“Is it worth insulating my basement?” This is one of the most common questions we get from customers in Sacramento, CA who plan on doing basement renovations, remodels or finishes. Even if you’re not planning on finishing your basement and use it primarily for storage, there are still some potential benefits to insulating the basement, including significantly improved energy efficiency.
Here’s a quick overview of what you should consider when deciding whether you will insulate your basement.
Making the decision
The question to ask isn’t really whether insulating your basement is necessary, but more how it can benefit you, and which particular sections of your basement would benefit most from insulation. Here are some factors you should consider when making this decision:
- Status of current insulation: Do you have any insulation in your Sacramento, CA basement already? If not, then you’re essentially starting from scratch, which means the following considerations aren’t going to be important to you. If you do currently have insulation, you’re going to want to consider how well it functions.
- Current R-value: What is the R-value of the insulation you have in place? The thicker the insulation is, the higher its likely R-value. Higher R-values indicate a greater ability to resist heat transference, which means greater energy efficiency.
- Moisture: Do you have any problems with moisture in your basement? If it floods or has any water leaks, you need to address those problems before you move on to installing insulation. This is because insulation that gets damaged by water can result in mold growth, which could in turn lead to some significant damage to your walls.
Almost every basement will have some degree of heat loss, which means an uninsulated basement will cost much more to heat. In fact, you might be losing heat from other areas of your home through an uninsulated basement. This means a lot of wasted energy that’s been spent in trying to keep your home warm.
If you’ve decided you’re going to insulate your basement, the next step is to determine where you will install that insulation.
Insulating the walls is a good idea for people who live in Climate Zone 3, which is where Sacramento is located. Just make sure you use the right kind of insulation for your walls. If you have stone or concrete walls, you’re going to want to use closed-cell spray polyurethane foam. You should also keep in mind that adding interior insulation will reduce the amount of usable space in your basement by several inches.
Basement floors can also be insulated in some cases. If you have a concrete floor, make sure to clean it and seal it with epoxy, and install a sub-floor before putting on the insulation.
You can also insulate the basement ceiling, though it’s generally best to focus on walls first, especially if you plan on using the space as a living area. Insulating the ceiling, though, can help prevent some heat loss and lower your energy costs.
For more information about insulating a basement in Sacramento, CA, contact an experienced insulation contractor at 5 Star Performance Insulation, Inc. today.