On the river house remodeling project we are working on one of the concerns for the owners was lowering the energy consumption. With that in mind, they contracted for an energy evaluation with their local utility provider. I thought the evaluation was very thorough.
One of the biggest savings can be realized by upgrading the insulation at the very top of the foundation. On this home the existing concrete block foundation is about 15” or so above grade. These concrete blocks are exposed to our below zero temperatures in the winter and that transfers cold right to the floor line and basement walls. The recommendation was to excavate soils 8”-10” and cover the concrete foundation blocks with rigid extruded insulation. Our workers are doing that now…the new pink insulation in the photo.
While we are doing this work we are also checking all penetrations in the home to see that they are properly sealed. A tiny hole…say ¼” in diameter….can let in a huge cold wind load. Spending a few days ‘creeping’ around your home foundation in September may make things much more comfortable for everyone during the cold winter months!