to the inside as Manufacturers have shifted to other
can significantly reduce the effective the concrete cures. Early installation of
R-value. gases with lower ozone depletion
a vapor barrier can trap water vapor potential, including HCFs and HCFCs.
Strength, beyond the ability to remain allowing it to condense inside the wall
intact, matters little for batt insulation. or within the insulation. Delay Global warming potential (GWP)
For board insulation below grade on an installing interior foundation insulation refers to the impact carbon dioxide and
exterior wall or beneath a slab, until late in the construction process to other gases have on increasing global
compressive strength must be allow the concrete to cure. When the temperatures. Carbon dioxide has a
considered. insulation will be left exposed consider global warming potential of 1. CFC 12,
use of a vapor barrier with small a common foam blowing agent ten
Water Absorption is the amount of years ago, has a GWP of 7,100. The
water absorbed by an insulating perferations, such as Certainteed’s
basment wall insulation. gases now used have GWPs ranging
material as a percent of total volume from 1 - 1,300. Ironically the lowest is
when fully immersed for 24 hours. Flame spread and smoke carbon dioxide, but it’s use reduces
Water absorption reduces effective development ratings of combustible insulation performance by about 1/6.
R-value and materials with higher building materials are based on the
absorption should not be used in ASTM E84 test. Values for foam Recycled content is a widely
locations where they will likely insulation may not exceed 75 and 450 recognized environmental feature of
encounter water. respectively. Unless specifically building insulation. Most cellulose and
approved otherwise by the building mineral wool insulation are
Permeability is the ability of water manufactured from recycled material.
vapor to pass through a material in code official, all foams must be covered
with ½ inch of gypsum wall board or Fiberglass and foam insulation
response to differing vapor pressure on manufacturers are increasing the
opposite sides. When water vapor other approved thermal barrier,
regardless of location. amount of recycled material they use. A
moves through a material and reaches a list of insulation manufacturers using
temperature below its dew point, Surface protection is required for all recycled materials is available from the
condensation will occur. Water in exterior insulation above grade. All U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
sufficient quantity will cause insulation types must be shielded from structural (EPA) at:
performance to deteriorate and material damage and foams must be protected
<http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/procure/prod
damage may occur. Materials with a from degradation from the ultraviolet
ucts/building.htm#productinfo>.
perm rating of 1.0 or less are considered (UV) portion of the solar spectrum.
effective vapor barriers, although some Environmental Impact Issues Insulation Materials
prefer the term vapor retarder because
completely effective barriers are almost A wide variety of materials are suitable
The cost saving benefits of foundation for insulating foundation walls. They
impossible to achieve. Uninsulated insulation are accompanied by
foundation walls often have an interior can be divided into three general
environmental benefits of reduced categories; board, batt, and blown.
surface temperature below dew point greenhouse gas emissions. These
allowing condensation to occur Some products can be used on the inside
5
Residential Foundation Insulation
6
Residential Foudation Insulation
< Install a continuous metal termite shield Estimated Foundation Insulation Cost per Lineal Foot
with soldered or sealed lap joints. Actual project costs are region and project specific. Variation from the values below should be expected.
Termites can tunnel around it, but they
can then be detected and treated. Height Thick- Material
Foundation/Material R-value Exterior Interior
(depth) ness
< Consider pretreating all wood framing
within four feet of the ground with Basements - Foam Boards
borates. Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) 8 ft. ½ in. 2.5 $7.60 $12.50
< Consider installing termite bait systems (Blue, pink, yellow, green) 8 ft. 1 in. 5 $8.80 $13.60
marketed 8 ft. 1-1/2 in. 7.5 $10.70 $15.60
by pro- 8 ft. 2 in. 10 $12.70 $17.60
Metal
fessional shield Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) 8 ft. 1 in. 3.8 $7.80 $12.70
pest treat- Mastic
(White beadboard) 8 ft. 1-1/2 in. 5.6 $9.10 $13.90
ment com- UV Shield
panies. 8 ft. 2 in. 7.7 $10.30 $15.20
Insulation
They Water- Polyisocyanurate 8 ft. ¾ in. 5.4 $8.50 $13.40
permit proofing
(If foil faced and furring is 8 ft. 1 in. 7.2 $9.00 $13.80
detection on top to create a dead air space 8 ft. 1- ½ in. 10.8 $9.50 $14.40
of termite
increasse the R value by 2.8) 8 ft. 2 in. 14.4 $10.70 $15.60
presence
and the use Exterior cost includes metal flashing protection, reduce $0.40 for cement board, increase $1.70 for stucco.
