Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Finishin basement - is insulation needed in ceiling?
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FairwayFatty
12-16-07, 03:59 PM
Hello all...
In process of having basement finished and the walls are all insulated but the basement ceiling is not. Should I put insulation in between the joists before the sheet rock goes up? Is it required by code? (I'm in Va.) Does the insulation add any sound proofing?
thanks for any advice.
FF
In process of having basement finished and the walls are all insulated but the basement ceiling is not. Should I put insulation in between the joists before the sheet rock goes up? Is it required by code? (I'm in Va.) Does the insulation add any sound proofing?
thanks for any advice.
FF
mitch17
12-16-07, 04:17 PM
Skip it. Might add a little sound deadening, but not worth the hassle.
tlogan
12-17-07, 07:26 AM
I'm in No VA too. Actually, the consistent advice I get on another forum in the threads dedicated to building home theaters is that adding insulation to the cieling is one of the cheapest, fastest and most cost-effective way of reducing noise through to the upper levels.
Use regular old fiberglass rolls and fill the joist space without packing it in.
Sound isloation is not as simple or as obvious as it appears. Notice I didn't say "sound proofing" because although it possible to sound PROOF a basement, it is extremely expensive and difficult for the DIYer. A high level of sound ISOLATION is not only possible, but can be acomplished for a reasonable cost and can be done by a DIYer.
Insulating the ceiling is one of these things that can be done easily. The other, if budget, hieght and time allow, is to add a second layer of drywall.
Good luck,
Tom
Use regular old fiberglass rolls and fill the joist space without packing it in.
Sound isloation is not as simple or as obvious as it appears. Notice I didn't say "sound proofing" because although it possible to sound PROOF a basement, it is extremely expensive and difficult for the DIYer. A high level of sound ISOLATION is not only possible, but can be acomplished for a reasonable cost and can be done by a DIYer.
Insulating the ceiling is one of these things that can be done easily. The other, if budget, hieght and time allow, is to add a second layer of drywall.
Good luck,
Tom
FairwayFatty
12-23-07, 06:07 PM
Our contract is for finished main level (1600 SqFt) and 1100 SqFt in basement finished.
The contract states "Insulation: R38 in ceilings, R13 in Walls and R19 between Basement and first floor"....... thats word for word.
I had discussion with builder and he put it in as it is stated in contract......now he wants to charge me $800.00 for it.
I'm not paying for it. FF
The contract states "Insulation: R38 in ceilings, R13 in Walls and R19 between Basement and first floor"....... thats word for word.
I had discussion with builder and he put it in as it is stated in contract......now he wants to charge me $800.00 for it.
I'm not paying for it. FF
Concretemasonry
12-23-07, 06:23 PM
Ceiling insulation will decrease sound transmission some. That is possibly the only minor benefit, especially since fiberglass is the worst material for that.
Your basement (especially in Virginia) is really not an unconditioned space. Depending on your location in the state, the benefits generally would be minimal. - In some areas it will help in the winter and cost you in the summer with AC. In general, insulating the floor between the basement and remainder of the house is worthless and is very rare, even in very cold climates.
Do you plan to weatherstrip your door to the basement just as you would weather strip an exterior door? - How about the associated vapor barriers and caulking/sealing all gaps as you would do between the interior and exterior?
Dick
Your basement (especially in Virginia) is really not an unconditioned space. Depending on your location in the state, the benefits generally would be minimal. - In some areas it will help in the winter and cost you in the summer with AC. In general, insulating the floor between the basement and remainder of the house is worthless and is very rare, even in very cold climates.
Do you plan to weatherstrip your door to the basement just as you would weather strip an exterior door? - How about the associated vapor barriers and caulking/sealing all gaps as you would do between the interior and exterior?
Dick