Basement Insulation

Basements are known for being damp, musty, and uncomfortable, but this is because the lower levels of your home are vulnerable to air drafts and moisture. While you may not go into your basement as often as the rest of your home, its condition has a significant impact on the comfort, efficiency, and indoor air quality of your living spaces. 

At Evergreen Home Performance, we offer a way to make your basement a dry and conditioned space like the rest of your home with basement insulation. As a part of our comprehensive insulation services in the Portland area and Coastal Maine, basement insulation can provide several year-round and whole-home benefits. 

The Dangers of an Unprotected Basement

Because it lies below the ground, your basement is exposed to Maine’s fluctuating elements more than the rest of your home. Basements are prone to high moisture levels, which not only contributes to musty smells, but often leads to mold and mildew growth. It’s not uncommon for basements to have small cracks and openings, too, which allow unwanted air, harmful contaminants like radon, and pests inside. 

Once these issues are present in the lower levels of your home, it’s easy for them to make their way into your most used living spaces and your home’s breathing air. Poor indoor air quality, advanced mold growth, and structural damage are just a few of the problems that can arise from an unprotected basement.

Benefits of Basement Insulation

Properly insulating your basement can help prevent indoor air quality and comfort issues. Basement insulation offers a wide range of benefits, including:   

• Increased moisture control - Insulation can help your basement maintain a stable temperature, which will help prevent moisture issues and mold growth.

• Protection against pests - Basement insulation can help cut off the entry points for common pests, such as termites, ants, and more.

• Safer storage for belongings - Fluctuating temperatures, moisture, and pests can wreak havoc on your stored belongings, while insulation can keep them protected.

• Put a stop to the stack effect - Basement and attic insulation can help prevent the stack effect in your home, which causes ice dams and indoor air quality issues. 

• Stable indoor temperatures - By insulating your basement, you’ll experience more comfort in your entire home, including warmer floors in the winter.

• More efficient heating & cooling - When your home is protected from the elements, your HVAC system won’t have to work as hard to keep you comfortable, which leads to lower energy bills and less wear on your equipment.

The Best Types of Insulation for Your Basement

With Evergreen Home Performance, one option is to install insulation along your basement walls to make it a conditioned space like the rest of your home. The materials that work best for this are Thermax rigid foam and spray foam insulation.

Thermax Rigid Foam

Thermax rigid foam is a type of rigid foam board insulation that features a foam core and smooth, aluminum foil facing. This type of insulation is best for basements with smooth foundation walls and offers several benefits, including:

• Long-lasting thermal resistance

• Protection from moisture & air movement

• Fire resistant

Spray Foam

Closed-cell spray foam is another great option for basements because it provides not only thermal resistance but also an air and vapor barrier for increased moisture control. Spray foam is the best material to have installed if your basement has stone or mortar walls and offers several benefits, including:

• Long-lasting 

• Air & moisture protection

• Air sealant & high R-value insulator

Before Basement Insulation: Ensure Proper Protection with Air Sealing & Moisture Encapsulation

A key first step in the basement insulation process is to eliminate air leakage and moisture issues. Air sealing not only addresses these issues, but also enhances the performance of your insulation once it’s installed. At Evergreen Home Performance, we recommend starting your basement insulation project with a free consult or home energy assessment to accurately determine where air leaks are present. 

If radon, standing water, or excessive moisture are a big issue in your basement, we may also recommend basement encapsulation to address these problems, which includes drainage, air sealing, insulation, vapor barrier installation, and radon mitigation, 

Portland & Coastal Maine’s Basement Insulation Expert

Evergreen Home Performance offers complete basement insulation services from Bar Harbor down to Kittery. Because our background is in building science and home performance, you can trust our basement insulation work to make your Maine home as healthy, comfortable, and efficient as possible, throughout any season of the year. Our team also stays up-to-date on the latest insulation incentives available, like Efficiency Maine rebates, to help make upgrading your home more affordable.

Get started with a healthier, more comfortable, and high-efficiency home today. Call 207-594-2244 or contact us online.