So Tom is trying to make a finished room in our basement. Why? Toys have taken over our lives and just about every room in the house. Granted, our house is a good size. I'm certainly not complaining and am thankful for what we have. But it would be nice to get organized and have a place for the girls to play while I'm folding laundry and trying to make dinner. The problem? In Buffalo, NY the basement can get quite cold, in particular, those outside walls! No one wants to go down there if it's freezing in winter or conversely, too hot during the summer! Fixing up the basement can greatly increase the usable square footage of your home. If not a play room, how about a craft room? A home office? A mini-movie theater? A game room with ping pong and floor hockey? The possibilities are endless. This is our journey in transforming a space that was essentially 100% storage and turning it into a fully functional space for the kids. Watch as our basement evolves!
Cease the day!
We love our garden. We love plants. But during the off-season it's time to tackle those indoor projects that we won't get to when the weather finally turns. Since our basement is huge....it's time to put it to use. Enough of the 50 Christmas bins already.
Why insulate your basement?
One of the first steps in our basement makeover was to insulate the outside cement walls. As always, we are looking at the long haul. Our goal was to retain heat and save money on heating costs rather than allowing it to escape due to poor insulation. So we teamed up with Foam It Green. Why did Tom reach out to Foam It Green? Simply... that's the foam Tom was sold on. It was their closed cell spray formula that won his heart.
We should also note that we do not have any type of air conditioning system and do not plan on installing any; too expensive for us. So during those 90 degree summer days, the basement is the only place in our house to get any sort of relief from the heat and humidity. The insulation is a nice barrier to that heat and humidity wanting to creep in during those unbearable days. It will be our new summer hang-out zone for the family!
We should also note that we do not have any type of air conditioning system and do not plan on installing any; too expensive for us. So during those 90 degree summer days, the basement is the only place in our house to get any sort of relief from the heat and humidity. The insulation is a nice barrier to that heat and humidity wanting to creep in during those unbearable days. It will be our new summer hang-out zone for the family!
Why go with sprayed foam as your insulation...?
When it comes to insulation, you have several options to choose from. Spray foam is spot-on for irregularly shaped areas, around obstructions, or can be used to add insulation over existing finished areas. It can be applied in new wall cavities, unfinished attic floors, or enclosed existing walls.
After doing his homework, Tom came to the conclusion that sprayed foam was the best insulation for us because it outperforms other types of insulation in damp areas like your basement. And ick, was our basement ever damp! The mold was climbing up the walls in a bad way and it seemed like no matter how much bleach we used, we struggled to contain or control it.
Closed cell spray locks out the water vapor that would try to move from your walls to your finished room. Spray foam will also easily fill in small gaps such as behind your 2 x 4 studs. No cutting required! The only downside is that spray insulation is a little pricey but you will easily make this cost up on your energy bills.
After doing his homework, Tom came to the conclusion that sprayed foam was the best insulation for us because it outperforms other types of insulation in damp areas like your basement. And ick, was our basement ever damp! The mold was climbing up the walls in a bad way and it seemed like no matter how much bleach we used, we struggled to contain or control it.
Closed cell spray locks out the water vapor that would try to move from your walls to your finished room. Spray foam will also easily fill in small gaps such as behind your 2 x 4 studs. No cutting required! The only downside is that spray insulation is a little pricey but you will easily make this cost up on your energy bills.
Things to consider before starting your spray foam project....
It all starts when you order a kit from Foam it Green that includes a trendy Tyvek suit (hehe), goggles, gloves, nozzles and the gun for application.
- Purchase a respirator. This is the only extra item you'll need. Not a bad idea to have one on hand anyhow even when you're just painting.
- Ask yourself. How big is the area you're looking to cover? Each kit tells you the amount that it will cover for 1 inch of foam. Foam it Green also has a square footage calculator right on their site to make it easy as possible.
- How thick should your insulation be? For instance anything more than two inches in a basement is overkill.
- Are you worried about your floor? If so, make sure you use drop cloths near your walls to catch any of the foam that might fall.
- Does your room temperature meet the correct temperature zone? Foam it Green has a patented temperature strip.
Why the Foam It Green spray foam makes Tom blissfully happy...
- Reduces heating and cooling costs with an R-value of 7 in just 1 inch.
- Green Foam means the foam is mixing properly, which takes out the guesswork factor compared to other foam insulation.
- Tom can install it himself quickly and easily.
- No measuring and cutting as with other types of insulation... and no itching that you would have with fiberglass insulation.
- Deters mold and pests. Very important in a basement.
- No moisture barrier required.
- The vast number of positive testimonials.
- 100% made in the USA.
- Great how-to videos and instructions to ensure your success.
- Great customer service. They give you a number with 24/7 support if you have any questions while installing.
- Patented gun makes it possible for anybody to apply the right amount of foam in place. If you can water your garden you can spray this foam!
Pros of buying from Foam it Green....
- Awesome DIY Video's on their site to help you complete the task like a professional.
- 24/7 helpline (which believe me Tom used several times, ha). In the long run... sometimes a 30 second call saved us hours of time. Great investment. And they are available on weekends!
- Delivered right to your door saves you time. You're also not paying for foam you don't need. Who wants to makes a million trips to the store?
- No paying a contractor that you don't want in your home in the first place...isn't that the truth? Some of them are a little scary, know what I mean?
- Work is done in hours, not weeks and precisely to your standards. Tom and I learned a few tricks this time around and think our application could have been done a little smoother but at the end of the day, it functions just the same.
- Contractors use high-pressure rigs which distribute chemicals forcing you to leave your home for up to 72 hours! Foam it Green is a low-pressure spray foam system which means you only need to wear a respirator while spraying and it's dry and safe in one hour!
- Only ASTM g21 anti-microbial formula on the market (this one is big!)
Disclaimer
We were not paid by the Foam It Green company to write this post but we were given the Foam It Green 602 to complete this project. This covers approximately 600 square feet at 1" thick.
Tom's video installing the Foam It Green Insulation
Final basement thoughts.....
So the spray foam project is just one of many Tom and I am tackling this winter, but our focus is the many projects all rooted in the basement. It's a big task, but it will be worth it in the end. Not sure about you, but in the off-gardening season, do you find yourself working indoors more and trying to get organized? We certainly do. As much as our family enjoys doing outdoor activities such as sledding, you can only spend so much time outside before you're freezing. We hope you enjoy these posts where we make our indoors a bit more livable!
