Hi, I want to insulate the ceilimg in the basement of my house. The ceilings are about 7' high or a little lower. It consist of exposed rafters 10" high 2" thick and spaced 12" apart above that is wood subflooring the finished flooring. This summer I'll be installing some wiring below the floor so whatever I install now I'll have to remove some of it for the wiring installation this summer.
Thanks,
Mike
I neglected to state I live in the mid atlantic region, Baltimore, and there is no furnace in the basement only a gas fired water heater for a heat source. Earlier today the temp was 48 degrees in the basement. It's got electric baseboard heat but I only use it when the outside temp is below 20 degreee F for extended periods.
Typically, if you will be heating all the spaces in your house there is no reason to insulate between heated spaces.
Unless, of course, you want to have a different heating/cooling zone for each or if it is for sound proofing.
But if your joist are really 12 inches apart (that is a bit unusual they are normally 16 inches apart) I suppose buying an R30 unfaced fiberglass insulation for ceiling joist that are set 24 inches apart and cut it in half long ways.
You should have little waste that way.
If you feel you don't need that much insulation you can save a ton of money going with R19 or R13.
Insulate the walls, not the ceiling. The heat going up will stay in the house until it reaches the second floor and some small loss to the walls. The heat going out the walls is lost and expensive.
I agree with Ed. Any heat lost is going towards heating your home. However you can be loosing heat out the walls.
The walls are pretty much insulated, I guess, they are cinder block about one half of the basement is above ground. I'm working on extra insulation for the windows. The problem is the basement is unheated w/a gas water heater generating some heat. So cold air - 48 degrees F today - is seeping into the living space on the first floor. (the house has electric baseboard heat, including the basement but I'm trying to conserve by insulating and looking at other heat sources) Today the basement is 48 degrees F. Outside temp going to 14 degrees F this evening.
Upstairs I'm covering the 20 y/o cheap replacement windows in plastic. I installed a high quality "door sweeP on the inside of the door which is a huge improvement.
'
I hear you but the baSEMent is unheated.
I might suggest cutting 2" sheet styrofoam to fit against the floor between the rafters. It will not interfere with subsequent wiring and will make the floor a lot warmer. The gaps in the styrofoam are insulated with wood 2x10s.
Check to see if code allows it.
Better to use a fire resistant material, like rock wool.
Joe Fischer
The cinder block foundation above gound is not insulated. By insulating this, you better hold in the earth's natural heat of mid to upper 50's degrees F (depending on location).
By insulating like I said above, the goal is to raise the basement temperature above its current 48 F to closer to the upper 50's.
Wayne
I'll go to home depot and check out insulation for cinder block walls.
Will do.
Good idea. I wouldn't know how to deal w/ all of the fiberglass particles floating around the basement from cutting up fiberglass insulation.
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