Basement & Rim Joist Insulation in Evansville, IN

Basement and rim joist insulation in Evansville goes after the leak most houses never deal with. The rim joist is the band of wood that sits on top of the foundation wall and holds up the floor. It runs around the whole house, it is usually bare or loosely stuffed with fiberglass, and in winter it lets cold air into the basement along every foot of the perimeter. Floors above stay cold, and the furnace runs longer. Sealing and insulating the rim is one of the cheapest, most effective jobs in an older house.

Closed-cell on the rim

Two to three inches of closed-cell spray foam sprayed onto the rim joist and the sill plate seals the gaps, insulates the wood, and keeps warm, moist indoor air from condensing on the cold band board. HomeGuide rates closed-cell at R-5 to R-7 per inch and lists a typical rim joist job at $2,000 to $2,500. Fiberglass stuffed into the rim does little because air passes through it, and it can hold moisture against the wood.

Basement walls

The Insulation Institute's summary of the 2020 Indiana Residential Code lists R-13 cavity or R-10 continuous insulation for basement walls in Climate Zone 4. Closed-cell foam sprayed directly on the concrete or block meets the continuous target in about two inches, bonds to the wall, and does not trap water against it the way fiberglass batts against concrete can. If you plan to finish the basement, insulating the walls and rim before framing goes up is the time to do it.

Water comes first

A basement wall that seeps after rain, has efflorescence, or shows active cracks needs the water dealt with before insulation goes on. Evansville's 1937 Ohio River flood covered about 500 city blocks, and the city has levees for a reason. Many homes on low ground deal with damp basements. Grading, gutters and drainage come first. Foam will not stop water coming through a wall.

Older foundations

Pre-war Evansville homes, about 22% of the city's housing in Point2Homes' census summary, often have stone or brick foundations and rubble walls that are uneven and can wick moisture. Those walls need a careful plan. Sometimes the right move is just sealing the rim and insulating the floor above, rather than covering an old wall that needs to breathe.

Fire protection

Foam in a basement generally needs a thermal barrier such as drywall if the space is finished or occupied, unless the product is approved for exposure. Ask your installer which product they plan and what covering it needs.

Tell us whether the basement is finished, unfinished or about to be finished, and we will look and send a written quote. Get a free estimate