My wife and I purchased a house in Northern Utah that came with a
finished basement. The exterior walls of the basement (the walls
against the sides of the concrete foundation) are not insulated, and
the basement gets really cold in the winter. This is something I'd like
to correct but I really don't want to pull all the drywall off,
insulate, and then re-do the drywall, repaint, etc. Here's the catch:
the exterior basement walls were framed with 2x2s.

I called a local insulating company (the only one that insulates
existing walls), and their sales rep told me that none of the usual
methods for insulating existing walls (blown, foam injection, etc.)
will work with a 2x2 framed wall. When I asked for a suggestion, he
told me to take the walls down and insulate them the usual way.

I have a hard time believing that this is the only solution. Does
anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had a similar experience? Any
guidance would be appreciated.

How much of the basement is below ground level?

wrote in message
ups.com...
My wife and I purchased a house in Northern Utah that came with a
finished basement. The exterior walls of the basement (the walls
against the sides of the concrete foundation) are not insulated, and
the basement gets really cold in the winter. This is something I'd like
to correct but I really don't want to pull all the drywall off,
insulate, and then re-do the drywall, repaint, etc. Here's the catch:
the exterior basement walls were framed with 2x2s.

I called a local insulating company (the only one that insulates
existing walls), and their sales rep told me that none of the usual
methods for insulating existing walls (blown, foam injection, etc.)
will work with a 2x2 framed wall. When I asked for a suggestion, he
told me to take the walls down and insulate them the usual way.

I have a hard time believing that this is the only solution. Does
anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had a similar experience? Any
guidance would be appreciated.

About 5 feet.

wrote in message
ups.com...
My wife and I purchased a house in Northern Utah that came with a
finished basement. The exterior walls of the basement (the walls
against the sides of the concrete foundation) are not insulated, and
the basement gets really cold in the winter. This is something I'd like
to correct but I really don't want to pull all the drywall off,
insulate, and then re-do the drywall, repaint, etc. Here's the catch:
the exterior basement walls were framed with 2x2s.

I called a local insulating company (the only one that insulates
existing walls), and their sales rep told me that none of the usual
methods for insulating existing walls (blown, foam injection, etc.)
will work with a 2x2 framed wall. When I asked for a suggestion, he
told me to take the walls down and insulate them the usual way.

I have a hard time believing that this is the only solution. Does
anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had a similar experience? Any
guidance would be appreciated.

I had a company called Thermal Advantage in Phoenix squirt insulation into
my block home sometime ago. I wanted the garage common wall insulated (2x4's
and drywall) and we did have an argument about it. They finally agreed. They
punched holes top and bottom in each cell. Then pumped in the insulation. I
can not hear the garage door open nor the dryer alarm any more. It
certainly was not inexpensive. It did work.

1.75 inches of foam is not going to get you much of a R value unless your
using the small cell polyurethane products. Check John Mansfield solid
sheets at the home center. Foil backed and I believe you would get R-11 from
2 inches.

wrote in message
oups.com...
About 5 feet.

It would be a lot of digging, but you can dig it out nad then put foam slabs
against the walls, backfill and yo are done. Well, not completely done
because you have to re-plant stuff.

In most areas, when you get below 2 ft., your heat loss starts dropping.
Anything below 5 ft. has very little heat loss. Spray foam is great, but it
might push against the drywall too much. Go with blown-in insulation. Some
types (like cellulose) settle more than others. Go with blown-in fiberglass.
It's light and won't settle much. Holes are drilled and then plastic plugs
are used. If you have a drop ceiling, maybe you can drill the holes above it
to hide them. Remember, insulation is going to help you retain heat, but
you'll still have to add a little heat to the basement. Check this out,
http://www.bobvila.com/ArticleLibrar...InOptions.html

wrote in message
oups.com...
About 5 feet.

My wife and I purchased a house in Northern Utah that came with a
finished basement. The exterior walls of the basement (the walls
against the sides of the concrete foundation) are not insulated, and
the basement gets really cold in the winter. This is something I'd like
to correct but I really don't want to pull all the drywall off,
insulate, and then re-do the drywall, repaint, etc. Here's the catch:
the exterior basement walls were framed with 2x2s.

