Heating an Unheated Basement (Help or Hurt Efficiency)

mistel · Heavy Crude Joined: Mar 20, 2005 Posts: 139

Do it right, read this

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20071004.re-holmes1005/BNStory/RealEstate

Like the article says, be sure to insulate right to the floor. I used the insulation in the article,works great.

waldo · Tar Sands Joined: Dec 22, 2007 Posts: 44

According to DOE you do not insulate the basement ceiling but rather the walls even in an unfinished basement (http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/info/documents/pdfs/26455.pdf):

"In most cases, a basement should be considered a conditioned
space with insulation installed in the exterior basement walls.
Even in a house with an unconditioned basement, the basement
is more connected to the other living spaces of the home
than to the outside. This makes basement wall insulation
preferable to insulating the basement ceiling.
Advantages of basement wall insulation include:
• Basement spaces, whether conditioned or not, are warmer and
more comfortable.
• Compared to insulating the basement ceiling, insulating
basement walls:
— requires less insulation (1,350 square feet of wall
insulation for a 36- by 48-foot basement with 8-foot walls,
compared with 1,725 square feet of basement ceiling
insulation),
— more easily achieves continuous thermal and air leakage
boundaries because basement ceilings are typically
penetrated with electrical wiring, plumbing, and ductwork,
— requires little, if any increase in the size of heating and
cooling equipment–the heat loss and air leakage through
the basement ceiling is similar to that through the exterior
walls of the basement.
• Piping and ductwork are located within the conditioned
volume of the house so they do not require insulation for
energy efficiency or protection against freezing."

mistel · Heavy Crude Joined: Mar 20, 2005 Posts: 139

I agree with waldo. I have never heard of insulating between living spaces unless it is for noise reduction. Easier just to put it on the walls where it will do some good.

Peter