Do you need insulation on concrete walls?

Homes that have concrete walls in the basement or elsewhere still need insulation and weatherproofing for the owners to enjoy increased energy savings. However your basement walls are constructed, you’ll likely want to insulate them.

What type of insulation do you use for cinder block walls?

The option for insulating concrete block walls includes spray foam insulation, injection foam insulation, polystyrene beads, foam boards, and loose-fill masonry insulation.

How do you insulate a concrete block building?

The simplest and most affordable method of insulating the interior of a block wall is to install rigid foam board insulation. Available in large, three-by-five or four-by-eight sizes, the panels are lightweight and held in place with special foam-safe glue.

Do concrete basement walls need insulation?

Walls. Basement walls should be insulated with non-water sensitive insulation that prevents interior air from contacting cold basement surfaces—the concrete structural elements and the rim joist framing. The best insulations to use are foam based and should allow the foundation wall assembly to dry inwards.

Does concrete provide insulation?

Concrete by itself has a very low R-value, a measure of thermal resistance. Its insulation value comes primarily from using it in thick slabs, and hence isolating the insulated space from thermal fluxes in the environment.

Are cinder block walls insulated?

Concrete block makes a cost-effective and structurally sound wall, but it has little thermal resistance. Depending on the density of the blocks, an 8-inch thick block wall without any other type of insulation has a thermal resistance value between R-1.9 and R-2.5.

How do you insulate exterior concrete block walls?

The best choice for insulating the exterior face of a concrete block wall is some type of rigid foam board. Cover the concrete block wall with a good moisture barrier; some type of liquid asphalt or cement-based sealant is often used, but a tar paper or similar membrane also can be used.

Do block homes need insulation?

Is it OK to not insulate basement walls?

Impervious insulation is always an excellent idea for basement walls, but it’s absolutely essential where the floor joists of the level above meets outside walls along the edges of a basement ceiling.

Is concrete block a good insulator?

How do you insulate a concrete wall?

The next best way to insulate a concrete wall is with rigid foam boards. This is the most popular method because it’s so DIY friendly and cost effective. Rigid foam is a great insulator, R-2 to R-6 per inch on average, and water resistant. I recommend you tape and caulk all the seams once the boards are installed.