Termite Shield Interior cost includes furring and ½ in. drywall. Reduce cost $7.00 if omitted (requires code approval)
of highly
effective targeted insecticides. Glass Fiberboard 8 ft. 1 in. 4.3 $9.00 $13.80
8 ft. 1-1/2 in. 6.5 $12.20 $17.10
< Consider installing sand barriers. While
still experimental and more expensive Basements - Batts
than conventional treatment, sand Std densifty, 48 in. or 72 in. 8 ft. 3- 1/8 in. 11 n.a. $4.20
barriers provide a non-chemical method Std density, 23 in. 8 ft. 3-1/2 in. 11 n.a. $11.60
of protection. Sand that just passes High density, 23 in. 8 ft. 3-1/2 in. 15 n.a. $12.10
through a 16 grit wire screen takes subtle
Mineral wool (kraft faced) 8 ft. 3-1/2 in. 12 n.a. $12.00
advantage of the termites anatomy. The
gaps within the sand are too small for Cost includes furring and faced batt or vapor barrier. Add $5.30 for drywall.
them to crawl through, Crawl Spaces - Foam Boards
but their jaws do not 3 mm
Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) 4 ft. 1 in. 5 $10.30 $4.90
open wide enough for 1 mm (Blue, pink, yellow, green) 4 ft. 2 in. 10 $12.10 $6.80
them to pick them up
and move them. Sand Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) 4 ft. 1 in. 3.8 $9.80 $4.50
barriers can be placed (White beadboard) 4 ft. 2 in. 7.7 $10.90 $5.60
around a foundation Polyisocyanurate 4 ft. 1 in. 7.2 $10.40 $5.00
wall at grade and (See note above on foil facing) 4 ft. 2 in 14.4 $11.10 $5.70
around potential entry
Exterior includes 2 feet of stucco, interior includes 3 feet of furring and drywall thermal protection.
points in slabs.
Crawl Space Batts
< Consider pretreating
Perimeter installation (wrapped batts) 8-3/4 in. 25 n.a. $3.50
the soil with EPA
approved termiti- Floor installation Sq. ft. 3-1/2 in. 11 n.a. $0.60
cides. Termite Size (Includes wire retainers, turn Sq. ft. 6 in. 19 n.a. $0.74
< Have the house facing up) Sq. ft. 8-1/2 in. 30 n.a. $1.08
inspected Heat Loss at Slab-on-Grade - Foam Boards (protection same as for basements above)
annually. Inspection Gap Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) 2 ft. 1 in. 5 $3.60 $1.20
< Avoid heat (Blue, pink, yellow, green) 4 ft. 1 in. 5 $4.60 $2.20
loosing 2 ft. 2 in. 10 $4.50 $2.20
inspection 4 ft. 2 in. 10 $6.40 $4.10
strips.
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) 2 ft. 1 in. 3.8 $3.30 $1.00
(White beadboard) 4 ft. 1 in. 3.8 $4.10 $1.80
2 ft. 2 in. 7.7 $3.90 $1.60
4 ft. 2 in. 7.7 $5.20 $2.90
Polyisocyanurate 2 ft. 1 in. 7.2 $3.60 $1.30
4 ft. 1 in. 7.2 $4.70 $2.30
2 ft. 2 in. 14.4 $4.00 $1.70
Inspection Gap 4 ft. 2 in. 14.4 $5.40 $3.00
Exterior cost includes metal flashing protection, reduce cost $0.40 for cement board, increase cost
$1.70 for stucco.
7
Residential Foundation Insulation
Foundation Insulation Cost Foundation Insulation the table is not comprehensive. Consult
The table above provides estimated Properties each individual manufacture’s technical
foundation insulation installed cost per product data sheets, many of which are
The table below provides basic physical
lineal foot of perimeter. Costs shown available on the web, for current
properties of commonly used
include materials, labor, and contractor information.
residential foundation insulation
overhead and profit. Actual costs are materials. A very wide range of
project specific and significant insulation products are available and
variation should be expected.
