BASC Search

Foundation wall exterior board insulation with above-grade wall insulation

Foundation Wall Exterior board insulation without above-grade wall insulation

DWG

PDF

How to Insulate a Basement

Publication Date

November, 2017

Author(s)

This Old House

Organization(s)

This Old House

Video describing how to warm up a chilly concrete wall with This Old House general contractor Tom Silva.

Air Sealed, Insulated Basements

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 - The poured concrete basement walls are insulated along the inside with 2.5 inches of extruded polystyrene insulation.

Exterior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

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

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

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Spray Foam Interior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

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

Foundation wall interior rigid insulation with furring strips

DWG

PDF

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.

Publication Date

Thu, 09/30/2021 - 12:00

Foundation wall interior rigid insulation with framed wall

DWG

PDF

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.

Publication Date

Mon, 03/01/2021 - 12:00

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

Rigid Foam Board Interior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

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

The rim band connecting the insulated precast concrete basement walls to the floor joists above is spray foamed to provide air-sealing and insulation in this hard-to-seal juncture.

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

Publication Date

Mon, 10/01/2012 - 12:00

Wrong – The insulated concrete forms at the foundation do not have a damp-proof coating

Publication Date

Tue, 02/01/2011 - 12:00

Right - This concrete basement wall has exterior rigid insulation and comprehensive moisture management details.

Publication Date

Tue, 09/01/2020 - 12:00

Right - Precast concrete basement walls come to the site with integrated rigid foam insulation and steel-faced concrete studs.

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

Publication Date

Thu, 08/31/2017 - 12:00

Right – The insulated concrete forms that are below-grade have a damp-proof coating to prevent moisture seeping into the foundation

Publication Date

Tue, 02/01/2011 - 12:00

Right - Below-grade concrete has been properly sealed against moisture and is now having insulation installed.

Publication Date

Tue, 02/01/2011 - 12:00

Foil-faced rigid foam and spray foam can be used to insulate a basement on the interior; use good moisture management techniques to keep the basement dry

Exterior surface of below-grade walls finished as follows: For poured concrete, concrete masonry, and insulated concrete forms, finish with damp-proof coating

Publication Date

Tue, 02/01/2011 - 12:00

Exterior fiberglass insulation on this new home was (incorrectly) cut to terminate below-grade after backfill, which will expose the above-grade portions of the foundation wall to cold temperatures

Publication Date

Mon, 10/01/2012 - 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

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

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory,

U.S. Department of Energy

Organization(s)

PNNL,

DOE

Publication Date

September, 2017

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

Right - Closed-cell spray foam was applied to the interior of a foundation wall.

Right - Closed-cell spray foam covers the interior of the foundation wall and wall framing is placed to the inside of the spray foam.

Damp-Proof Exterior Surface of Below-Grade Walls

Guide describing how to apply water management strategies to below grade walls.

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Insight Homes: Deep Creek, Seaford, Delaware

Author(s)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Organization(s)

PNNL

Publication Date

April, 2012

Case study describing a home builder that has refined its home designs to achieve HERS scores of 49 to 56 on 40 to 70 homes per year.

Foundation wall interior polyisocyanurate, foil-faced, exposed

Organization(s)

SEI

Publication Date

November, 2016

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

Right - Closed-cell spray foam is used to retrofit an existing rubble basement foundation wall.

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Spray foam extends down the inside of the foundation wall to the uninsulated slab; because the wall lacked exterior perimeter drainage, the slab was cut and an interior footing drain was installed.

Publication Date

Mon, 07/01/2013 - 12:00

Foundation wall exterior board insulation with above-grade wall insulation

Foundation Wall Exterior board insulation without above-grade wall insulation

How to Insulate a Basement

Air Sealed, Insulated Basements

Right - The poured concrete basement walls are insulated along the inside with 2.5 inches of extruded polystyrene insulation.

Exterior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

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

Spray Foam Interior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

Foundation wall interior rigid insulation with furring strips

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.

Foundation wall interior rigid insulation with framed wall

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.

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

Rigid Foam Board Interior Insulation for Existing Foundation Walls

The rim band connecting the insulated precast concrete basement walls to the floor joists above is spray foamed to provide air-sealing and insulation in this hard-to-seal juncture.

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

Wrong – The insulated concrete forms at the foundation do not have a damp-proof coating

Right - This concrete basement wall has exterior rigid insulation and comprehensive moisture management details.

Right - Precast concrete basement walls come to the site with integrated rigid foam insulation and steel-faced concrete studs.

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

Right – The insulated concrete forms that are below-grade have a damp-proof coating to prevent moisture seeping into the foundation

Right - Below-grade concrete has been properly sealed against moisture and is now having insulation installed.

Foil-faced rigid foam and spray foam can be used to insulate a basement on the interior; use good moisture management techniques to keep the basement dry

Exterior surface of below-grade walls finished as follows: For poured concrete, concrete masonry, and insulated concrete forms, finish with damp-proof coating

Exterior fiberglass insulation on this new home was (incorrectly) cut to terminate below-grade after backfill, which will expose the above-grade portions of the foundation wall to cold temperatures

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.

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

Right - Closed-cell spray foam was applied to the interior of a foundation wall.

Right - Closed-cell spray foam covers the interior of the foundation wall and wall framing is placed to the inside of the spray foam.

Damp-Proof Exterior Surface of Below-Grade Walls

New Whole-House Solutions Case Study: Insight Homes: Deep Creek, Seaford, Delaware

Foundation wall interior polyisocyanurate, foil-faced, exposed

Termite shield with exterior rigid foam above and below

Spray foam on a stone or rubble foundation

Spray foam on concrete foundation wall with framed interior wall

Small Commercial Building Fact Sheet - Building Envelope

Right - Closed-cell spray foam is used to retrofit an existing rubble basement foundation wall.

Spray foam extends down the inside of the foundation wall to the uninsulated slab; because the wall lacked exterior perimeter drainage, the slab was cut and an interior footing drain was installed.