Rigid Foam Insulation Under Concrete Slab

Even though the rigid foam won t save enough energy to justify its cost it s worth installing for another reason.
Rigid foam insulation under concrete slab. It will reduce summertime condensation and mold accumulation and will therefore help your basement smell better. Xps and eps rigid insulation is used under concrete slabs. If you re building a new cold climate home with a basement you ll probably want to install a continuous horizontal layer of rigid foam under the basement slab. One of the best ways to save money on rigid foam insulation installed under concrete slabs is to ensure the material is not over engineered.
Concrete 4 existing drywall 2 plywood 5 wood 3 sheathing type. For installation on concrete foundations and under floor slabs the rigid foam insulation you choose can make a difference of tens of thousands of dollars on a project. Understanding rigid foam insulation for foundation and under slab applications. In cold climates climate zones 4 and higher it s important to install vertical insulation on the interior side of the stemwall all the way down to the footing.
Many builders bevel the top of the vertical insulation so that none of the rigid foam is visible after the concrete slab is placed. Up to one quarter of a building s energy loss is due to lack of insulation in below grade areas including the foundation and under slabs. Contractors are increasingly called upon to install rigid foam insulation under concrete slabs and on building foundations. Eps 3 xps 2 faced or unfaced.
When building a slab on grade eps rigid foam insulation is the most common choice of insulation for performance and cost. R 7 7 rigid foam insulation model 310891 18 35 18 35. Get free shipping on qualified under slab foam board insulation or buy online pick up in store today in the building materials department. A careful evaluation of these materials performance attributes against the project s needs can dramatically shrink labor and material costs.
Owens corning enclosure solutions. A common design assumption leads to specification of rigid foam strengths that are many orders of magnitude higher than necessary which can double the insulation material cost. Spray foam for sure has uses where it is the best choice by a long shot but under a slab is not the place. Below grade under slab system with foamular rigid board insulation.
They both come in various rated compressive strengths from 10 psi to about 80 psi. Say you use an average and relatively inexpensive rating of 40 psi then the insulation will support.