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Foundation wall exterior board insulation with above-grade wall insulation

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Foundation Wall Exterior board insulation without above-grade wall insulation

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Foundation wall interior rigid insulation with framed wall

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Exterior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

Guide

Guide describing how to insulate a new foundation wall or an existing foundation wall by adding rigid insulation to the exterior side.

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

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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.

Assembly Sequence for Concrete Wall with Exterior Insulation

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Video animation showing an assembly sequence for a concrete basement wall with exterior insulation

Concrete masonry basement wall with exterior insulation.

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Spray Foam Interior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

Guide

Guide describing how to insulate an existing foundation wall by adding spray foam insulation to the interior side of the wall.

Right - This concrete basement wall is insulated on the interior with rigid insulation; sill details are shown.

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Foundation wall interior rigid insulation with furring strips

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Right - This concrete basement wall is insulated on the interior with spray foam insulation; sill detail are shown.

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Right - Potential locations for basement insulation in new construction, slab insulation should always be underneath, with walls insulated (a) inside, (b) outside, (c) sandwiched inside, or (d) inside and outside of walls.

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Assembly Sequence for Concrete Wall with Interior Foam Spray Insulation

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Video animation showing an assembly sequence for a concrete basement wall with interior spray foam insulation.

Rigid insulation is installed on the exterior side of the flat foundation wall

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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.

Rigid insulation and water control layers are installed on the exterior of a flat foundation wall; spray foam insulates the rim joist

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Wrong - Moisture from within the basement foundation wall can migrate into the insulation cavity in a conventional blanket insulation installation.

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Exterior XPS basement insulation is correctly installed to completely cover the foundation wall

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Right - This concrete basement wall is insulated on the interior basement walls with spray foam and under the slab with rigid foam; footing details are shown.

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Right - The concrete basement wall is insulated on the interior with rigid foam; the footing detail is shown.

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Right - Poured concrete basement wall showing exterior insulation and sill detail; above-grade wall has sheathing to the inside of the rigid foam.

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Right - Poured concrete basement wall showing exterior insulation and sill detail; above-grade wall has sheathing to the outside of the rigid foam.

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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.

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Right - This poured concrete basement wall is insulated on the exterior and under the slab with rigid insulation; footing details include interior and exterior footing drain pipe.

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Right - Concrete masonry unit (CMU) basement wall showing exterior insulation and sill detail; above-grade wall has sheathing to the inside of the rigid foam.

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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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Because the above-grade potions of the wall lack exterior insulation, condensation and even ice form during cold winter conditions

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Right - The concrete masonry unit (CMU) basement wall has exterior insulation; the footing details include interior and exterior footing drain pipe.

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Right - XPS rigid foam board is tightly installed against a concrete foundation wall and seams are sealed with tape prior to installing fibrous blanket insulation.

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Right - Foil-faced polyisocyanurate rigid foam board is tightly installed and sealed against a concrete foundation wall prior to installing fibrous blanket insulation.

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