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Author Topic: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER  (Read 3151 times)

duramax

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INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« on: December 29, 2017, 04:21:55 PM »

I have a walk out basement with a knee wall along the front . I can feel the cold air coming in. The  construction is 2-4 framing with T 111 exterior, the inside has  r 13 kraft faced insulation with 2" of foam insulation board with the rest of the basement with 1" foam board on the walls. Air is still coming in and cooling the basement down. I have an outdoor wood boiler and the water comes in the house around 180* and cools down to 172 at the heat exchanger. The water then goes into the indoor boiler system at 162 and comes back at 150*.  The pex pipe runs the length of the basement, 30 feet.  The heat off the pex lines used to make the basement the warmest place in the house. The rest of the house is  well insulated with newer windows. Now in 15* days and 2* nights the heat can't get above 60*  and that's with the circulator  pump running 24/7.

I want to spray foam insulation in all the knee walls but it is too cold for that. Any other thoughts for now? I hate to tear down the insulation board that's there now but I may have no choice.  Any thoughts on getting a kit to spray it on my own or is it just as well to hire it out. I used to work with 2 part spray insulation, I know the part a stuff is a mess and that it needs to have the tanks at or above 70* to spray well.
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coolidge

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #1 on: December 30, 2017, 05:41:07 AM »

Take the filterglass out, rip the insulation board to fit in between the studs and use canned foam to seal the edges.

Or use canned foam to just seal around the edges of the insulation board now until it warms up.
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E Yoder

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #2 on: December 30, 2017, 09:24:07 AM »

You say you can feel cold air so I'm assuming this is an air leakage issue. Like Coolidge said squirting foam into any draft can really help. Especially look for where the foundation meets the framing. I've seen guys leave big gaps.
Do you mean the whole house can't get above 60℉ or just the basement? More details on your heating system would help.
« Last Edit: December 30, 2017, 09:30:22 AM by E Yoder »
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wreckit87

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #3 on: December 30, 2017, 10:40:47 AM »

I had my basement sprayed when it was 45* in the house. As long as there is no frost on the walls you'd be just fine to spray it tomorrow if you wanted. Closed cell foam makes it's own heat (and lots of it) when curing. I did a big radiant job for a neighbor guy a month ago or so in a new pole shed, actually just stopped by 20 minutes ago to see if he had it insulated yet so I could finish the job. They sprayed his bare steel on Thursday when it was -4 outside. Heated the building up to 40 degrees with 3 Nipco heaters and sprayed away. 7200 sq ft of wall sprayed to well below frozen steel with 40 degree air, and didn't have a single issue with it not sticking. If I were in your shoes, I'd be making the call to a foam contractor on Monday morning
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duramax

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #4 on: December 30, 2017, 12:32:10 PM »

My heating system is a Central boiler E 1450 . I have the water temp around 185 with a 10* drop to 175*. I used therrmopex buried around 18" to go to the house. I ran 1" pex in the house to a heat exchanger just before the indoor gas boiler. I had to separate the two systems, if the outdoor boiler went out the thermostat would cut off the water from the OWB and air lock the house because the OWB is an open system not  close loop like the house. Last week I insulated where a spigot went out the basement with spray foam and most of the air is blocked but still some gets in there so I wrapped it with old insulation. I have a can leftover from that I might as well try I guess. It couldn't make it colder thats for sure. Not sure of the basement temp right now but the upstairs never gets over 60* in the cold weather we have. In warmer 40 * weather the basement acted like radiant heat and warmed the floor.
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E Yoder

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #5 on: December 30, 2017, 12:57:56 PM »

I make up quite a few blowers to heat basements. Anything from a 150 cfm1TDP7 pulling through an 8X8 coil up to a 470 cfm 1TDR9 with a 12X12. Beyond that it's air handler territory.
You'd be surprised what something like that will do and not that expensive.
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E Yoder

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #6 on: December 30, 2017, 01:05:48 PM »

What kind of emitters upstairs? Baseboard?
What temp is the gas boiler?
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wreckit87

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #7 on: December 30, 2017, 01:32:02 PM »

More than once I've installed a regular old garage style unit heater in a basement space, if it's open it acts just like a garage and will heat the upper level like a champ. Heck of a lot more cost effective than redoing a bunch of ductwork or adding a pile of baseboard IMO
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coolidge

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #8 on: December 30, 2017, 03:55:27 PM »

What kind of insulation in your box sill area?
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duramax

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #9 on: December 31, 2017, 03:12:17 PM »

What kind of emitters upstairs? Baseboard?
What temp is the gas boiler?

Yep it is  base board hot water. The water going into the house boiler system comes in around 170*. I do plan to add a simple air system, no need for duct or more baseboard  like yo are saying My sills are all r13 batting.

I think when they put in the baseboard they did not size it correctly , we ran a wood stove upstairs so it was never an issue.
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coolidge

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #10 on: January 01, 2018, 05:35:55 AM »

If you have enough snow try banking the snow around house.
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duramax

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Re: INSULATING A BASEMENT KNEE WALL IN WINTER
« Reply #11 on: January 01, 2018, 09:01:03 AM »

If you have enough snow try banking the snow around house.

Not a bad idea. I also have a kerosene blast heater that was given to me. I have never used it yet, Helped a friend pack up to move down south and he had no room or use for the heater. My only worry is carbon monoxide. I used a propane bullet heater to get some heat as I wired the house years ago in winter. I had a day I was pulling wire in a small bedroom and I realized I was really tired all the sudden, ran out side and never used that heater again.
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