How to insulate walls with already installed baseboard heating? Early 70’s raised ranch home
See pictures. The studs are 1.75″ thick covered with 70’s paneling. Half the basement that has exposed block has been painted with waterproofer or drylock. The side the previous owners finished with wall paneling is not, not sure why they did it this way.
Anyway, I have been testing for moisture with the makeshift vapor barrier for the last two weeks on the exposed block and last night had the first sign of some condensation on the wall side of the plastic.
I would prefer to not have to disconnect baseboard heating if I don’t need to. Previous owners installed baseboard heating all the way around the perimeter of the basement level (4ft underground) raised ranch.
I am looking at installing the Owen Corning Foamular 150 1 1/2″ thick rigid foam and then sealing gaps with Great Stuff.
What is the best plan of attack here?
Replies
Are these electric baseboards?
and where is the house? inch and a half of rigid foam will only get you R 7. might want to frame in a 2x4 wall layer and fill it with R 15 rock wool. (then drywall) (you still can put the foam in first)
The best way is to pull those baseboard heaters out and put them back if you decide you need to do so after properly insulating the wall. (you might not still need them.)
Ah, sorry, that would be helpful.
House is in central NY, zone 5. These are hot water baseboards.
I know that the plumbing involved can be a challenge, but the right answer is to pull those baseboards and do a proper job insulating the walls.
XPS foam burns pretty well, so you need to cover with a half inch of drywall. (which will be thicker than the paneling is)
Zone 5 insulation is R20 for the weather exposed part of the wall, or R5 continual insulation with R13 in wall cavity. R19 below grade, so same insulation scheme for both parts.
I would pull the baseboard heaters, strip the wall back to the concrete.
Poly on the below grade area, then full foam or rock wool board coverage. 2x4 wall with cavity insulation, full vapor barrier, drywall.
You probably don't need full baseboard coverage. Run a heat loss calc and reinstall only what is needed.