Insulating Basement Ceiling Joists

Compounding that is the sealed combustion installation.

Insulating basement ceiling joists. If you d still prefer to insulate your basement ceiling or even insulate your ceiling and your walls be prepared to do some serious work. Lay down a moisture barrier with sheets of 6 mil plastic if you have a dirt or gravel floor. Basement ceilings can easily be insulated with unfaced fiberglass batts or blankets installed between the floor joists and held in place with wire fishing line or spring metal supports called tiger claws.

Insulating the basement ceiling will keep most of the heat upstairs in the living space. The older giant cast iron boiler was a huge thermal mass radiating heat into the basement space. If you have an unvented crawlspace or basement you must insulate the walls instead of the floor joists.

You ll also need to insulate the rim joist which is the framing around the perimeter of the floor. If you have an unfinished basement you can properly insulate the rim joists in two or three hours. Properly insulating and air sealing rim joists band joists takes patience so most builders simply stuff in some fiberglass and walk away.

Prior to insulating the basement ceiling warmth is radiating from the heated first floor into the cooler basement space. Hold the batts in place by stapling their paper faced vapor retarders to the lower edges of the joists. Use a box cutter to cut the insulation to length.

Adding insulation cuts off this heat transfer.