8
Residential Foundation Insulation
COARSE
CLEAN COARSE
GRAVEL CLEAN POLYETHYLENE
GRAVEL VAPOR BARRIER
POLYETHYLENE
4 IN. PERFORATED VAPOR RETARDER GRAVEL BASE
4 IN. PERFORATED
DRAIN PIPE GRAVEL BASE CONCRETE FOOTING
DRAIN PIPE
UNDISTURBED SOIL CONCRETE FOOTING UNDISTURBED SOIL CAPILLARY BREAK
CAPILLARY BREAK
Exterior basement wall insulation is typically one to two inches of Interior basement walls can be insulated with the same boards
foamboard although fiberglass and rockwool boards are used. used on the exterior. Boards can be glued to the wall, but
Insulation exposed above grade requires protection. A metal foamboards required thermal protection. A vapor barrier should
termite shield reduces the risk termites will use the insulation for be formed on the warm side and a metal termite shield is
undetected entry. recommended.
Exterior Foam Basement Wall Insulation Interior Foam Basement Wall Insulation
Total Installed Cost Recommended Total Installed Cost Recommended
($/lineal foot for R-Value shown) Minimum Basement ($/lineal foot for R-Value shown) Minimum Basement
$7.50 $12.50 $17.50 Wall R-Value $7.50 $15.00 $22.50 Wall R-Value
11 4 11
4
3
3 15 15
7 7
21 21
10 10
3 3
10
3 10 3
N.A N.A
. .
1 = board 1 = board
N.A.
9
Residential Foundation Insulation
CAVITY INSULATION
EXTERIOR SIDING CAVITY INSULATION
GYPSUM WALLBOARD
DRAINAGE PLANE WITH LOW PERM PAINT GYPSUM WALLBOARD
EXTERIOR SIDING
OR POLYETHYLENE WITH LOW PERM PAINT
RIGID INSULATING DRAINAGE PLANE
VAPOR BARRIER BEHIND OR POLYETHYLENE
SHEATHING VAPOR BARRIER BEHIND
SEALANT RIGID INSULATING
SHEATHING SEALANT
SET FLOOR SET FLOOR
PLATFORM BACK TO UNFACED BATT INSULATION PLATFORM BACK TO
ALIGN SHEATHING ALIGH SHEATHING UNFACED BATT INSULATION
AND BASEMENT WALL AND BASEMENT
WOOD JOIST WALL WOOD JOIST
SILL SEALER
AIR SPACE OR SILL SEALER
SLOPE GROUND 5%
AWAY FROM WALL FOAM INSULATION
SLOPE GROUND 5%
2 x 4 or 3 STUD FACED BATT
TOP SOIL AWAY FROM WALL
WALL INSULATION
TOP SOIL
CONCRETE CONCRETE
FOUNDATION WALL STEM WALL
BATT INSULATION POLYETHYLENE
DAMPPROOFING VAPOR RETARDER
(WATERPROOFING
IF HABITABLE SPACE)
LOW PERMEABILITY LOW PERMEABILITY
BACKFILL (CLAY) DRYWALL OPTIONAL BACKFILL (CLAY)
SEALANT OVER DAMPPROOFING
PERMEABLE SOIL JOINT FILLER
(WOOD FREE) CONCRETE SLAB PERMEABLE SOIL
FABRIC (WOOD FREE)
FABRIC
FILTER FILTER
COARSE
COARSE CLEAN
CLEAN GRAVEL
GRAVEL POLYETHYLENE
VAPOR RETARDER
GRAVEL BASE 4 IN. PERFORATED
4 IN. PERFORATED
DRAIN PIPE
DRAIN PIPE CONCRETE FOOTING CONCRETE FOOTING
UNDISTURBED SOIL CAPILLARY BREAK UNDISTURBED SOIL CAPILLARY BREAK
Interior basement walls can also be insulated with batt or blown Crawl spaces can be insulated with board insulation on the
insulation placed between furring strips or non-bearing stud walls. exterior or interior just like a basement wall. Alternatives are to
The bottom plate should be treated and an effective vapor retarder insulate the floor joist cavities with batts or blown insulation or to
placed on the inside surface. Particular care should be taken to insulate the interior of the foundation wall with poly wrapped
avoid surface or ground water penetration. batts. Make sure to install a well sealed vapor barrier on the floor.
