Residential Foundation Blanket
Basement Wall & Crawl Space Insulation
Our basement wall insulation is designed to eliminate hassle and provide a way to insulate basements without actually framing and finishing the walls.
Some contractors go through the hassle of hanging unfaced insulation blanket followed by another step of placing a visqueen vapor barrier up against the insulation, which then has to be nailed to the wall. The extra step of applying a vapor barrier on site is not just an extra step, but doubles the amount of sizing and cuts that have to be made.
For an unfinished basement, where no framing is required, an efficient solution is our basement wall blanket insulation that is laminated with a white flame-resistant polypropylene facing. The vapor barrier is already glued to the fiberglass blanket!
Concrete, stone, concrete block, and other masonry foundation materials have very little insulating value – a foundation wall can account for approximately 20% of heat loss. Adding insulation will keep a basement warmer, make the floors above the foundation warmer and more comfortable, plus it will lower heating bills.
Installation
Powder-actuated guns are the fastest way to anchor fiberglass blanket to concrete. Most contractors will use a nail with at least a 2” washer to help secure the insulation to the wall. Nails are positioned in a checker-board fashion with spacing sufficient to hold the weight of the insulation to the wall.
Some contractors prefer to install Furring Strips which the insulation can then be stapled to.
- Install 2×2 furring strips on the mudsill at the top of the wall. Strike a chalk line on the wall either 48 or 72 inches (according to the insulation roll width) below the top of the furring strip and install a second furring strip below the line. Install a third furring strip spaced 1/2 inch above the floor. Install furring strips around window openings and obstructions such as electrical panels, and (optional) vertically at inside wall corners.
- Insulate Walls Unroll insulation with the facing toward you and staple it every 4 inches to the top and middle furring strips. You’ll need a helper and a couple of small ladders for this operation. Similarly install the bottom course, which may require cutting to fit between the middle and bottom furring strips. When cutting, don’t forget to leave an extra 1-1/2 inches of facing that you can staple to the lower furring strip. Photo courtesy of CertainTeed Corporation.
- Tape Seams Tape all seams and joints (and any tears) with a white vinyl tape.