EcoRenovator  

Go Back   EcoRenovator > Improvements > Renovations & New Construction
Advanced Search
 


Blog 60+ Home Energy Saving Tips Recent Posts Search Today's Posts Mark Forums Read


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 09-01-10, 01:31 PM   #1
benpope
Helper EcoRenovator
 
benpope's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Little Rock, AR
Posts: 95
Thanks: 16
Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts
Default Insulating a crawlspace prone to flooding

Hi everyone,
I live in an 80 year old house located in the floodplain of a small creek. I am not exactly sure why, but but flooding wasn't a problem until about 2 years ago when I moved in. I think this is just a case of correlation, not causation. There has been development upstream from my house for the past 10 years--the biggest culprits I think are parking lots. Downstream, the city operates a pumping station that pumps the creek over a levee when water levels are high. The pump is as old as my house and we think it is getting overwhelmed.

Suffice it to say my crawlspace and partial basement have flooded 3 times in the past 2 years. The most recent time, water levels went above my crawlspace wall.

I am looking at sealing and insulating my crawlspace with an eye to:
  1. Reduce the risk of flooding
  2. Get rid of water when it does get in
  3. Insulate the crawlspace and add it to the conditioned space

I have started by putting down 6mil plastic on the dirt floor to make it a more pleasant working environment. Next I guess I will seal the plastic on the floor with some sort of adhesive, insulate the walls with foam board, insulate between the floor joists and the foundation wall, and run a vapor barrier from the top of the wall to the floor.

There is a pretty good slope to the crawlspace and water collects in a low point. I guess a sump pump is in order.

Anyhow, has anyone dealt with a similar situation or have any suggestions?

benpope is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-10, 09:05 PM   #2
nibs
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 206
Thanks: 1
Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts
Default

Can you waterproof the outside of the basement walls?
Otherwise what you are doing sounds about right, use foam board that is intended for use below slabs (usually blue), water will not soak into it.
nibs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-10, 06:12 AM   #3
Daox
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 5,525
Thanks: 1,162
Thanked 374 Times in 305 Posts
Default

Does the house have proper drain tile and sump that works good?
__________________
Current project -
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.



To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
&
To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
Daox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-10, 09:03 AM   #4
benpope
Helper EcoRenovator
 
benpope's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Little Rock, AR
Posts: 95
Thanks: 16
Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts
Default Lots of work...

I could waterproof the outside - any suggestions on what to use?

It does have a drain to the sanitary sewer in the basement, but no sump. I think getting the sump in is probably my next step. It is going to have to wait until the deck is finished though.
benpope is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-10, 10:14 AM   #5
nibs
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 206
Thanks: 1
Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts
Default

If the walls are masonry or concrete, you could paint on an asphalt emulsion, If they are stick built it may be more difficult, what is the outside finish on the basement walls?
nibs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-10, 10:42 AM   #6
benpope
Helper EcoRenovator
 
benpope's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Little Rock, AR
Posts: 95
Thanks: 16
Thanked 13 Times in 12 Posts
Default

The foundation is solid concrete--though it is cracked in some places from settling over the past 80 years. I would have to cover the asphalt emulsion with something (not feathers) to keep the wife happy--I don't think she would go for a tar covered house. I did something similar at my last house below grade. I used tar and then attached a thick rubber sheet to that.
benpope is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-02-10, 11:54 AM   #7
Ryland
Master EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Western Wisconsin.
Posts: 913
Thanks: 127
Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts
Default

For the outside you should seal the cracks, I found that 6" wide butyl rubber tape with foil backing for going around sky lights works really well for going over cracks after you repair them either with mortar or with polyurethane caulk that is designed for concrete repair.
On my house after I sealed the cracks I taped 6 mil plastic up a few inches on the walls covered over it with ridged foam going down about a foot below grade, brought the 6 mil plastic out away from the house about 6 feet, sloping away and at that outer edge of the plastic put your drain tile, over the plastic put your 2" foam tape the seams and put another layer of 6 mil plastic, that way you keep the foam protected from roots and have dual layers of water protection that push the water away from your house towards the drain tile, the foam also insulates the ground around your house so your foundation walls never get cold.
The above grade foam can be covered with stucco, latex stucco, fiberglass foundation covering, aluminum flashing or you can even buy foam insulation that already has a pea gravel or sand covering on it that is bonded to the foam.
Ryland is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Ryland For This Useful Post:
benpope (09-02-10)
Old 09-02-10, 02:31 PM   #8
nibs
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 206
Thanks: 1
Thanked 18 Times in 17 Posts
Default

I like what Ryland says, esp using urethane caulking on the cracks, you could use an elastomeric paint on the outside, even comes in pink if swmbo demands, there are several brands, dryvit is probably one of the high end products, you could even do an outsulation job using foam and latex stucco.
I have found that plastic tarps can be bought cheaply if there is a surplus store or farm supply discount store near you, and they are much more durable than plastic sheeting.
nibs is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-07-10, 02:54 PM   #9
TimJFowler
Apprentice EcoRenovator
 
TimJFowler's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Santa Fe, NM
Posts: 184
Thanks: 9
Thanked 12 Times in 11 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryland View Post
you can even buy foam insulation that already has a pea gravel or sand covering on it that is bonded to the foam.
Do you know what this product is called (brand or generic name)? I have heard of this, but I wasn't able to find it searching online. I think I will need a gravel coated foam sheet or something similar to insulate our home's concrete footing.

Thanks,
Tim
__________________
- DIY Adventures in Applied Sustainability -

To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.
TimJFowler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-07-10, 07:22 PM   #10
Ryland
Master EcoRenovator
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Western Wisconsin.
Posts: 913
Thanks: 127
Thanked 82 Times in 71 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TimJFowler View Post
Do you know what this product is called (brand or generic name)? I have heard of this, but I wasn't able to find it searching online. I think I will need a gravel coated foam sheet or something similar to insulate our home's concrete footing.
No idea what the product or brand is, I just bought a sheet of it to cover over what used to be a basement window and it was about $11 for a 1" thick 2' by 4' sheet... most home improvement stores should have this stuff, or be able to order it, but the sheet I bought just had a bar code on it.

Ryland is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:00 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Ad Management by RedTyger
Inactive Reminders By Icora Web Design