Interior Batt or Blown Basement Insulation Interior Crawlspace Insulation
N. A.
10
Residential Foundation Insulation
RIGID FOAM
INSULATION
Foam boards are the most common form of exterior slab-on-grade Interior slab-on-grade insulation can be horizontal. Interior
insulation. The above grade portion must have UV and structural placement avoids the need for protection, but may require cutting
protection and a metal termite shield is recommended. small pieces and more difficult details.
Foundations in climate zone 1 in the colder northwest should be
insulated to a depth of four feet.
Exterior Slab-on-Grade Insulation Interior Slab-on-Grade Insulation
Total Installed Cost Recommended Total Installed Cost Recommended
($/lineal foot for R-Value shown) Minimum Slab ($/lineal foot for R-Value shown) Minimum Slab
$0 $5 $10 Perimeter R-Value $0 $5 $10 Perimeter R-Value
4 11 4 11
5 15 5 15
7 21 7 21
3 10 N.A.
3 10 N.A.
N.A N.A.
. .
1 = board 2 ft. depth 1 = board 2 ft. depth
N.A.
11
Residential Foundation Insulation
GRAVEL BASE
GRAVEL BASE
POLYETHYLENE POLYETHYLENE
VAPOR RETARDER VAPOR
RETARDER
CONCRETE
LOW PERMEABILITY FOUNDATION LOW PERMEABILITY
BACKFILL (CLAY) BACKFILL (CLAY)
CONCRETE
FOUNDATION
RIGID FOAM WALL
INSULATION
Trench footings or monolith pours can be easily insulated by Interior slab-on-grade foundation insulation can be installed
attaching foam board to the perimeter form board. The portion vertically but to maintain continuity it must be carefully detailed
above grade requires UV and structural protection and a metal to permit acceptable floor finish. A metal termite shield is
termite shield is recommended. recommended.
Exterior Insulation on Trench Footings Interior Slab-on Grade w/ Brick Veneer Wall
Recommended Total Installed Cost Recommended
Minimum Basement ($/lineal foot for R-Value shown) Minimum Basement
Wall R-Value $0 $5 $10 Wall R-Value
4 11
5 15
7 21
3 10
3 10
N.A
.
1 = board 2 ft. depth
N.A. N.A.
12
Residential Foundation Insulation
Frequently Asked Questions the probability of early discovery and materials used to protect the foam
If a basement is unfinished does it inhibit treatment when discovered. above grade include two- or three-layer
still need foundation insulation? stucco finishes, brush-on elastomeric or
Is an inspection band where
cementitious finishes, vertical vinyl
Yes, unless the floor above is insulated. foundation insulation is omitted to siding, cement board, aluminum coil
Even if used only for storage and permit inspection for termites a good stock, and fiberglass panels.
heating and cooling equipment the idea?
basement is thermally connected to the In some southern states with a high Will insulating the foundation
rest of the house. incidence of termite infestation, increase the risk of radon problems?
including, Florida, South and North Radon entry into a home is through
Is floor insulation above a basement
Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, cracks and other opening below grade.
or a crawl space an alternative to
foundation insulation? Mississippi, Louisiana, eastern Texas, The use of foundation insulation should
southern and central California, minimize thermal stresses on the
Yes, but keep in mind that pipes, ducts Georgia, Tennessee, and Hawaii, rigid foundation and help minimize cracking,
and HVAC equipment located in the foam insulation is not allowed in thus reducing of radon entry.
basement would then need to be contact with the soil. In other areas a six
insulated to meet the MEC and to inch gap between the top of foundation Should crawl space be ventilated?
protect pipes from freezing. Sometimes insulation and any wood framing The CABO One and Two Family Code
these can be grouped in a small area member is required to permit visual requires one square foot of crawl space
with insulated walls while the floor inspection for termites. Studies done by ventilation for each 150 square feet of
above the rest of the basement is ORNL conclude that “if you include a “floor” area. Operable vents 1/10 as
insulated. vision strip, you might as well not large can be used if a vapor barrier is
Doesn’t placing insulation on the bother putting any insulation around the installed. Warm damp summer air can
exterior improve energy foundation.” condense on the cool earth, even when
performance? covered with a poly vapor diffusion
Will exterior foundation insulation retarder, increasing the risk of crawl
If the basement incorporates passive materials be chemically attacked by space moisture problems. Installing a
solar design with a significant amount dampproofing? vapor barrier and closing the operable
of south facing windows, exterior In can happen. Avoid ……and always vents is preferred. If local code
insulation will be beneficial, provided follow the insulation and dampproofing interpretation requires crawl space
the walls are exposed to solar gain. In a manufacturer’s instructions. ventilation, insulating the floor and
typical basement the energy savings are incorporating a vapor barrier is
negligible. What about water proofing?
preferred.
