Most of the basement is lined with Owens Pink Foam-board. If I use this foam-board to insulate the wall of the furnace room, can I leave it exposed ? Do I need to finish the walls ?
Thanks
- posted
15 years ago
Insulating the furnace room
Loading thread data ...
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Building code says it should be covered with gypsum board or equal. The board is made from a fire retarding material, but in the presence of a flame it will burn. Given that it is a furnace room, I'd cover it.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Because foam board is flammable, I understand that in all cases, it must be covered with drywall to make it fire resistant. This certainly would apply in a furnace room, probably more than any other room.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Not classified as flammable. It will only burn if there is another source of ignition (such as a defective furnace) but will not support combustion on its own. Take a small piece outside and set it on fire. Take away the lighter and it will go out in a few seconds. .
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
I keep hearing rumors of a brand with extra-thick foil on the face that meets fire code as is, as long as you tape the joints with foil tape. Not sure of the brand (memory is the second thing to go), nor have I seen it in stores. I have some half-above-grade basement walls where I'd like to hang a foam curtain from the sill plate, but don't care to expend the time and money to rock over it. (Especially since I would have to use the moisture-proof rock.) I have not called the local 'real' suppliers, but none of the local borgs have it in the racks.
Why are you insulating furnace room? For sound? I'd just use faced fiberglass bats, and maybe cover with something cheap and easy, like masonite paneling. If upstairs sound is the problem, insulate ceiling cavities, and maybe hang the ducts from muffler straps.
(I like the sounds a furnace makes. Reassures me the damn thing is working.)
-- aem sends...
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
It maybe code to finish. The fumes are what will kill you if it burns. Something else to consider is your health, foam off gasses as it cures and it looses some R value as it cures out. Its hard to find research on but I think it made me sick in an airtight room. If your house is old loose construction it may not be bad. UFFI foam made alot sick, it was banned, I would paint and seal all edges at least. The effects of chemicals offgassing is known from many building products. Foam is not designed or often used exposed to inside air.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
******************************************************************
Depends on the foam. Styrene board will not outgas like the urethanes do. Styrene foam is the same material used in meat trays and coffee cups, except that they add bromides for fire resistance.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
It makes sense to finish the walls with drywall then paint. You'll have an additional layer of insulation plus the paint will brighten up the room and make it easier to keep clean. Both drywall and paint are inexpensive.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Polyisocyanurate...Dow Thermax
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Make sure you have enough air going into the furnace or you'll end up with carbon monoxide due to incomplete combustion. Basically, don't seal the room too much. If your furnace gets it's air from outside, probably no worry about CO.
Hank
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
What is the pink and blue board. I still hear about carpet, glues, many things from oil can be of concern when new.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
What is the pink and blue board. I still hear about carpet, glues, many things from oil can be of concern when new.
*******************************************The pink, blue, and yellow is extruded polystyrene board.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Funny you mention this: ours decided to take a vacation Friday night, so Saturday morning when I got up at 6:30 and the house was 49F, I called the installing company. Outside temps were single digits F. Cold! Interestingly, apparently there was a sag in the exhaust PVC piping that was backflowing some of the gasses and preventing the pressure switches from engaging to give the motor the fuel needed to heat the house, so the motor was running, but not heating the house. $150 later, we seem to be all set. Whew. Then the snow started coming down, so the timing was perfect.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
True - HOWEVER, when exposed to flame the resulting smoke is TOXIC - and by code it MUST be covered - anywhere, furnace room or not. I'd cover it with sheet-rock - 1/2 inch or better in the furnace room.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
For sound insulation rock wool is MUCH better than glass - and it is fire-proof (made from smelter slag)
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Poly as in polyurethane, so it outgasses.
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Use unfaced fiberglass batting or rigid fiberglass board. Anything else will not have a good fire rating.
Drywall with 5/8 drywall for fire code. Unfaced fiberglass or fiberglass board you can leave unfinished, but not the faced batting (even if its aluminized).
- Vote on answer
- posted
15 years ago
Poly as in polyurethane, so it outgasses.
***************************************************No, poly as in polystyrene so it does not outgas. I've been in this industry for 39 years. To my knowledge, while Dow does make polyurethanes, they are not for insulation. Styrene board does not outgas like the urethanes do.
- Vote on answer
- posted
4 years ago
replying to EXT, James Morgan wrote: The board is Dow Thermax it comes with 2 sides of foil or you can get one side with a white embossed foil. It is not cheap a 1 1/2 with the white finish was $52 & change. Depending on your location you might be able to get factory second's