For the past 11 years we have been renovating our fixer-upper home on and off, right now we are 1 week into gutting and rebuilding the 1300 square foot basement. The good news is that we’re alive, still married and not too harried after the demolition. Anyone who has done a reno knows that it’s a trying situation, life as you know it changes in every way and the biggest pointer is to remain calm and avoid looking at the dust which seeps into every area of your home….enough of that though, I can’t even talk about it because I’m busy ignoring the stack of boxes which are tipping precariously beside me.
Who Knew Choosing the Right Insulation Could Save Us Money
During the planning stages of our renovation we committed to living in an obstacle course of boxes, furniture and keepsakes as the basement unfolded so I’ll suck it up and remember to release that RESENTMENT at yoga. We also planned out most of the materials which would be used in the build, some of which we will see the beauty of in the finished product and some which have hidden value.
I had grand ideas of high-end products being used for decor but with a strict budget, we had to pick and choose where our pennies would go and to be completely honest I had no idea the importance of insulation quality until we were researching. For years I’ve pictured having a master suite on our main floor but with my parents moving in with us, that hit the cutting floor fast. With this reno we are building one in the basement which meant that my priorities changed.
THE most important factor for me was the warmth. I have the pleasure of always feeling cold, it’s part of my under active thyroid symptoms and when I get a bit of a chill it stays with me until I have a hot bath. We looked around at insulation products and chatted with our friend who is a contractor to gather his experience. We ended up choosing to go with Roxul products which are stone wool insulation made from natural stone and recycled slag.
Our walls were exposed back to the concrete which allowed us to maximize the warmth and protection in our new space by using Roxul ComfortBoard.
Roxul ComfortBoard IS product is a rigid mineral wool insulation sheathing board that is non-combustible, water repellent, fire resistant and sound absorbent. COMFORTBOARD™IS is an exterior non-structural insulation sheathing that provides a continuous layer of insulation around the residential building envelope.
For our application, this product went directly against the concrete walls before we framed in the room. Because we live in a raised bungalow half of our basement is above grade and is not concrete. We cleaned up the existing framing and insulation above the foundation and installed the ComfortBoard onto it to lengthen the seal from the floor to the ceiling.
To install, we made a level line on the wall which was a chore because neither the walls or the floors are level. Then we lined up the ComfortBoard and secured using concrete nails with a washer on each to ensure the nail didn’t go through the insulation.
One of the most important things to remember when installing is that there should be no gaps between the boards in order to ensure maximum benefit. Once it was all secured, we set about framing in the walls.
In the photo above you can see we have a window framed out larger than the existing, that’s because we are making that puppy BIGGER!! Ok yes I’m excited! So right now we’ve got the exterior walls covered in Roxul ComfortBoard and framed, this is moving along friends.
We chose this product knowing that we will end up saving money on our heating costs, it won’t absorb moisture or grow mildew or mould because it’s an inorganic product. By installing Roxul ComfortBoard directly onto the exterior wall, we are sealing the room against the cold outside.
As soon as the intallation was complete, we could feel a temperature change in the room. I can’t wait until we install the Roxul Safe ‘n Sound in the ceilings and the Roxul ComfortBatt to see the true effects of our insulation choices. As these installations happen, I’ll be updating you here and the largest take away I hope to provide is insight into this product which will help you save money in the long run.
I am updating this to include a video of where we are at as of this morning!! Come see our reno…
I too have Thyroid problems and am always cold! It could be 45° F & I will still have a chill! I was really excited reading your post. We need to do major renos in our house and the basement is a huge part of them. I immediately told the wife about this insulation as I think it will be great downstairs and will definitely help with the noise reduction.
I can seriously feel a difference with just a sub floor and the Roxul Jason, check it our for sure!
I can relate to this post!
The chilly hands from hypothyroidism and the basement! We have the drywall up and mudded. I need to start the primer but there is so much junk in the basement that to go down there makes my brain shut off and my motivation takes a dive.
I just want to speed forward to the part where I can pick the paint color and see the end in sight.
I cant decide if we want carpet or floor.
Great post. You gave very fine points in your post. Thanks for sharing.
I definitely had no idea that insulation could save you so much money. However, that really does make a lot of sense. Getting good insulation could even help you save money on your energy and electricity bills. The better insulation you have the better the heating and cooling your home has. It is amazing how many benefits there are to good insulation.
We are installing our own insulation as well and it is seriously a headache. We want to make sure that there are no cracks or gaps like you said in the article. We always end of find one or two want we shift to cover it up. http://www.northwestsprayfoam.ca/en/
I need to insulate my attic. Which form is better, the pink fiberglass pads, or the spray stuff? It would be nice to be able to set it and basically forget it.
Insulation is a really great investment. Lesser cost on your energy bills because your heater/air conditioner will work less to keep the room at a desired temperature. I recommend having a programmable thermostat while I’m at it. When I was working on my basement, we also worked on our insulation because we want it to be an entertainment room. So it would really be ideal to have it warm and cozy in the winter and cool and fresh in during the summer.