Insulating Exterior Walls New Construction

A continuous layer of insulating sheathing applied to the exterior surface of a wall will minimize condensation and moisture levels.

Insulating exterior walls new construction.

Then cut 2 4 bottom and top plates and lay out stud locations every 16 in. R values can be higher for foam insulation and other advanced insulation systems. Types of wall construction. The insulation may be rigid board extruded or expanded polystyrene or polyisocyanurate closed cell spray polyurethane foam cellular glass fibrous batt or fibrous blown in insulation note however that fibrous insulation is susceptible to moisture.

Interior insulation refers to insulation applied to the interior side of the concrete masonry as shown in figure 1. During the construction process many builders insulate the outside of foundation walls before backfilling. Reduce exterior wall leaks by taping the joints of exterior sheathing and caulking and sealing exterior walls. Original plan was to use 2 of xps or eps type ix under the basement slab and 1 around the slab perimeter.

Steps to finishing a basement. Normally when building a new home you might want to insulate the foundation before backfilling the space. Condensation and elevated moisture levels cause rot mold and mildew. There are three main types of wall construction used in canadian houses.

Conventional construction adhesive won t work for insulating basement walls. Walls of older homes built before the 1970s and even as late as the 1980s often will not be insulated unless a retrofit project has already solved this problem. A lack of. When insulating interior basement walls for new construction in zone 5 cold climate is it acceptable to apply dow thermax along the inner poured basement wall from the footing to the the top of the wall.

If the exterior wall sheathing is below the dew point temperature condensation will form on the sheathing. Most new construction homes have insulation contained in the wall cavities. Adding extra insulation to the exterior walls of an older home when renovating or remodeling is a great way of improving a home s walls thermal performance and reducing energy use while reducing heating bills carbon footprint and improving a building s comfort level. Solid walls built of brick stone concrete block log or wood plank do not have a cavity that can be insulated.

In new construction consider construction techniques that provide both foundation structure and insulation such as insulating concrete forms and insulating concrete blocks. Cavity fibrous or cellulose insulation can be installed at levels up to r 15 in a 2 inch x 4 inch wall and up to r 21 in a 2 inch x 6 inch wall. Snap chalk lines 4 in. Like walls foundation insulation can be addressed if you decide to use insulating concrete forms and insulated concrete blocks.

Cut top and bottom plates. The only option is to add insulation to the exterior or to the interior. Away from the insulation on the exterior walls. A nicely insulated foundation will minimize insects moisture and radon infiltration problems.

How to insulate house walls from the outside.