Air sealing and insulation your foundation walls help shield your home for better energy efficiency.
If your basement and crawlspaces are improperly sealed, your home may be losing a lot of energy. These losses, in turn, can lead to higher energy bills and a less comfortable home. This project can help protect you against both.
Project Overview
Tools and Materials:
- Utility knife
- Table or circular saw
- Caulk gun
- Measuring tape
- Lights
- Straight edge or markers
- Foam/caulk/construction adhesive/duct mastic
- Insulation—cavity batts or rigid foam board insulation
- Sheathing—OSB/plywood or code-approved foam board
- Fasteners—screws with washers or button-capped nails
Safety:
- Dust mask/respirator
- Gloves
- Safety glasses
- Kneepads
- Inspect your home’s foundation wall and rim joists, keeping a particular eye out for things like water, sewer, and gas lines, electrical wiring, and other penetrations that may lead to air leaks.
- Once you’ve identified those areas where you may be losing energy through poor air seals, use caulk or rigid insulation board to fill gaps and close the spaces around penetrations.