BASC Search | Building America Solution Center

Water-proof materials cover the exterior side of crawlspace windows in a crawlspace retrofit, while foil-faced rigid foams seals and insulates the inside face of the openings

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Rigid insulation and air-sealing can be used to thermally isolate garages from multifamily row houses/town houses with basement foundations in IECC Climate Zones 3 or higher.

Publication Date

Sat, 09/14/2024 - 12:00

Brick veneer framed wall supported by a concrete slab-on-grade foundation with a turn-down footing insulated on its top surface, showing anchorage of the wall to the foundation for seismic resistance

Publication Date

Tue, 08/24/2021 - 12:00

For homes built on an open foundation, provide a continuous air barrier by sealing all joints between the rigid insulation, floor support beams, rim joist, and bottom wall plate

Publication Date

Sat, 01/01/2022 - 12:00

Closed-cell spray foam insulates the floor above an open foundation; a protection board made of fiber cement is screwed in place under the floor joists to keep out pests

Publication Date

Sat, 01/01/2022 - 12:00

The floor of the sealed insulated crawlspace is covered with a heavy plastic vapor-barrier sheathing that is taped at all seams and around the foundation piers to prevent water vapor from moving into the crawlspace.

Publication Date

Thu, 08/17/2023 - 12:00

Wrong - The basement blanket insulation is loosely attached to the interior of the basement wall, does not cover the entire wall, is not sealed at the edges, and is not installed over rigid foam that covers the entire surface of the foundation walls.

Publication Date

Fri, 01/01/2021 - 12:00

Right - Foil-faced polyisocyanurate insulating rigid foam sheathing is installed below the floor framing of this house built on piers; however, the seams should be sealed with metal taped and the plumbing elevated and protected.

Publication Date

Fri, 09/18/2009 - 12:00

Closed-cell spray foam insulates the floor above a vented crawlspace; a protection board made of fiber cement is screwed in place under the floor joists to keep out pests

Publication Date

Sat, 01/15/2022 - 12:00

Right - Additional potential locations for slab-on-grade insulation include (a) under the slab and outside the perimeter with optional underground moisture block, (b) under the whole foundation, or (c) on top of the slab.

Publication Date

Tue, 01/01/2013 - 12:00

Right – Foil-faced insulation was added after the crawlspace was dried and sealed by diverting water runoff, sealing off crawlspace windows and vents, and adding sump pumps and exhaust fan ventilation

Publication Date

Mon, 09/01/2014 - 12:00

Assembly can be used in IECC CZ 3 and above to thermally isolate garages in multifamily row houses with slab foundations. For unheated garages, it is unnecessary to insulate wall between garage and exterior of slab or slab underneath garage.

Publication Date

Sat, 09/14/2024 - 12:00

This basement is insulated on the exterior with rigid foam over dampproofing, with granular backfill and footing drains to facilitate drainage away from the foundation, a termite shield to protect from pests, and cellular PVC to protect the rigid foam.

Publication Date

Mon, 03/01/2021 - 12:00

Brick veneer is supported by a concrete stem wall thermally separated from the slab-on-grade foundation with turn-down footing which is also insulated on top; anchorage for seismic resistance is also shown

Right - Permeable rigid mineral wool insulation and appropriate water-management flashing details are integrated with new rigid foam siding to keep water away from the sill beam above the foundation wall

A paint-on waterproofing covers the exterior and tops of the concrete block foundation walls and piers to block moisture moving up through the concrete, while foil-faced R-13 insulation lines the inside surface of the exterior walls.

Publication Date

Fri, 01/01/2016 - 12:00

An ultra-efficient layer of R-20 rigid foam foundation insulation covers the ground underneath the vapor barrier and radiant floor loops, which will circulate water heated by an ultra-efficient geo heat pump.

Right – The raised slab foundation has a 3-ft stem wall of filled concrete block, then is back-filled with compacted dirt and crushed rock, then insulated with 1” rigid foam covered with taped vapor barrier, under a floor slab.

Publication Date

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:00

Green Coast Enterprises built this New Orleans home on piers so that the floor is 1 foot above the base flood level; borate treated framing and closed-cell spray foam insulation add to the home's moisture resistance.

Publication Date

Thu, 09/01/2011 - 12:00

Pest protection measures include a termite shield under the rim joist and extending out on either side of the stem wall, insect screening under the furring air gap, and brick veneer to protect slab-edge insulation.

Publication Date

Mon, 03/01/2021 - 12:00

Right – Insulated concrete form (ICF) blocks are stacked like bricks, then rebar is set horizontally and vertically in the plastic spacers, then concrete is poured; the rigid foam and spacers stay in place to add support and thermal resistance to the wall

Publication Date

Thu, 09/30/2021 - 12:00

Spray foam insulation extends down the foundation wall to the slab, which has been retrofitted by cutting the slab to install drainage mat against the wall and a new perimeter footing drain, along with rigid foam plastic above the slab.

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

This raised-slab poured concrete foundation includes flood-resistant features such as a sloped grade, capillary break under the slab (gravel or sand), vapor retarder under the slab (rigid insulation), and capillary break at the top of the foundation wall

Publication Date

Sat, 01/01/2022 - 12:00

An externally insulated slab-on-grade is pest-protected by a metal termite shield under sill plate, metal-flashing-wrapped foam under siding, a removable inspection strip of PVC-covered foam, and 2 feet of gravel next to the foundation.

Publication Date

Mon, 03/01/2021 - 12:00

This Texas homes uses a slab foundation including a 4-in.-thick post-tensioned monolithic slab with turned-down edges poured over a 6-mil polyethylene vapor barrier and capillary break; slab edge insulation is not used due to termite risk.

