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| Subject: | Rigid Foam Basement (5/21/2010) |
| Question: | I plan on finishing my basement and want to use rigid foam on concrete walls for insulation. I plan on part of the basement where the oil furnace and electric water heater unfinished. Since it will be behind a wall of the finished section can the rigid foam be left exposed? If not what are my other options? |
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| Answer: | Rigid foam can not be left exposed, it should always be covered with drywall or plywood. Dow Embosed Thermax can be left exposed.
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| Subject: | Basement Insulation (10/14/2008) |
| Question: | Is there a special type of fiberglass insulation used for steel studs? Is it a bad idea to use fiberglass insulation when insulating a steel stud basement wall when finishing a basement? |
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| Answer: | You have two options when insulating a basement:
1. Standard fiberglass does not feed mold, mildew, or rodents and can achieve an R11 or R13 in a 3 5/8" wall, be sure to request 16" on center for the steel framing instead of the 15" on center used with wood framing.
2. Foamular extruded foam comes scored 16" on center and it will achieve an R5 per inch and is also a great option for a basement.
Both options are in stock at competitive prices
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| Subject: | Materials for building a hearth (8/26/2008) |
| Question: | I need to replace an old hearth so that we can install a fireplace insert. I'm told the R value of the hearth must be > 2.5 since it is above framing and not concrete. Do you have a suitable material to go under the hearth stone I select? |
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| Answer: |
Kamco stocks Micore, a 1/2" thick Class A mineral fiber board, with an R value just over 1 per inch. We stock the Micore 300 in 1/2" 4'x8' sheets, and have seen it used under a hearth quite often, but you should always check with your local fire inspector before using any product near a hearth.
http://www.gypsumsolutions.com/htmlID/micore.asp
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| Subject: | Purfill 1 G (1/18/2008) |
| Question: | How many linear feet would 1 can of Purfill EZ Flo go, putting it in between a 1/4" gap by 2" deep? |
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| Answer: |
One 24oz can will deliver 960 linear feet based on a 1/2 inch bead.
EZ Flo Technical Data Information
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| Subject: | Vapor Barriers (11/30/2006) |
| Question: | If I install Kraft faced insulation on inside perimeter walls. Does the paper offer a vapor barrier too, or should I also install poly over it? |
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| Answer: | Kraft paper is an excellent vapor barrier by itself. Covering the paper with poly would be considered a "double" vapor barrier, this would cause serious moisture issues within the wall. Your most effective insulating practice will be to use either Kraft faced material or unfaced fiberglass with
the poly. |
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