Insulating Concrete Walls Below Grade

Preparing masonry block walls for exterior damp proof coating.

Insulating concrete walls below grade.

Because insulation installed on below grade building foundations and under concrete slabs is often exposed to moist soil it is crucial to choose an insulation that has minimal long term moisture retention and the ability to dry quickly. However for masonry block walls and below grade insulated concrete forms the surfaces must first be prepared. Because they are naturally located below ground level basements are mostly cool and damp. Insulation on the exterior of below grade portions of the wall is.

Basement walls made out of concrete stone concrete bloc and other masonry foundation materials have very minimal insulating properties and cause approximately 20 of heat loss in a home. Wet insulation is ineffective insulation rigid foams that retain high volumes of moisture lose about half of their insulating r value. Interior insulation insulated cavities insulation inserts foamed in place insulation granular fills in block core spaces and exterior insulation systems. The variety of concrete masonry wall constructions provides for a number of insulating strategies including.

Insulation is applied to houses with slab on grade foundations exactly as you would insulate the outside of a full basement see section 6 1 insulating the basement from the outside. Above and below grade walls of a building or home can use insulated concrete forms icfs in their construction. For poured concrete walls a damp proof coating can be applied directly to the surface. Rigid foam can be adhered to a poured.

Installing rigid foam insulation below grade on building foundations the insulation whether eps or xps is installed over the damp waterproofing after that layer has adequately cured. However because of soil conditions below grade walls require added waterproofing steps unlike above grade walls. A properly insulated basement provides comfort and is a good way to save on your energy bill. If the foundation is on frost susceptible soils install a layer of impermeable insulation horizontally in the soil at a slope ratio of 1 5 for at least 1 m 3 ft.

Any of the following insulation materials are acceptable for this purpose. Crews can use mechanical fasteners or polystyrene compatible adhesive to attach the insulation. Both above and below grade icf walls are durable sound reducing energy efficient and disaster resistant.