Publication Date

Thu, 09/01/2011 - 12:00

Termite-Resistant Foundations and Walls

Guide describing techniques and measures for increasing the termite resistance of a home's foundations.

ICF bricks are stacked to form hollow walls that are reinforced with steel rebar before the concrete is poured in

Publication Date

Mon, 10/01/2012 - 12:00

Increase Seismic Resistance and Thermal Performance of Basement, Crawl Space, and Crawl Space with Cripple Wall Foundations

Guide describing different options for providing seismic and thermal resistance for homes with basement foundations, crawlspace foundations, or crawlspace foundations with a "cripple" wall.

Upgrading Below Grade Spaces

Author(s)

University of Minnesota

Organization(s)

NorthernSTAR,

NSTAR

Presentation describing basement insulation and potential problems.

Your Northern Home: Understanding Crawl Spaces

Publication Date

December, 2011

Author(s)

Benesch

Organization(s)

Cold Climate Housing Research Center,

CCHRC

Video describing crawlspace insulation configurations and problems that may arise in cold climates like Alaska.

DOE ZERH HIA 2017 Case Study: United Way of Long Island, United Veterans Beacon House, Huntington Station, NY

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

Organization(s)

PNNL,

DOE

Publication Date

September, 2017

Case study showing project and performance data and energy-efficiency measures for a DOE 2017 Housing Innovation Award winning home that was certified to the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home criteria.

Water Management of Existing Basement Floor

Guide describing how to retrofit an existing basement floor or slab to reduce moisture issues.

Water Managed Existing Sill Beams and Sill Plates

Guide describing how to insulate the sill beam or sill plate on the exterior side in a way that allows drying to the exterior, as part of an exterior wall upgrade.

Seismic and Thermal Resistance in Slab-on-Grade Foundations with Turned-Down Footings (Monolithic Slabs)

Guide describing how to construct and retrofit homes built on slab-on-grade foundations in earthquake-prone areas to withstand seismic forces by properly installing wall to foundation connections.

Concrete Solutions, BSI-118

Author(s)

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

October, 2020

Report covering insulating crawlspaces.

Passive House Geofoam Foundation Installation: Karuna Video #1

Publication Date

October, 2011

Video showing the installation of a foundation in a passive house.

Passive House Underslab Foam & Vapor Barrier: Karuna Video #6

Publication Date

February, 2012

Video describing the under slab and vapor barrier used on a passive house.

Water Management of Existing Crawlspace Floor

Guide providing information about treating bulk water drainage issues and moisture control measures in existing basements and crawl spaces.

Slab-on-grade termite control techniques

Publication Date

Tue, 01/01/2013 - 12:00

Slab Happy, BSI-059

Author(s)

Lstiburek Joseph W

Organization(s)

Building Science Corporation,

BSC

Publication Date

April, 2012

How hard can it be to insulate a flat sheet of concrete? I mean you only have three choices – on the top, on the bottom, or on the edge. OK, you might have some combination of the three as well.

Foundation Design Handbook

Author(s)

Carmody John,

Mosiman Garrett,

Handeen Daniel,

Huelman Patrick H,

Christian Jeffrey E

Organization(s)

Oak Ridge National Laboratory,

ORNL,

University of Minnesota

Publication Date

January, 2013

Handbook providing guidance on the design and construction of foundations for homes, including insulation, air sealing, and water management details for basements, crawlspaces, and slabs.

Upgrading Below Grade Spaces - Residential Energy Efficiency Stakeholder

Author(s)

Huelman Patrick H,

Breidenbach Sam,

Schirber Steve

Organization(s)

NorthernSTAR,

University of Minnesota,

UMN,

NSTAR,

U.S. Department of Energy,

DOE

Publication Date

March, 2012

Presentation describing the challenges of insulating an existing basement, presented to the Building America residential energy-efficiency stakeholder meeting.

Innovation in Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

Author(s)

Green Home Institute

Organization(s)

Green Home Institute

Publication Date

January, 2019

Video describing how a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is constructed and including use of a stay-in-place EPS (expanded polystyrene) footing form that provides insulation and simplifies the installation of frost-protected monolithic concrete slab foundations.

Innovation in Frost Protected Shallow Foundations

Author(s)

Green Home Institute

Organization(s)

Green Home Institute

Publication Date

January, 2019

Video describing how a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) is constructed and including use of a stay-in-place EPS (expanded polystyrene) footing form that provides insulation and simplifies the installation of frost-protected monolithic concrete slab foundations.

Good water management practices like sloping grade away from house, and installing gutters, perimeter drain pipe, a capillary break, and free-draining soils or drainage mat protect the foundation from water saturation.

Publication Date

Thu, 03/01/2012 - 12:00

Flood-Resistant Pier, Pile, Post, and Column Foundations

Guide describing how to construct flood-resistant homes using pier, pile, post, or column foundations.

Flood-Resistant Crawlspace Foundations

Guide describing how to design or retrofit a crawlspace to reduce the risk of damage during a flood event.

Aerosol Sealing Building Enclosures, Single and Multifamily Dwellings - Code Compliance Brief

Publication Date

January, 2020

The intent of this brief is to provide code-related information for aerosol sealing building enclosures to achieve durable air tightness levels that will be accepted as being in compliance with the code.

Rigid foam protects the exterior of the foundation.

The home’s slab-on-grade foundation is wrapped in a blanket of rigid foam extending completely under the slab and along the edges.

2021 IECC Climate Zone 3A: SIP Roof, SIP Wall, Stem Wall, Slab on Grade

Right – R-20 of XPS and polyiso rigid foam were added on the slab shelf that is part of this precast foundation wall system.

Publication Date

Mon, 09/30/2019 - 12:00