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I just moved into a 6 year old cape outside Reading, PA and the previous homeowner had installed fiberglass insulation with the fiberglass side exposed into the basement. I am putting a woodworking shop in the basement and don’t want to be breathing all of the fiberglass. (sawdust is enough thank you) Do I really need this insulation (we haven’t lived in the house long enough to know how cold it gets in the basement in winter) or can I turn the insulation around or cover it with craft paper? I want to do something quick because every time I go down there now my sinuses go into overdrive. thank you in advance for any advice you can provide.
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Your sinuses may not be in overdrive due to the fibrglass. It could be mold, mildew, etc. from the basement being damp.
Insulating the floor is a complete waste of time. The basement is inside the house!!! Please treat it as though it is inside the house!!
I would leave it in, or perhaps add to it for some minor measure of sound attenuation.
Throw some drywall up.
-Rob
*Thanks Rob, I wish I could say it was mold but it is actually quite dry in the basement.(well dry as basements go anyway) what I have noticed is whenever my 4 year old runs across the living room floor you can see the fiber (or dust) literally falling from the batting (the stuff lights up pretty good in the light)
*#1) I'm just a homeowner,so take this for what it's worth. But at my mom's place, we had the same issue. Stapled some clear poly sheeting to the bottom of the floor joists. Worked like a charm. Cheap and effective.
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I just moved into a 6 year old cape outside Reading, PA and the previous homeowner had installed fiberglass insulation with the fiberglass side exposed into the basement. I am putting a woodworking shop in the basement and don't want to be breathing all of the fiberglass. (sawdust is enough thank you) Do I really need this insulation (we haven't lived in the house long enough to know how cold it gets in the basement in winter) or can I turn the insulation around or cover it with craft paper? I want to do something quick because every time I go down there now my sinuses go into overdrive. thank you in advance for any advice you can provide.