Should the interior of foundation Codes often require waterproofing
walls have vapor barriers? instead of damproofing if the wall is Do foam insulation boards installed
adjacent to habitable space. on the interior require fire
If interior insulation is used, YES. The Manufactures of some foam products protection?
concrete must be allowed to dry, but offer specific recommendations for All foams require thermal protection
moist basement air typical of Midwest waterproofing of their foam systems. equal to ½ inch of gypsum wall board
summers should not be allowed to reach when installed on the interior of a
the cool wall where in can condense. How long will exterior foundation building, including a crawl space. The
Batt insulation specifically designed for insulation last? only exception is Celotex Thermax
the interior of foundation walls has a Properly installed foundation polyisocyanurate which may be
perforated poly facing that prevents air insulation, interior or exterior, should installed without a thermal barrier
from circulating through the batt, but last as long as insulation installed any where approved by the local building
allows water vapor from the wall to where else in the building. code official.
escape.
Should foam insulation above grade Are insulating concrete form (ICF)
Will foundation insulation increase be protected? systems less expensive than an
the risk of termite entry? Foam above grade must be protected insulated poured in place concrete
Foundation insulation does not increase from both sun and physical damage. wall?
the risk of termine entry. If termites are Ultraviolet light degrades or destroys ICFs can be competitive but costs are
present in the soil and wood is used in most foams. In addition, damage from project specific. Foam used in these
the building, the risk of infestation lawnmowers, balls, and other incidental systesm should address the same
exists. Exterior insulation may reduce contact can degrade the appearance and concerns outlined above for foam
performance of the foam. Common board.
13
Information Sources Polyfoam Packers
2320 Foster Avenue Wheeling, IL 60090 Insulating Concrete Foam Systems
References and On-line Resources Phone: 847-669-1176 Fax: 847-398-0653
Web site: http://www.polyfoam.com AFM Corporation
Builders Foundation Design Handbook 24000 West Hwy 7 Exelsior, MN 55331
by J. Carmody, 1991. Extruded Polystyrene Tel: 800-255-0176 fax: 612-474-2074
E-mail: m-tobin@r-control.com
Christian, Jeffrey E., Energy Efficient Dow Chemical Co. Website: www.afmcorp-epsfoam.com
Residential Building Foundations, 200 Larkin Center, 1605 Joseph Drive
Midland,MI 48674 Greenblock WorldWide Corporation
ASHRAE Journal, November 1991. Tel: 800-441-4369 Fax: 517- 832-1465 P.O.Box 749 Woodland Park, CO 80866
Insulation Materials: Environmental Web site: http://www.dow.com/styrofoam Tel: (719) 687-0645 Fax: (719) 687-7820
E-mail: greenblock@building.com
Comparisons, Environmental Building Tenneco Building Products Web site: http://www.greenblock.com
News, Vol. 4, No 1, January/February 2907 Log Cabin Drive Smyrna, Georgia 30080
1995. Tel: 800-241-4402 ICE Block
Web site: http://www.tennecobuildingprod.com PO Box 3089 Odessa, TX 79761
The Model Energy Code and Tel: 800-ICE-BLOC Fax: 915-561-5622
One and Two Family Dwelling Code Polyiscyanurate E-mail: iceblock@concentric.net
Web site: http://www.concentric.net
International Code Council (formerly CABO)
5203 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041 Celotex Corporation
Tel: 703-931-4533 Fax: 703-379-1546 4010 Boy Scout Blvd. Tampa, FL 33607 Lite-Form, Inc.
Tel: 813-873-1700 Fax: 813-873-4058 PO Box 774 Sioux City, IA 51102
Email: staff@intlcode.org tel: 800-551-3313, tel: 712-252-3704
Web site: http://www.intlcode.org Web site: http://www.celotex.com
E-mail: info@liteform.com
Johns Manville Corporation Web site: http://www.liteform.com
Kansas Corporation Commission
Energy Programs 717 17th St Denver,CO 80202
Tel: 800- 654-3103 Fax: 303-978-2318 Reward Wall Systems
1500 SW Arrowhead Road Topeka, Kanss 66604 Web site: http://www.jm.com 4115 S. 87th St. Omaha, NE 68127
Tel: 785-271-3349 Tel: 800-468-6344 fax: 402-592-7969
Web site: http://www.kcc.state.ks.us/energy Rock Wool E-mail: info@rewardwallsystem.com
Web site: http://www.rewardwallsystem.com
Kansas State University Roxul, Inc.
