Insulating Foundation Walls - Benefits of Using Reflective Foil Bubble Insulation

As new product offerings meet consumers new educated demand, we are seeing dramatic improvements in the way today's homes are insulated. Many of these homes are becoming tightly sealed using a variety of appropriate insulation products.

A major area that is often overlooked however is the concrete foundation wall. A foundation wall without proper insulation or one that is un-insulated can attribute to significant heat loss within the building envelope.

A poorly insulated wall can be the host of many serious issues. The problems can include:

* moisture problems
* radon gas infiltration
* insect infestation


Reflective foil bubble insulation is an excellent foundation wall insulation product to use. Installing a radiant barrier using reflective foil insulation on the exterior or dirt side of a basement wall has many advantages. These include the following:

Insulating the exterior compared to the interior saves on square footage.
Radiant barrier products are impervious to insect infiltration.
Creates vapor and radon barrier eliminating moisture transfer around wall.


Correctly using reflective bubble insulation for foundation walls can help eliminate moisture problems. The moisture is created by the temperature difference between the outside earth around the basement and the basement's interior.

Reflective foil insulation, as with any radiant barrier product, blocks the transfer of radiant heat. Less heat is absorbed through and out of the foundation walls.

Bubble foil insulation, as with any exterior insulation, protects the damp proof coating required for use on the dirt side of the foundation wall while back-filling.

Using reflective foil bubble insulation foil acts as a capillary break that stops moisture intrusion. This creates a thermal bridge that protects the foundation wall from the freeze-thaw cycle that is existent in all cold climates.


Nick Semon is the owner of [http://www.insulationstop.com]Insulationstop.com, a leading online supplier of radiant barrier and reflective foil insulation products. He uses his 15 year experience in the building materials industry to provide information to consumers about better insulation practices. For more information on saving energy visit [http://www.insulateourearth.wordpress.com]InsulateOurEarth.com.

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