How To Prepare A Basement For Insulation | Do It Yourself

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Preparing A Basement For Insulation

Lamont V. of Arlington, VA wrote:

Hey Itchy,

I plan on insulating my basement before winter. I plan on using foam board installed in furring strips. Are there any special procedures I need to do before insulating the basement?

The first thing you should do is make sure there is no moisture issues in the basement. As you know basements are wet in nature and this could create a real problem with your insulation.

Inspect your basement walls and fill cracks with caulking. Once that has dried apply a good waterproofing sealant to the walls and allow to completely dry.

When insulating I would definitely recommend using closed cell rigid foam panels. These repel moisture better and you can also purchase them with a fire retarding cover. They are easy to work with and come in 4' X 8' sheets.

Related Tips and Advice:

How To Remove Moisture From A Basement
How To Insulate Basement Walls
How To Frame And Insulate Basement Walls
How To Insulate A Concrete Wall

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