Energy Efficient Basement Finishing Products

The home improvement industry rates the effectiveness of insulation by something called the R-Insulation Rating. The higher the R-rating of the material, the better insulated the area is. Each R-rating is 50% closer to 100% than the previous one. If a building material is spread across a wall in an unbroken sheet and has an R rating of 1, then it will be able to reflect back 50% of the heat that reaches it. A building material with an R-rating of 2 will be 50% more effective, sending back 75% of all hear. R-3 reflects 87.5%, R-4 reflects 93.75%, and so on.

Brand new single paned steel basement windows for example, are installed with an R-insulation rating of 1. This means that 50% of the heat that strikes these windows is reflected back into the basement. As the steel basement windows corrode, rust, and become drafty, they will rapidly lose their insular properties. Double-paned vinyl basement windows do much better, with and R-rating of 2 (reflecting 75% of heat). Adding Low-E glass to the basement windows like EverLast basement windows will raise the R-rating to nearly 3. Insulating basement windows is extremely important, as these portals offer the weakest insulation points of the entire home.

In many areas of Canada and North America, the code requirement for insulating basement walls has been set at R-13, with the International Energy Conservation Code recommending heavy basement insulation as a way to save money and add to comfort in a basement. A basement wall with R-10 insulation installed in Minneapolis, Minnesota will save $400 each year on energy bills!

Basement floors are also a concern in homes. Cold concrete floors are uncomfortable surfaces that will cool the entire home. Installing a completely inorganic plastic vapor barrier on the basement floor that sits on raised pegs will add a layer of insulation to the floor that can keep the ground as much as ten degrees warmer than the concrete below.

Keeping your basement well-insulated is a great way to add comfort and energy efficiency to your new living space. Unpainted drywall has a R-rating of .5: is that really what you want in your home? Before you add cold walls in your basement that can grow mold, rot, and mildew, check out Total Basement Finishing’s Finished Basement Wall Panels. With a 50-year warranty against mold and moisture even if the basement floods, they’re the best product on the market! They hold 300 pounds per square foot, clean easily, and will not crumble like other products. Check out these beautiful panels today!