on 1/18/2009 10:36 AM (ET) sid wrote the following:
Insulating basement walls:
Last year in this group I ask about insulating basement walls. Learned
a lot about vapor barriers and types of insulation.
Last post: http://groups.google.com/group/alt.h...21aee700?hl=en

One suggestion made in a reply was to not fill the stud bays all the
way to the floor with fiberglass. Stop about 24" from the floor. This
would prevent the fiberglass from filling/soaking up water if I ever
did have water flood the basement.

Has anyone ever done this ? And if not fiberglass, why not fill the
last 18"-24" with Styrofoam or polystyrene. If so, which to use ?

Thanks


That would depend upon where your house is located. There are many types
of flooding. Flooding from a rising water table, floods from rising
rivers or streams, water leaks from broken foundation walls, internal
floods from broken pipes, or water heaters, among others. Where I am
located (on a hilltop) only the last two applied. I have had water leaks
from the water heater, and a foundation crack which leaked during a
heavy and sustained rain, none of which did any more damage than soaking
the carpet in those areas. Neither were visually noticeable, but my feet
and ears discovered the water. I replaced the water heater and sealed
the crack.
My fiberglass insulation extends to the floor plate and only the wall
leak wet the insulation, and that was minimal.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
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