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GristMillLiving
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# Posted: 6 Jan 2023 03:02pm
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Been doing a lot of research on this one, but it seems to be taking me in a circle. Problem: mid 19th century mill being refinished into a cottage space. First and second floors are conditioned space (heated). The cellar is unheated. What I am finding this Winter is the main living space does not get up to temperature, and I think the primary cause is cold air is coming up from the cellar (actually can feel the cold coming up). I want to insulate the cellar space, but not sure if I should start with just doing the ceiling, or the walls. Note, there is moisture in the cellar and will probably always will be, so I am reluctant to insulate the walls and trap the moisture inside.
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gcrank1
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# Posted: 6 Jan 2023 04:15pm
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Be aware that the insulation in your floor between the living space and the basement will need the vapor barrier on the warm side.
Id think about this project as if the structure is just built over a hole in the ground (it is).
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DmAK12
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# Posted: 6 Jan 2023 04:57pm
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This is going to require very careful consideration with regards to moisture trapping in unvented spaces. Insulating the ceiling will cause a lot of problems. If you are doing insulating anywhere in the crawlspace but not dealing with the source of the moisture, you're bound to have issues sooner or later. Most often times it is sooner.
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Tim_Ohio
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# Posted: 7 Jan 2023 07:46am - Edited by: Tim_Ohio
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I’m am kind of in the same situation. We have a “cold room†which the ceiling is poured concrete and serves as the floor for the covered porch above it. This “cold room†is located below grade and one of the inside walls is heated on one side where the basement is under the house. A second smaller wall with the door is connected to the underground garage. So to summarize, the ceiling is uninsulated and exposed directly to the outside cold temperature, two walls are below grade and the other two are connected or separating the space from the garage and another part of the basement. I’m considering insulating the ceiling and the two outside walls (to below the frost line, from the ceiling down about 40â€). My plan is to use 2†foam board and fastening it directly to the concrete with plastic insulation tab top fasteners. Then, I will seal all joints with sealing tape and all transition to concrete areas with foam or caulking. I might then cover it with liner tin (white) to give it a fire rating since it’s not supposed to be left exposed.
Hope my plans help you with ideas. Hopefully I can keep moisture from building up anywhere, since it’s unheated and relying on geothermal earth temperature. It’s pretty dry, but I’m sure a dehumidifier would be a good idea or even buckets of charcoal to reduce water vapor in the air.
Tim
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DartNorth
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# Posted: 10 Jan 2023 12:06pm
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Quoting: DmAK12 This is going to require very careful consideration with regards to moisture trapping in unvented spaces. Insulating the ceiling will cause a lot of problems. If you are doing insulating anywhere in the crawlspace but not dealing with the source of the moisture, you're bound to have issues sooner or later. Most often times it is sooner.
Yeah, if you have an unheated crawl space, it should be ventilated to deal with moisture.
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Brettny
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# Posted: 10 Jan 2023 08:20pm
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Do you have plumbing in the basement? Of so you cant insulate the ceiling. Your only choice is to seal up everything and Insulate the walls and rim board.
Doing the rim board in 1in foam made a big difference in my house, a 1930s house with 4 additions. I'm down to the point that I have the basement slab removed, drainage put in, vapor barrier and 1in foam. I'm pouring a new basement floor in 2 weeks. Doing all the work my self. Humind/wet basements suck and I have been dealing with this one for 11yrs, I'm tired of it.
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Aklogcabin
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# Posted: 12 Jan 2023 11:01am
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I guess folks do things differently. A vapor barrier should be over the crawl space floor. Many houses have plumbing in their basement. Including ours. The cold weather research center at the university of AK has good information on this.
Rim joists should be insulated with 18" extending out under the floor. Walls insulated. Floor vapor barrier extending 18" up the wall. Wall to floor vapor barrier sealed.
Adiquate cross ventilation. I can't remember the air to space requirements but easy enough to find.
Good luck n have fun
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