Different from fiberglass insulation, rigid foam will not compress, so the R-value sticks. It cannot be worn by moisture and it forms an excellent barrier to air in order to create more energy savings.

Your basement is a large contributor to the home’s total efficiency of energy along with your own personal comfort. So even if you do not use your basement a great deal it is still a good choice to make the basement as economically efficient as possible. Two top methods for improving efficiency are air sealing an upgrading the current insulation. Air sealing seals the loss of air in the perimeter of the foundation where a lot of cold air can enter the basement and cool air can escape. Doors are also a point of air-sealing, but only if they are exterior door.

Places where Basement Insulation can be installed

Without knowing it for years builders were installing fiberglass batts in the area between the floor/ceiling joists and the basement. This was all in vain, however, because this insulation only cut off the basement from the building envelope which is supposed to have free flowing air.  The envelope is like a border between the inside of the house and outside.

Basement Wall Insulation- a smart move

When the basement walls are insulated, it makes it part of the “building envelope”. As a result is is more comfortable, and other important function s of the house like hot waters lines, and Ductwork from HVAC are protected, especially in the cold winter months. Not having this protection can mean poor performance from hot water and heating machinery and higher energy costs.

Rigid foam can be insulated from the interior or exterior. Usually, however it is more common to install rigid foam from the interior.