Spray and Batt – Basement insulation idea?
Kinetic_xyz
| Posted in Energy, Heating & Insulation on
Hello,
In an attempt to insulate the basement more, stop some mild condensation on the concrete walls, create a vapor and thermal barrier and make it warmer, I am thinking of doing closed cell spray foam of 2 inches (5 cm) in the crawling space ( headers) at the top and the first top 2 feet of the concrete wall. After that I will cover the whole wall top to bottom with a typical pink insulation R12 and vapor barrier, all the way down to the slab. Is this a good idea? Will this stop most of the cold and all condensation?
I live in a cold Canadian climate where winters can reach -15C and colder.
Replies
You really do not want to sandwich anything between vapor barriers.
And in general, vapor barriers for the inside of basement walls is not a great idea. (in warmer weather, basement walls will provide a path for water to enter.)
You also need to consider the temperature at the fiberglass to foam interface.
https://insulation.org/io/articles/insulation-and-temperature-a-useful-relationship/
Fluffy insulation isn't the best choice in basements. Check out this article: https://www.finehomebuilding.com/2005/03/01/the-no-mold-finished-basement