Invitation to my insulation installation aggravation.
January 12, 2010 11:52 AM Subscribe
I need advice on my chilly basement and where my money would be best spent.
It is a heated area with what i assume are insulated walls with the exception of the wall facing the earth. When heated it is in the 55 to 60 degree range but difficult to sustain. Should i put r-19 in the ceiling/floor joists under the drop ceiling or will this just insulate the cold in. However I would like warmer floors upstairs. Would i be better off seeking alternative ways to heat the basement; i.e. gas logs- and leave the r-19 out? The basement is furnished so dealing with the insulation is an added pain because i don't want to get it every where.
It is a heated area with what i assume are insulated walls with the exception of the wall facing the earth. When heated it is in the 55 to 60 degree range but difficult to sustain. Should i put r-19 in the ceiling/floor joists under the drop ceiling or will this just insulate the cold in. However I would like warmer floors upstairs. Would i be better off seeking alternative ways to heat the basement; i.e. gas logs- and leave the r-19 out? The basement is furnished so dealing with the insulation is an added pain because i don't want to get it every where.
If the basement is furnished, presumably you want to keep it at a usable temperature. To help do that, you should make sure all of the basement walls are insulated. Assuming you are talking about a concrete wall, you need to make sure that you don't create a moisture problem by insulating. Find someone who knows local conditions to help you make a plan to insulate the wall. You may also want to consider insulating the floor, assuming it is an uninsulated concrete slab. Don't put insulation between the basement and the first floor, unless you plan to keep the basement very cold. You may also want to see if you can find a way to peek inside the other walls to see if they are insulated and how well. Houses can have all kinds of surprises hidden (or not hidden) inside the walls.
It might be helpful if you let folks here know how your house is heated and in particular how your basement is heated. In general, it is much cheaper in the long run to insulate than to just pump more heat into a space.
posted by ssg at 1:23 PM on January 12, 2010
It might be helpful if you let folks here know how your house is heated and in particular how your basement is heated. In general, it is much cheaper in the long run to insulate than to just pump more heat into a space.
posted by ssg at 1:23 PM on January 12, 2010
If all your basement walls are below ground, insulated, and finished with sheetrock or plaster and the top temp you can reach is only 55-60 then it sounds like you have a heating problem. What is the heat source and how many (i.e. radiators, forced hot air, baseboard, radiant.)? How large an area approximately and what is the heat source and type? i.e. hot water furnace with baseboard heating or electric or hot air? Adding insulation between the floors won't make the space warm if there's no heat to begin with. You either need more radiators/vents/baseboard or you need another zone dedicated to the basement to reach the desired temp.
posted by birdwatcher at 2:03 PM on January 12, 2010
posted by birdwatcher at 2:03 PM on January 12, 2010
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The difference was felt immediately. If you have a few hundred dollars, get an independent energy audit. You'll be able to figure out what will make the most difference in relationship to the actual situation in your home.
posted by Carmody'sPrize at 12:15 PM on January 12, 2010