The key to proper insulation

Our customers regularly ask us why insulation is so important in a basement. This blog provides the answers.

Avoid heat loss, save heating costs

With the right insulation, heat loss can be all-but prevented and full use of a basement space can be enjoyed. By taking effective insulation measures, a comfortable indoor environment can be created and sustained. Condensation, and the subsequent formation of mould is prevented which eliminates the ‘musty’ smell commonly associated with basements.

With an increasing need for environmental sensitivity, implementing effective energy saving measures such as high quality insulation immediately prevents unnecessary energy waste and helps reduce heating costs.

Choosing the right insulation for your needs

What you plan to use your basement for will determine the type of insulation you need. For example, if you’re planning on building a basement for residential purposes, the entire construction must be “warmly wrapped”. That is to say, it must be robustly insulated throughout to ensure minimal energy is lost via the floor or basement walls.

In the case of basements that are used purely for utility purposes and are not heated, the transition, usually the staircase, must be insulated properly. This is the only way to avoid long-term damage and unfavourable heat losses. Non-insulated basements without heating will invariably suffer from condensation problems and subsequent moisture damage. Because of this, ensuring a basement has a highly insulated shell is generally recommended for long term comfort. Special solutions are available for (cold) garages integrated into a basement. For these, it is important to take advice from a specialist company during the basement planning stage in order to ensure a smooth construction process.

Post-construction external insulation should be avoided

Although it is possible to insulate a basement from the outside post-construction if requirements, the associated effort and resulting additional costs can be significant and are best avoided. When building new houses, it’s advisable to discuss all planned and possible usage scenarios for the basement with professional specialist planners at an early stage.

Insulation material – what needs to be considered?

The choice of insulation material and adhesive is also important for the professional insulation of a basement. As a rule, insulation material and glue, when installed, must withstand earth pressure and permanent moisture in the ground without losing insulating properties. For this purpose, special perimeter insulation boards made of expanded or extruded polystyrene foam (so-called EPS and XPS) and the corresponding adhesives are recommended.

Even when the installation of insulation boards is carried out by homeowners, we strongly advise getting competent advice from a specialist company about building materials and installation. Basement installations require skilled experienced basement builders and therefore hiring professionals from the outset can often be far more economical in the long term.

Finding the right insulation for your project

Taking into account all relevant factors such as statics, thermal insulation and customer requirements; Glatthaar Keller can calculate the optimal insulation for any new building. From single-family homes with standard energy requirements to high efficiency passive houses, Glatthaar Keller’s Practical and Baby basements built using the AquaSafe® basement system will exceed any and all energy requirements.

Good insulation makes good sense

In short, high-quality insulation is essential for a high-quality basement and should not be disregarded when planning a new home. It is the best possible way to avoid unnecessary energy loss and reduce costs.