my house is about 2 yrs old. at the time i built it i paid extra money to have a vapor wrap put on the outside wall of the basement to keep water out . this has a guarente for 25 yrs. since then i started to stud my basement in useing metal studs 2-4 size, i have all the electrical done and am ready to insulate (or not) i'm going to use 1/2 inch drywall. the question is should i insulate the basement and with what r value or with foam stuff. i have 16 inch centers. thank you

 

You can find useful info re: insulation at http://www.owenscorning.com. Do a keyword search for basement.

 

If you live in a climate with cold (below freezing) winters, then do insulate. I inuslated my walls when I finished my basement and the savings in heat bills paid for it in 2 years - and we've had relatively mild winters.

Another benefit - it does help with sound (noise).

Use the same R-value you would for any wall.

 

Greetins Joe,

For my customers I recommend installing a single layer of radiant barrier insulation. It is more effictive than a fiber glass batt, will not support mold/mildew, which is a basement problem and is also an excellent vapor barrier.

You can attach it to the surface (spray glue) of the studs and tuck it in so that it will not touch the dry wall. Then screw the dry wall over it. Don't use the bubble foil that most hard ware store sell. Use the paper or plastic film type. They cost less and are just as efficient.

It is not a good idea to put fiberglass between the joists at the rim board as you usually get alot of condensation and mold/mildew thers. You can also get dryrot. You can cut panels of the radiant barrier material and staple those in between

For more info, enter into your search engine, "radiant barriers" or "reflective insulation".

Thank you for considering my opinion.