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Foundation wall exterior board insulation with above-grade wall insulation

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Insulate Your Basement, Part 3: Insulate the Walls and Rim Joists

Video

Video describing how to use foam insulation on masonry walls, and how to properly insulate the rim joist area with rigid foam and batt insulation.

Foundation Wall Exterior board insulation without above-grade wall insulation

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Air Sealed, Insulated Basements

Guide

Guide describing how to insulate a basement to improve the overall thermal performance of the building and provide more dry, usable conditioned space for home occupants and HVAC equipment.

Right - Section view showing how to air-seal and insulate a basement wall with perforated blanket insulation by installing it over air-sealed rigid insulation board to reduce condensation risk in the fiberglass blanket.

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Right - A continuous layer of rigid foam insulation is installed against the foundation, and the perforated fiberglass insulation blanket is installed over that and covered with a semipermeable facing.

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Foundation wall interior rigid insulation with furring strips

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Right – The rim joists above the pre-insulated basement walls are sealed and insulated with spray foam to prevent air leakage at this juncture in the building envelope.

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Foundation wall interior rigid insulation with framed wall

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This exterior insulated slab-on-grade monolithic grade beam foundation is protected from pests by termite shield at the sill plate, borate-treated framing, flashing at end of wall insulation, brick veneer over slab-edge insulation, and rock ground cover.

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Rigid Foam Board Interior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

Guide

Guide describing how to insulate closed crawlspace walls and band joist areas with rigid foam board insulation.

Keeping The Heat In - Chapter 6: Basement Insulation Floors, Walls and Crawl Spaces

Reference

Information sheet providing links and resources for insulating basements in cold climates.

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.

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Right - Reduce condensation risks to blanket insulation by installing perforated vapor retarder covered fiberglass blankets over rigid foam that is air-sealed at all edges; staple the blanket to nailers and top/bottom plates and tape over the seams.

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DOE ZERH HIA 2017 Case Study: Thrive Home Builders, Courtyard Rows, Lone Tree, CO

Case Study

Case study describing a DOE Zero Energy Ready Home 2017 Housing Innovation Award winner that scored HERS 41 without PV and 8 with PV.

Foundation wall interior polyisocyanurate, foil-faced, exposed

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Termite shield with exterior rigid foam above and below

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Floor Above Unconditioned Basement or Vented Crawlspace

Video

Video describing how to properly air-seal floors above unconditioned basements and vented crawlspaces.

Spray foam on a stone or rubble foundation

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Spray foam on concrete foundation wall with framed interior wall

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Small Commercial Building Fact Sheet - Building Envelope

Reference

Fact sheet describing building envelope performance measures applicable to residential and small commercial construction.

Cold Climate Building Techniques and Concepts: building a raised floor

Video

Video from Cold Climate Housing Research Center describing building a raised floor in cold climates for air-sealing and insulation purposes.