This is the same question I asked when I was going to turn my basement into a home theater. Of course the answer came back as a resounding yes. Here is why, the basement professional told me that without basement insulation I am taking a huge risk.
The biggest culprit that likes to sneak into uninsulated basements is mold. This little bugger would find its way into everything in the basement if you are not careful. Also, the energy loss associated by not having insulation would mean a lot of wasted money going towards your utility bills.
I did argue a bit, I am a cheapskate by nature and the thought of adding more expenses to our remodeling project bothered me a bit. I gave my husband and the professional he had hired to help us with the renovation quite a tough little time. Oh, they enjoyed it.
We ended up getting forking out the dough to get the basement insulation put in. I did it mainly to keep my husband from giving me that 'look.' However, the professional showed me a few things that really made me think.
First, he took out one of the outlets in one of the damp area of our basement. The inside of the fixture was slightly damp with some condensation. Then, he showed me a few areas where the pipes were exposed. Those were also damp. After that, I stopped arguing immediately and he installed our basement insulation.
He told us that basement insulation actually slows the movement of heat in the basement. While it doesn't keep the heat from being able to move, it slows it down, and this makes the basement warmer and less damp. I still wasn't completely convinced, and I kept thinking to myself, "Sure buddy." Then of course I would smile and nod.
After he finished the basement insulation, and we got the basement fully renovated, I was in for a few more surprises. First of all, when my family and I decide to enjoy a nice movie in the new theater room, we are way more comfortable.
The basement is warmer, and you don't feel like you could stick your tongue to the wall and have it stick. We can actually watch a movie without the snow clothes on. Out of curiosity, I waited around a month and pulled out the same outlet in the basement. Guess what…dry as a bone.
Another surprise is our utility bill. I found out that 35% of the energy loss in a home could come from a basement that isn't insulated. Our utility bill has gone down quite a bit, so now we can save more money. And I was worried about spending the money for the insulation!
I had no idea how much money I was losing to begin with. By the way, I have completely changed my mind about the professional that helped us do the basement insulation. He is now my new best friend.
Although I didn't want to fork out the money to begin with, I'm so glad that I decided to insulate the basement. It really was the best idea I have had. Good thing my husband decided to go along with it. He really is a smart man!
info@foamit.ca
https://www.foamit.ca
