Pros and Cons of Basement Floor Insulation

We tend to think about insulating every floor, wall and ceiling in our homes but yet ignore basement floor insulation. Not many contractors will put down basement floor insulation unless specifically asked to do so. In many cases it is up to the homeowner to finish the basement on their own. This is due to the fact that a basement tends to be a mild afterthought. They are typically used for storage and only a fraction of people have taken the time to renovate and finish basements. Before you spend the time and money placing basement floor insulation you should know the pros and the cons of doing so. The information contained in this article will share with you some of those pros and cons for basement floor insulation.

Added Livable Space

Since a basement is generally only thought of as ancillary it is rarely used for anything other than storage. Some handy homeowners will use it for storage as well as a work room. Even if you convert the basement into a rumpus room, game room or office you are left with the same problems unless you have basement floor insulation. Since a basement is several feet underground and made out of concrete that translates to moisture. It also means that basement walls could crack and water could enter. This can be combated by adding not just basement floor insulation but walls and ceiling. Doing so will make using a dehumidifier obsolete and allow the basement to be finished into an extra livable space. Achieving this feat will be very cost prohibitive.

Better Fire Safety

Everyone knows that fire feeds on oxygen. If there is no oxygen to feed off of then the flame has no food and will then die or never start. Basement floor insulation gives an added protection to the home as a whole against fires starting or spreading. Concrete can withstand high temperatures and the inherent cool air makes a basement a tinder box for fire. Basement floor insulation will help keep the flow of air in check as well as level out the cool and damp area.

Water Pipe Protection

One prime fear that a homeowner has is the fear of pipes bursting during the colder months. Water pipes run throughout the home. The water pipes in the basement tend to be lead pipes where the water originally starts from. If these pipes freeze and burst you are looking at thousands of dollars in repairs. Basement floor insulation can help level out the temperatures, trap in heat and prevent water from freezing inside the pipes.

Very Costly

The materials used for basement floor insulation is very expensive as is the labor. On top of that many contractors are not very familiar with the product or methods. If the soil around the home has radon gas trapped within it, you will require a mitigation system.

Insect Infestation

Many of the products used for basement floor insulation are also a prime food source for insects. They inhabit the materials and borough through it making it useless.