I called a local insulating company (the only one that insulates
existing walls), and their sales rep told me that none of the usual
methods for insulating existing walls (blown, foam injection, etc.)
will work with a 2x2 framed wall. When I asked for a suggestion, he
told me to take the walls down and insulate them the usual way.

I have a hard time believing that this is the only solution. Does
anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had a similar experience? Any
guidance would be appreciated.

It's a 2" space. Pumping foam into there isn't going to provide much
insulation. Along with being problematic trying to get into the small
cavity with decent distribution throughout the wall. Thus most companies
won't fill them since the job won't go well and, in the end, the walls will
be a wreck of holes added to find all the voids.

You bought a house with a basement that someone else did a half-ass job
insulating. If you want it properly insulated then it's really best to pull
down the crappy work and have it done right.

Depending on the type of spray foam, it can be anywhere from R-4 to R-8.
That’s almost twice the R-value of any other type of insulation. In
addition, it expands to form a continuous insulating barrier to fill tiny
cracks you don’t even see.



"Bill Kearney" wrote in message
...
My wife and I purchased a house in Northern Utah that came with a
finished basement. The exterior walls of the basement (the walls
against the sides of the concrete foundation) are not insulated, and
the basement gets really cold in the winter. This is something I'd like
to correct but I really don't want to pull all the drywall off,
insulate, and then re-do the drywall, repaint, etc. Here's the catch:
the exterior basement walls were framed with 2x2s.

I called a local insulating company (the only one that insulates
existing walls), and their sales rep told me that none of the usual
methods for insulating existing walls (blown, foam injection, etc.)
will work with a 2x2 framed wall. When I asked for a suggestion, he
told me to take the walls down and insulate them the usual way.

I have a hard time believing that this is the only solution. Does
anyone have any suggestions? Has anyone had a similar experience? Any
guidance would be appreciated.

It's a 2" space. Pumping foam into there isn't going to provide much
insulation. Along with being problematic trying to get into the small
cavity with decent distribution throughout the wall. Thus most companies
won't fill them since the job won't go well and, in the end, the walls
will
be a wreck of holes added to find all the voids.

You bought a house with a basement that someone else did a half-ass job
insulating. If you want it properly insulated then it's really best to
pull
down the crappy work and have it done right.

Roger the half-ass job. The lack of insulation was only the tip of the
iceberg!

Anybody have any experience with this stuff?
http://www.fomofoam.com/existing_homes.htm

wrote:
Anybody have any experience with this stuff?
http://www.fomofoam.com/existing_homes.htm

No experience with it. They do state that it won't push your wallboard
off the studs, something that the isocyanate foam manufacturer warned me
about. I'm doubtful that the foam will find its way around existing 2"
insulation in 3 1/3" walls. This was common in 1970 when my house was
built. And after foaming, forget about installing new electrical
outlets, ceiling lights, network cables, or TV cable outlets.

I called the company yesterday, and they said that it would work,
although I might need a tube to direct the foam downward. A BBB check
turned up nothing amiss....

Your best course, as mentioned by Ed, is to insulate the outside, with
appropriate thickness of rigid foam board. The masonry inside makes
the temp very stable, though it may take a few BTU input to get near
body temp.

Failing that, I'd bite the bullet (as I did in part of my basement) and
rip all the crap down inside the exterior walls, reframe to 16" o.c.,
insulate w/fiberglass, and drywall. Gave me the opportunity to redo
outlets too. Insulation you might use within 2x2 framing will be much
more expensive than fiberglass batts. You'll just have to extend window
jambs.

HTH,
J

Don't go by what the BBB says. They are a profit making organization funded
by businesses. They'll help mediate if you have a problem with a member
company.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I called the company yesterday, and they said that it would work,
although I might need a tube to direct the foam downward. A BBB check
turned up nothing amiss....

Yes, I insulated my NW corner bedroom with it. It was satisfied. I had
drywall hanging on cinderblocks via 1" furring strips. So I added about
R-7.

It is a big job to do. Here is a photo:

http://jcman.hostingisfree.com/before_insulation1.jpg

Hard to say if it has made a dramatic difference since our winter's been
mild.




wrote in message
ups.com...
Anybody have any experience with this stuff?
http://www.fomofoam.com/existing_homes.htm

Thank you! Think I'll give it a try.