How to Keep an Unheated Basement Warm

Identify the R-value of insulation you will need. R-value is essentially a measure of the resistance to heat flow that insulation constructed of a certain material and size displays. The International Energy Conservation Code divides the country into five zones based on climatic variations. The southernmost tips of Texas and Florida lie in zone 1, most of the southern U.S. in zone 2, the Midwest and Mideast in zone 3 and the northernmost tips of the central US in zones 4 and 5. The R-value of insulation recommended for each of these zones is R-5 to R-9, R-9 to R-10, R-10 to R-19 and R-19 respectively.

Choose an insulation material. The materials most commonly recommended for basement insulation include blanket (batt and roll) insulation, concrete block insulation, foam board insulation, Insulating concrete forms, loose-fill insulation and sprayed foam insulation. The choice of which material to use should be based on the R-value that it can deliver and based on the budget with which you are working. Some insulation materials, such as insulating concrete forms and concrete block insulation, are made to be installed in basements that have not yet been built, while others can be installed in finished basements.

Install the insulation per the manufacturer's directions. Insulation is not difficult to install, but inexperienced homeowners should not hesitate to hire a professional installer to ensure full effectiveness of the insulation.