Best Way To Insulate Cement Block Walls
The place to control vapor migration is on the exterior of the basement wall in the form of waterproofing or damproofing.
Best way to insulate cement block walls. The option for insulating concrete block walls includes spray foam insulation injection foam insulation polystyrene beads foam boards and loose fill masonry insulation. Buildings constructed from concrete cinder blocks offer long term strength and durability against wind weather fire and pests. Now you can either frame a short knee wall and then cap it and tie it into the higher wall or you can just frame a new wall in front of the block all the way to the ceiling. The simplest and most affordable method of insulating the interior of a block wall is to install rigid foam board insulation.
And there is no effective way to fill the voids in an existing concrete block wall. While these are the options again the material available to use depends on whether the walls will be covered or the open top is exposed like in a remodel or new build. This can be done with pretty much any rigid insulation. I have a 1950s brick colonial with uninsulated concrete block walls.
The insulation may be rigid board extruded or expanded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate closed cell spray polyurethane foam cellular glass fibrous batt or fibrous blown in insulation note however that fibrous insulation is susceptible to moisture. David caruso springfield pa. Insulate wall cavity with fiberglass install proper vapor barrier and seal very well with tape. How do i insulate walls with stud bays only 1 inches thick.
On the interior the best insulation to place against the concrete or block is rigid foam without any facing such as foil or plastic sheeting. Insulation is vital for concrete basement walls the basement hold the house s furnace water heaters laundry machines and essential utilities. Interior insulation refers to insulation applied to the interior side of the concrete masonry as shown in figure 1. In your climate zone zone 5 code requires you to insulate concrete block and other mass walls to at least r 13 if all of the insulation is on the exterior.
How to insulate a basement cinder block. Inside the drywall is nailed to studs fastened flat against the block. There are three ways to insulate basement walls. Before insulating coat the exterior of the walls with fluid applied water control and air control layers.
The short answer is no you generally do not want a vapor barrier on the walls of a finished basement.