What to Use to Fill the Space Up on the Walls of a Foundation?

Types of Foundations

• As foundations provide structural support for buildings, different home designs may call for different types of foundations. Within the U.S., home foundations typically take the form of basements, crawl spaces or slab-on-grade floors. Basements and crawl spaces house open areas with walls and ceilings, while slab-on-grade floors consist of concrete slabs that sit directly on top of the soil. As foundation walls can begin to crack and form gaps over time, filling and sealing affected areas can help reduce heating costs and also reduce moisture build-up along foundation wall and floor surfaces.

Blanket Insulation

• Blanket insulation — also known as batt and roll – comes in rolls, or batts, of insulation made from flexible fiber materials. Fiber materials may consist of fiberglass, mineral wood, plastic fibers or natural fibers. Flexible fibers allow for cutting and trimming of insulation materials when filling gaps along foundation walls. Blanket surfaces may also include a facing material that’s designed to prevent moisture and air from entering through foundation walls. When using blanket insulation, it’s best to minimize moisture access within the foundation space since fiber insulation materials begin to break down when exposed to moisture and condensation.

Loose-Fill Insulation

• Loose-fill insulation works particularly well for filling gaps and crevices along foundation wall surfaces. This type of insulation consists of small particles made up of recycled foam and fiber materials. Because of its particle structure, loose-fill insulation must be blown into wall spaces and then sealed to prevent moisture and air from leaking through foundation walls. When installing any type of insulation, proper installation helps ensure insulation materials remain intact. Having an installation done by experienced technicians can pay off in the long run and lessen the likelihood of having to redo the project in the near future.

Reflective Insulation

• Reflexive insulation consists of aluminum foil materials that come with different types of backings, such as cardboard, plastic film or polyethylene bubble. The different backings make it possible to use reflective insulation on different types of surfaces and crevices. For example, polyethylene bubble backing works well on uneven surfaces or odd-shaped areas, such as those that appear on foundation walls. Reflective insulation materials also help prevent heat from flowing through wall surfaces as well as through ceiling joist openings. Since this type of insulation contains aluminum materials, it should not be installed near electrical wiring.