[Radman]

My house has a walkout basement with the garage extended out from the basement on one side. It is made with poured concrete walls. There is a frame and stud wall with insulation between the garage and basement. With that arrangement the basement has three concrete walls, and the garage has two concrete walls. This fall I added studs, insulation, and drywall on the basement walls that were above ground. This morning, I got the first real test of what the insulation does.
Last winter when the outside temperature was 16, I made the following temperature measurements with a point and shoot thermometer. Thermostat upstairs set at 70. East basement wall (concrete below grade) 56. Bathroom in basement 60. Utility room wall 55. Family room in basement 55. Northwest corner of basement (concrete above grade 37. Wall facing the patio by the walkout door (concrete above grade) 47. Those measurements were made with three electric space heaters working in the basement. Garage 48.
Now today’s stats. Outside temperature 10. Thermostat upstairs set at 68. East wall (still concrete below grade) 62. Bathroom in basement 66. Utility room wall 64. Family room in basement 66. Northwest corner of basement 61. Wall facing the patio by the walkout door 64. None of the space heaters in the basement are plugged in. Garage 59.
Wow, what a difference!

[sdbob]

Insulation on exterior of masonry foundations also can make a difference.

[TAKerry]

Its code now in our area that basement walls get insulated. Use to be only the band boards needed insulation. Then they added the floor, now its the whole thing. Makes pretty good sense.

[T/A addict]

Thanks for the info... just as I have thought. I need to frame/insulate and drywall my basement so bad. It's almost unusable over the winter.

[stags]

40 yrs and counting in the insulation business and yes it does work if done properly. If you don't want to frame and drywall look into white vinyl or foil faced rolls. Come in 3" or 6" thick x 50' long x 4' or 5' wide. Washer nail to the walls with powder shot or gas nailer, tape seams - done. The white vinyl can really brighten up a dark basement too. That's how the majority of new home basements are being done now if not finished. Also can frame over it and finish later if want. Just google "basement insulation blankets" if interested.

… and yes, closed cell foam is a great product but blankets are less than 1/2 the cost and you can do it yourself.

[TAKerry]

Originally Posted by stags

40 yrs and counting in the insulation business and yes it does work if done properly. If you don't want to frame and drywall look into white vinyl or foil faced rolls. Come in 3" or 6" thick x 50' long x 4' or 5' wide. Washer nail to the walls with powder shot or gas nailer, tape seams - done. The white vinyl can really brighten up a dark basement too. That's how the majority of new home basements are being done now if not finished. Also can frame over it and finish later if want. Just google "basement insulation blankets" if interested.

Exactly the way they do around my area.

[bird72]

I have a crawl space under small shop attached to garage. Had an insulation estimator come out recently. He proposed spraying walls. He said makes a huge difference. It presently has insulation tacked up to under floor, but that doesn't hack it. After he left, I did some reading and evidently venting crawl spaces is not done anymore, as not needed and heat loss in winter. So I guess will fill in venting... for what it is worth, my two bits.....

[66sprint6]

That's how we live up here! Insulation is everything. I also confirm that the styrene insulation at the foundation, extending a couple of feet out, along with under the floor slab makes a world of difference for indoor comfort. Obviously, it can't be done after the place is built, but if you are building new, then make sure that the builder includes it.

[stags]

Originally Posted by bird72

I have a crawl space under small shop attached to garage. Had an insulation estimator come out recently. He proposed spraying walls. He said makes a huge difference. It presently has insulation tacked up to under floor, but that doesn't hack it. After he left, I did some reading and evidently venting crawl spaces is not done anymore, as not needed and heat loss in winter. So I guess will fill in venting... for what it is worth, my two bits.....

I would agree with that - great application for foam if budget allows. Foam in a basement, or any occupied area has to then be topped with flame-resistant coating so it can get pricey - $3.00 - 3.50 sqft for 2" with FR around here. Crawls are usually excluded and even 1 1/2" can make a difference. The main reason for inefficiency with fiberglass is wind/air infiltration. That's why open fg batts in a floor are less efficient than in a wall (enclosed). If you were to stuff those floor cavities full and then secure with say tyvek below to air-seal them, the fiberglass would perform as it should. But at that point foam starts to be the easier and probably cheaper route.