We all know insulating our homes makes them more energy efficient, and perhaps more importantly saves us money on our energy bills. In recent years we have seen an increase in advertising from the Government and energy companies regarding the insulation of our lofts and cavity walls, but the humble basement rarely gets a mention, yet is potentially one of the major sources of heat loss in the home.
Why Insulate Your Basement?
The Basement Information Centre (TBIC) and the Building Research Establishment (BRE) highlight a potential 10% saving in space heating for a two storey house with full ground basement when compared to a three storey equivalent above ground, both with the same amount of added insulation.
Source: The Concrete Centre
What’s The Best Way To Insulate?
You may think the best way to reduce this type of heat loss would be to insulate the basement ceiling to reduce heat from entering the basement, but while on the surface this may seem like the way to go, in the long term insulating the ceiling can cause more harm than good.
Over time ceiling insulation will lower the temperature within the basement, and the colder temperatures could move the solid surfaces of the foundations below the dew point causing a build up of moisture - the ideal breeding ground for mould, and which can lead to rotting of wooden joists. Plumbing problems may be more likely as mains water pipes are more likely to freeze in winter, and overtime the insulation may become compressed by ducts, pipework and cables within the ceiling space, reducing its performance.
The most cost effective method to insulate a basement within an existing structure is to insulate the foundation walls with a combination of rigid foam and insulated frame wall assembly. This method allows for both an effective insular layer and space for the foundation wall to breathe.
We at Yorkshire basement Systems recommend installing a basement waterproofing system as part of your basement insulation project to maximise the long-term efficiency of your insulation, and protect against possible future water ingress.