We are trying to figure out if it is possible to leave the exterior brick walls of our basement exposed when we finish the basement. The house is a one-story bungalow with solid brick exterior walls. The basement clearance is slightly less than eight feet, with about half that exposed/above grade. The house is located in the Chicago suburbs. What are the ramifications of having walls uninsulated? There is no sign of water problems, brick is in good shape and concrete slab is also in good shape. We are considering this for both budgetary and aesthetic reasons but would definitely return to framing/insulation/drywall if we could not achieve a good comfort level year-round without insulation.
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the R value of Bricks is close to zero. if the temp outside is cold without a great deal of suplimental heat the temp inside will be cold.. the walls themselves will still be cold to the touch..
In the summer there is the issue of hummidity.. with several dehumidifiers you won't find the basement too damp as long as the rest of the house is well airconditioned..
Gound moisture wicks thru morter and brick even if it hasn't rained for a month the basement will feel damp
as it is right now, it will cost you in energy to use it without insulating.
One possible downside to insulating is this - right now, that energy loss is keeping the ground immediately outside the walls from freezing. Sometimes when an older cellar like yours gets insulated, then the retention of heat on the inside allows the ground to freze and expand causing damage to the foundation wall, and sometimes allowing water from midwinter thaws or rains that now drains away thru the soil, to leak in thru the brick as the only permeable place for it to go.
I'm not advocating either way, just pointing out potential possibilities. If you can afford the heating, one position would be - if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
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That'd only be true if the basement had been heated, right?as everyone has stated, yea, it'd be a cold basement. But unless you have really leaky windows, it won't ever get THAT cold due to being under grade. I suppose it depends on how much time you plan on spending down there in the winter months and how many blankets you own.Are you going to finish the floor? That's usually the most uncomfortable part (an unheated basement floor can stuck the warmth out of you pretty quickly if wearing only socks).
Brick or block (i.e. concrete block vs. red brick or similar)? Have to assume concreter block ... concrete masonry units (CMU) as we call them in the industry.
My undersanding / assumption from the OP is three wide full brick walls.
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yes, solid brick wall, three thick
thanks for all the great advice! Since this is a tiny two bedroom bungalow we are relying on the basement SF for living space. We will use elec heat under tiles in basement bath and laundry but otherwise the space will be carpeted- possibly with that product of plywood tiles with rubber pads beneath. I am still curious about the point brought up about the adjacent soil freezing without benefit of the heat loss from brick in winter, especially since the foundation wall will no longer be visible for inspection. Advice?
My basement is uninsulated. I can feel the heat being sucked out out of me when I get close to the wall on very cold days. I'm sure I could improve the efficiency of the house by insulating the basement, but I have too many concerns to do so at this time. I use it for utility only.My thought is if you don't insulate the wall, you will need some baseboard heat to be comfortable.
"We will use elec heat under tiles in basement bath and laundry"Be sure of what you are doing there. There is a difference between floor warmers and floor source space heat. The warming mat will just make your feet feel warm, but do not have the power to heat the space. folks often confuse one for the other.RE the exterior freezing, if the soils are gravel, well drained with a good functioning perimeter drain at footings, you are fine. Water does not get held in the soil there to freeze and expand to damage things.Digging a hole is the only way to have a clue on that.
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"There is a difference between floor warmers and floor source space heat. "
You are right ... but that is generally the beauty of radiant floor heat ... you shouldn't expect to have to heat the space [to full temp] per se. It does heat the space, but since you are in contact w/ it and can feel the warmth, your stat can be set lower and still have high comfort.
That is very true about radiant floor space HEAT.but what I was trying to do is be sure that the OP does not think he is going to heat his basement with a foot/floor WARMER which is a different aniaml
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Just trying to make sure it is clear.
The basement is already heated with forced air. The elec floor mats under the tile are only going to be used to warm the tile and make standing down there in socks more comfortable. Looks like we will insulate and drywall all exterior walls after considering the advice in these posts. Thanks!
Be warm
Be well
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Also, don't forget to do your radon tests.
Brigs,
Unfortunately, the others are all correct. You will lose a lot of heat and feel it in the wallet. Forget the great look of the brick. You really need to insulate.
If it's the brick look that you really want, you can always furr out the walls, insulate, and install thin brick or panel brick, or even some El Dorado Stone on a proper substrate. You'll get the look you want, and you'll save on big heating bills.
The question I always get in Chicago is what can be done to keep the dampness from coming up from the old slab which probably doesn't have a vapor barrier beneath because of how old the house is. I am still looking for more solutions on that one. I've used Xypex on one project. Never had a complaint from that client.