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Clinton News-Record, 1984-10-24, Page 38Conserve Energy—Page 5 Insulate basement The basement is one of the areas of highest heat loss in a house. It is also one of the most neglected. Lack of basement in- sulation can be the root cause of cold ground floor surfaces, yet this is often overlooked. There are two ways to insulate a base- ment — on the inside or on the outside. In most cases, insulating from the outside br- ings better results, but interior applications are often more practical and economical. Basement walls can be insulated from the interior with either batt -type or rigid plastic (polystyrene) insulation. When batt -type material is used some form of wood framing is required for support. Rigid plastic (polystyrene) insulation can be installed directly on the foundation with glue or special masonry fasteners. Furring strips attached mechanically to the foundation should also be used in conjunction with the insulation to hold the air -vapour barrier in place. The air -vapour barrier is optional with rigid plastic (polystyrene) insulation. But panelling over the insulation becomes essential as a measure against fire. Polystyrene burns rapidly if ignited and releases deadly gases. Basements with moisture problems should not be insulated from the interior. Excavate around the perimeter of the foun- dation to improve drainage. If the excava- tion is extensive it will .be more convenient and cost effective to insulate the basement .from outside. High-density polystyrene or specialized semi-rigid mineral fibre insulation are recommended for exterior foundation walls. Ideally, insulation should extend down the foundation wall footings. If this is not feasi- ble, a minimum depth of 60 cm (2 feet) below ground level is acceptable. In either case, the insulation is held by concrete fasteners; the above -ground portion is covered with a protective finish. Some ad- vantages of exterior foundation insulation include keeping the wall at a constant, relatively ; warm temperature, which reduces the danger of frostheaving and freezing. And the mass of the wall provides a degree of heat storage in the basement. Exterior application also improves basements that already have interior finishing. -- --- ori nirmi Choosing the right insulation for your home energy conservation project can be difficult. In the' past, when . there were relatively few types of insulation on the market, people often purchased insulation by thickness. The assumption was that the thicker it was, the better it would work. Today there are more insulation products available and each one performs different- ly. Using the thickness rule can ereate pro- blems because one type of • insulation . material may not provide the same effec- tiveness as the same. thickness of another type. To make comparisons between different products possible, all insulation must carry a thermal resistance rating. This is the number prefixed by the letters RSI or R. Some insulation materials are marked with both. The RSI value of an insulation product is the precise metric measurement of its resistance to heat flow. R is the imperial measurement equivalent. Be careful not to Weather stripping and caulking guide If you hire a contractor for draftproofing services or do it yourself, you need to know something about the materials available to do the job right. Weatherstripping is applied to any joint where the two surfaces meet but must be. free to move: Windows and doors are the most obvious examples: Caulking is applied where movement is not required. In both cases, the rule of thumb is that you get what you pay for. What separates the cheapest products from the best is durabili- ty. To be truly durable a draftproofing pro- duct must stand up through years of ex-. posure to wide variations in temperature, constant expansion and contraction and ex- tremes of humidity and dryness. A good product will do the job better when in place, but the advantage doesn't end there. Think of the time and money invest- ed in the installation process. Not having to repeat this job every year, because of pro- duct failure, is the biggest bonus of all. Although home draftproofing products are often marketed by brand name, product information should appear on packaging material. Take the time to compare pro- ducts in the store, and ask for advice and assistance from store personnel or building and insulation contractors who use these products regularly. Caulking Oil or Resin Base — will bond to most sur- faces and can be painted. It is not durable, and it shrinks and hardens. It is found in most stores and is quite inexpensive. Latex Base — will bond to most surfaces, is reasonably durable, can be painted, shrinks somewhat. ,Usually moderately expensive. Not the best. Butyl Rubber — will bond to most surfaces, is of indium cost, reasonably durable, can be painted, but it shrinks. This is often the choice for use on masonry (or joining two different materials) but not on moving joints. • Polyvinyl Acetate — will bond to. most sur- faces, is of medium cost, reasonably durable, but it shrinks and hardens. This sealant is surpassed by other compounds. Nitrile Rubber bonds well to metal and masonry but not to painted materials. It is durable, can be painted,but it shrinks. Its primary use is in high moisture areas. Neoprene Rubber — will bond to most sur- faces, is, expensive, durable, can be painted, shrinks moderately. This is.especially good for use on concrete walls and foundations. Silicone Seal — will bond to most surfaces except concrete. It is very expensive, very durable, not all types can be painted, and•all undergo a little shrinkage but remain very flexible. Polysulfide = needs primer to bond to sur- faces, is expensive, very durable, does not shrink. It is difficult to work with and is tox- ic until cured. Polyurethane — will bond to most surfaces, is expensive, very durable, can be painted, shrinks only slightly. Not readily available. Hypalon = requires priming for porous materials, is expensive, very durable, can be painted, shrinks only slightly. Not readily available. Acoustical Sealant — is a special sealant (applied in a similar manner to caulkirig compounds) that remains flexible and sticky at all times. It can be used to prevent any possibility of air leakage at the laps in a polyethylene vapour barrier. It is unsuitable for use in areas where it will remain expos- ed. Caulking compound also comes in rope form, which can be unwound and forced into cracks. If there are particularly large cracks (greater than 6 mm ('/a in)) use a special filler such as oakum. Single -component' polymeric foam in- sulating sealant, a relatively new product • sold in aerosol cans, is excellent for sealing large,, rough openings and is very durable. When caulking around heat -emitting devices such as recessed light fixtures, prefabricated and masonry chimneys or combustion vents, use a heat -resistant caulking compound such as stove cement or muffler cement. confuse them. The higher the RSI (R) rating, the greater the insulating value of the material per unit of thickness. It is useful to know how the RSI (R) system functions in order to better understand its importance. The two most common types of insulatiop used in attics are glass fibre batts and loose cellulose fibre. Both types of insulation .work well if properly installed, but they have different RSI (R) values. If installed to the same thickness, . cellulose fibre will provide a slightly higher insulation value. Cellulose insulation 200 min thick will provide. an RSI of 5 (R 28), glass fibre batts of the same thickness will provide RSI 4.4 (R 25). Ver- miculite, another material suitable for use in attics, provides less insulation value: RSI 3.2 (.R 18) for 200 mm thickness. When comparing the RSI (R) values of different insulation materials remember that a , higher RSI (R) rating does not necessarily make a particular product a better buy. Other factors to consider are where the material will be installed, the quality of installation and price. • Heats In Winter...Cools In Summer...Helps SaveEnergy AllYear!, 111111111.11111 The Trane Elite Plus heat pump system... our most energy- efficient ever. The Trane Elite Plus ...for superefficient year around comfort control. Now you can heat...and cool...' while controlling run- away energy costs. 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