Engineering Extension 551 Harrop Drive Milton, ON L9T 3H3 Canada Termite Treatment
Ward Hall Tel: 905-878-8474 Fax: 905-878-8077
Kansas State University Sentricon Colony Eliminator System
Manhattan, Kansas Batts Dow AgroSciences
Tel: 785-532-4994 9330 Zionsville Road Indianapolis, IN 46268-1054
Web site: http://www.OZNET.ksu.edu/dp-nrgy fax: 800-905-7326
Fiberglass Web site: http://www.sentricon.com
DOE Energy Standards and Guidelines CertainTeed Corporation
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Systematic Termite Control
Richland, Washington P.O. Box 860 Valley Forge, PA 19482
Tel: 509-417-7554 Fax: 509-375-3614 Tel: 610-341-7000 Fax: (610) 341-7571 FMC
Web site: http://www.certainteed.com Chicago, IL Tel: 800-321-1FMC
Web site: www://energycodes.org/ Web site: http://www.fmc-apgspec.com
EPA Energy Star Homes Johns Manville Corporation
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 717 17th St Denver,CO 80202 Industry Associations
Climate Protection Division Tel: 800- 654-3103 Fax: 303-978-2318
401 M Street SW MC:6202J Web site: http:// www.jm.com North American Insulation
Washington, DC 20460
Owens Corning Manufacturers Association
Tel: 888-782-7937 44 Canal Center Plaza Alexandria, VA 22314
Web site: http:/www.energystar.gov Fiberglas Tower Toledo, OH 43659 Tel: 703-684-0084, Fax: 703-684-0427
Tel: 419-248-8000 Fax: 614/321-5606 (fax) E-mail: insulation@naima.org
Energy Efficient Building Association Web site: http://www.owenscorning.com Web site: http://www.naima.org
490 Concordia Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55103-2441
Tel: 651-268-7585 Fax: 651-268-7597 Knauf Fiber Glass GmbH Cellulose Insulation Manufacturers
E-mail: info@eeba.org One Knauf Drive
Shelbyville,IN 46176 Association
Web site: http://www.eeba.org 136 Keowee Street Dayton, OH 45402
Tel: (800) 825-4434 Fax: (317) 398-3675
Tel: 513-222-2462 Fax: 937-222-5794
Environmental Building News E-mail: rmg2@knauffiberglass.com
E-mail: cima@dayton.net
122 Birge Street Brattleboro, Vermont 05310 Web site: http://www.knauffiberglass.com
Web Site: http://www.cima.org
Tel: 802-257-7300 Fax: 802-257-7304
Web site: http://www.ebuild.com Blown Polyisocyanurate Insulation
Material Sources (manufacturers) Cellulose Manufacturers Association
(Consult industry associations for more detailed lists) 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 975 Washington, DC 20004
Central Fiber Corporation Tel : 202-628-6558 Fax: 202-628-3856
E-mail: pima@pima.org
Insulation Wellsville, Kansas 66092
Web site: http://www.pima.org
Tel: 800-654-6117
Boards Insulating Concrete Form Association
Blown-in-batt (BIB) 1807 Glenview Road, Suite 203
Expanded Polytyrene Glenview, Ilinois, USA 60025
AFM Corporation Rockwool Phone: 847-657-9730 Fax: 847-657-9728
24000 W. Hwy 7 Excelsior, MN 55331 E-mail: icfa@forms.org
Phone: 612-474-0809 Fax: 612-474-2074
American Rockwool, Inc. Web site: http://www.forms.org
P.O. Box 880
E-mail: m-tobin@r-control.com Spring Hope, NC 27882
Website: www.afmcorp-epsfoam.com Tel: 254-478-5111 Fax: 252-478-4172
Web site: http://www.amerrock.com
Contour Products
4001 Kaw Drive Kansas City, KS 66102
Phone: 800-638-3626 Fax: 913-321-8063
E-mail: contour@unicom.net
Web site: http://www.contourfoam.com