Insulating Concrete Walls Below Grade

The best way to insulate the interior side of a basement wall is with foam insulation that is adhered to or sprayed directly on the concrete.

Insulating concrete walls below grade.

However for masonry block walls and below grade insulated concrete forms the surfaces must first be prepared. For poured concrete walls a damp proof coating can be applied directly to the surface. Both above and below grade icf walls are durable sound reducing energy efficient and disaster resistant. Because insulation installed on below grade building foundations and under concrete slabs is often exposed to moist soil it is crucial to choose an insulation that has minimal long term moisture retention and the ability to dry quickly.

Basements however have specific features that must be kept in mind when it comes to insulating the foundation from the inside starting with the fact that a variable portion of the walls is below ground. Insulation is applied to houses with slab on grade foundations exactly as you would insulate the outside of a full basement see section 6 1 insulating the basement from the outside. Preparing masonry block walls for exterior damp proof coating. Closed cell spray polyurethane foam or either xps eps or polyisocyanurate rigid foam.

Crews can use mechanical fasteners or polystyrene compatible adhesive to attach the insulation. Rigid foam can be adhered to a poured. Because they are naturally located below ground level basements are mostly cool and damp. Interior insulation insulated cavities insulation inserts foamed in place insulation granular fills in block core spaces and exterior insulation systems.

A properly insulated basement provides comfort and is a good way to save on your energy bill. Insulation on the exterior of below grade portions of the wall is. Any of the following insulation materials are acceptable for this purpose. Above and below grade walls of a building or home can use insulated concrete forms icfs in their construction.

Basement walls made out of concrete stone concrete bloc and other masonry foundation materials have very minimal insulating properties and cause approximately 20 of heat loss in a home. However because of soil conditions below grade walls require added waterproofing steps unlike above grade walls. If the foundation is on frost susceptible soils install a layer of impermeable insulation horizontally in the soil at a slope ratio of 1 5 for at least 1 m 3 ft.