Many Homeowners Underestimate Basement Insulation.

January 26, 2016

It used to be that basements were just "leftover" spaces. Of course, there was room allocated for the water heater and the furnace equipment, and there was plenty of space for extra storage. Today, basement space is considered too valuable to remain "leftover" and a finished basement can add substantial living space to any home. In fact, a fully finished basement could often double the living space in a home. But the space has to be comfortable from season to season - and here, the bigger question is how best to make it so. Most insulation professionals will encourage homeowners to insulate their basements to the same degree as the rest of the house. This is good advice since the basement requires the same insulating approach as the roof, attic, or garage. Simply put, the basement should be properly sealed, properly ventilated, and properly insulated. All together, heating and cooling costs will be diminished; heating and cooling cycles will be better balanced; and the basement will become a comfortable living space season to season. For many years now, Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) has been gaining in popularity as a home insulation product. For the professionals, SPF has quickly become their "product-of-choice" - an ideal application for spaces like the attic, the garage, and the basement. When it comes to insulating, basements have unique requirements, and SPF is a product application that effectively addresses those requirements. Indeed, no other insulating product can do more with one installation than Spray Polyurethane Foam. SPF can do it all with one application. When professionally installed, the blanket of insulation works on several fronts: it makes for a totally airtight space; it provides exceptional R-Value; it stops moisture from collecting; and it restricts air movement. The basement will be better sealed than with any other insulation product on the market. The finished space will effectively prevent heat loss (and cool loss), and will contribute to enhanced energy efficiency with significantly reduced heating and cooling costs every season. Insulating the basement effectively is primarily about making the basement space airtight. With Spray Polyurethane Foam, that challenge can be achieved with one application. Everything is completely sealed - every hole, crack and crevice. And that includes all of the hard-to-access spots that are particularly unique to basement layouts. There's really no other insulation application than can seal like SPF, and hence, its become a favorite of processionals. The benefits of SPF go far beyond its insulating capacity. The finished "blanket" of insulation also serves as an air barrier and vapor barrier, and eliminates the need to have these installed separately. This is an application that will last a lifetime, without any need for additional maintenance, and without any need for replacement or replenishment over the long term. However, SPF is considered a premium application, and might be costly for some budgets. Regardless, the cost-benefit makes the investment worthwhile. Over the long term, Spray Polyurethane Foam delivers better product performance than anything comparable. With the basement well insulated, heating and cooling equipment operates more efficiently and energy usage is much better regulated. It all adds up to annual utility savings that can easily offset the original project investment.