Basement Finishing for a More Comfortable Home
Who wouldn't love a warmer, cozier house in the winter? Freezing homes are very unpleasant.
Cold floors and surfaces force homeowners to wrap themselves in blankets and sweatshirts to stay warm, but there is something you can do that you may not have thought of before: basement finishing.
The air in your house moves one way: up.
It enters through the bottom of your home and makes its way up to the top, so doesn't it make sense to infer that if the air entering your home is cold then it will travel upward and make your entire house cold? Your kitchen floors feel cold because the space below them is cold.
Finishing a basement can help ensure that the air traveling through your house is drier and warmer.
There are a number of factors to remember when finishing a basement: • The basement environment is different from other living spaces because it is generally damp and musty.
• Basement finishing systems must be resistant to water and mold growth.
• Choose a finishing system with adequate insulation rated at R-13 or higher.
• Rigid foam insulation is your best bet, as it won't be damaged by moisture and is mold resistant.
There are many different types of insulation out there to use.
Fiberglass batt insulation is probably the most common form you'll find in a basement, but it's also the worst kind for that environment.
If fiberglass gets wet it sags, compresses or falls down leaving it useless.
It also supports mold and mildew growth.
And if mold grows in your basement, the mold spores will travel up through the rest of your house.
Closed-cell rigid foam insulation is the most efficient way to insulate a basement.
It is rated at R-13 for insulation and will reflect 99.
987% of heat back into a basement.
It is also made of inorganic material so mold will not grow on it and it won't be affected by water.
When looking for a basement finishing system make sure you find one that's entirely inorganic.
A sturdy wall panel made with concrete and vinyl with rigid foam backing is the best choice, especially if you decide to turn your basement into an entertainment room and would like to hang a flat-screen television from the wall.
You certainly cannot do that with drywall.
To keep a basement properly insulated you must also look for a system that can be installed continuously across the perimeter of the basement.
Any openings will allow cold air to pour in and will make the insulation essentially obsolete.
Also, metals studs in most basement wall systems allow cold spots.
However, once you insulate the perimeter with a quality foam insulation system you will not need to insulate any rooms, closets or partition walls you decide to put in the basement.
Finishing a basement with an efficient insulation and high-quality products can help keep your whole house warmer in the winter.
Once you've found the perfect basement finishing system for your home you will be able to enjoy a large part of the house you may have thought was just for storage.
Your toes will be less cold walking through your main living areas if your basement is insulated properly.
Cold floors and surfaces force homeowners to wrap themselves in blankets and sweatshirts to stay warm, but there is something you can do that you may not have thought of before: basement finishing.
The air in your house moves one way: up.
It enters through the bottom of your home and makes its way up to the top, so doesn't it make sense to infer that if the air entering your home is cold then it will travel upward and make your entire house cold? Your kitchen floors feel cold because the space below them is cold.
Finishing a basement can help ensure that the air traveling through your house is drier and warmer.
There are a number of factors to remember when finishing a basement: • The basement environment is different from other living spaces because it is generally damp and musty.
• Basement finishing systems must be resistant to water and mold growth.
• Choose a finishing system with adequate insulation rated at R-13 or higher.
• Rigid foam insulation is your best bet, as it won't be damaged by moisture and is mold resistant.
There are many different types of insulation out there to use.
Fiberglass batt insulation is probably the most common form you'll find in a basement, but it's also the worst kind for that environment.
If fiberglass gets wet it sags, compresses or falls down leaving it useless.
It also supports mold and mildew growth.
And if mold grows in your basement, the mold spores will travel up through the rest of your house.
Closed-cell rigid foam insulation is the most efficient way to insulate a basement.
It is rated at R-13 for insulation and will reflect 99.
987% of heat back into a basement.
It is also made of inorganic material so mold will not grow on it and it won't be affected by water.
When looking for a basement finishing system make sure you find one that's entirely inorganic.
A sturdy wall panel made with concrete and vinyl with rigid foam backing is the best choice, especially if you decide to turn your basement into an entertainment room and would like to hang a flat-screen television from the wall.
You certainly cannot do that with drywall.
To keep a basement properly insulated you must also look for a system that can be installed continuously across the perimeter of the basement.
Any openings will allow cold air to pour in and will make the insulation essentially obsolete.
Also, metals studs in most basement wall systems allow cold spots.
However, once you insulate the perimeter with a quality foam insulation system you will not need to insulate any rooms, closets or partition walls you decide to put in the basement.
Finishing a basement with an efficient insulation and high-quality products can help keep your whole house warmer in the winter.
Once you've found the perfect basement finishing system for your home you will be able to enjoy a large part of the house you may have thought was just for storage.
Your toes will be less cold walking through your main living areas if your basement is insulated properly.
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