what type of caulk to seal xps to concrete

Information technology's a adept time to brand sure your Rim Joists in your basement are properly air sealed to prevent cold air (or hot air in the summer) from seeping through cracks or uninsulated rim joists. They say air leakage can tin can account for around 40% of the oestrus lost in a typical house, and bad or uninsulated Rim Joists are a major source of that oestrus loss and air infiltration, which means your energy neb could exist way more than expensive than it needs to be. After properly sealing your rim joists, there's a good chance you're houses temperature volition feel noticably more comfortable all the time, and your furnance or air conditioner will turn on less often, which ways it may final longer since it won't be working as hard.

In the summer of 2019, I finally decided to have the initiative to properly air seal the Rim Joists in my basement and open physical block sill plate area, that were letting in tons of cold air or hot air, along with many unwanted critters. In the last few years, I started getting mice in my basement, which so fabricated a abode in my attic. In the winter I'd hear them scurrying across the ceiling in my bedroom. I besides started noticing mice droppings in the basement. And then in the summer, I would accept random bees, ants, (once) cluster flys and the worst house centipedes were getting into my house. Unbeknownst to me at the fourth dimension, these rodents and insects were getting in through holes and cracks in my Rim Joists.

After removing the fiberglass bats that the home builder had blimp into the rim joists (which provide nigh 0 insulation) and inspecting each rim joist, I finally discovered all the little holes and cracks that existed where I could encounter daylight coming through. Anywhere, electric lines, plumbing, gas or cable lines are coming into a business firm, there's a good gamble your habitation architect didn't air seal the holes, which means bugs and other critters may be able to easily brand there style into your basement. I plant huge holes past my electrical box in the Rim Joists and in the physical block where the main electrical line came in that rodents could easily get into my house. In my firm, I had the additional trouble of besides needing to shut the pinnacle of the physical cake wall where the sill plate rests, as one-half of the concrect block was open at the top and letting in cold air or hot and humid air from the exterior in too.

So in order to get started here are the materials yous need to properly air seal your Rim Joists and attain an R-33 value:

• 2" XPS Foamboard (R-10 Value)
• Loctite PL 300 Foamboard VOC Latex Construction Adhesive
• OLFA 5003 L-ane 18mm Ratchet-Lock Heavy-Duty Utility Pocketknife besides (extra blades)
• Mangz Dispensing Foaming Gun
• GREAT STUFF PRO Gaps & Cracks 24 oz Insulating Foam Sealant
• Nifty STUFF PRO Dispensing Gun Cleaner
• Alex Plus 10.one oz. White Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone
• Caulk gun
• ROCKWOOL COMFORTBATT R-23 Stone Wool Batt Insulation with Audio Barrier (v.5 Inch Thick: R-23 Value)
• Dust Mask
• Dispoable gloves (two boxes of 100)

 I as well needed to seal the opening at the top of my basement concrete block foundation wall, that the sill plate rests on, here are boosted materials I used:

• i" XPS Foamboard (R-5 Value)
• FoamSealR 5-1/2 in. x 50 ft. Multi-Utilise Ridged Sill Plate Gasket
• 1 in. ten half dozen in. x 8 ft. Basis Contact Pressure-Treated Board

Keep in mind, just exist certain to follow the edifice code requirements for insulating rim joists for your area if you decide to DIY.  I may have spent around $400+ to properly seal up and insulate my rim joists and it was totally worth information technology. I spent almost money on GREAT STUFF PRO Gaps & Cracks 24 oz Insulating Cream Sealant, which I needed to use a lot of it to seal around the Foamboard, and besides to seal the summit opening in the concrete block foundation, which was blowing out hot air in the summer, and cold air in the winter. All in all, my house is more comfortable now, I NO longer have a rodent trouble, house centipede problem, random bee or ant trouble. I also saved over $100+ in gas and electric bills in my beginning twelvemonth with the door to my basement beingness fully opening all year long, while running my estrus in the winter 5 degrees warmer at lxx degrees vs. 65 degrees in prior years, and my air condioner a few degrees colder in the summer. My furnance and air conditioner run less frequently, which means they volition last longer now. All in all, information technology'southward probably 1 of the best investments you tin can brand in your abode if you plan to live there for 3+ years or more (I but wish I had washed it fifteen years sooner, when I first moved in).

Before you get started, check to encounter if you take whatsoever dryer venting ducts or air ducts obstructing your rim joists, because y'all may demand to accept the air ducts apart to properly insulate that portion of your rim joists, and if it'due south during the winter months when you need to run your furnance you will non want to turn off your heat for very long while you piece of work.  You'll likely as well accept h2o pipes, gas pipes, electrical lines and other nails or bolts you'll need to work effectually.

So with that said, hither'due south how to Seal and Insulate Basement Rim Joists:

1) Remove any quondam pink Fiberglass bats that may exist stuffed into the rim joists.

ii) Make clean / Vacuum out each rim joist to remove all grit, mice droppings, spider webs etc.  Kill any Mold that might be growing with a mold killer spray.

3) Now utilise Alex Plus ten.ane oz. White Acrylic Latex Caulk Plus Silicone and Dispensable gloves to fill and seal all four edges of each rim joist.  Caulk edges all around each Rim Joists to seal up any holes and cracks.

See below: This Rim Joist had a huge gap where 2 rim joists came together, and likely allow in lots of insects and critters. Needed to utilize a lot of caulk to fill in large gaping holes.

4) Measure and cut 2" XPS Foamboard to fit into each Rim Joist infinite.

Reduce your measurement to go out at least one/4" to 1/2" gap on each side of Foarmboard, so that it'south easier to spray cream the edges to seal up the gaps with Gaps & Cracks 24 oz Insulating Cream Sealant.  I think a 1/two" gap is easier for the Gaps and Cracks Foam Sealant to work into.

Notation: It may be easier to use the edge of a table to snap the lath after cut through nearly of the foam (rather than trying to saw / cut through the entire 2" of foamboard). I used a OLFA 5003 L-ane 18mm Ratchet-Lock Heavy-Duty Utility Knife to cutting the foarmboard, and recommend getting extra blades.

5) Put a little Loctite PL 300 Foamboard VOC Latex Construction Agglutinative on the back of the cutting pieces of Foamboad to help them stay put and identify them into the Rim Joists, you should have 1/4" to ane/2" gap around all iv edges.

vi) Now use GREAT STUFF PRO Gaps & Cracks 24 oz Insulating Cream Sealant and the Bully STUFF PRO Dispensing Gun Cleaner to fill up in the gaps effectually the four edges of the foamboard and seal up the rim joists.

Note: For the tape, this was my get-go attempt at using the Dispensing Foam Gun, and I know it doesn't look pretty (luckily it gets hidden by the Rockwool insulation).  I would say, use less than y'all think you demand at outset, equally the foam volition expand quite a flake.

vii) OPTIONAL: I needed to fill in the top of my physical block foundation, as this was letting in tons of cold air and hot air.

For any reason my homes sill plate did not extend the unabridged concrete block foundation. And so what I did was to first cut upward small-scale pieces of i" XPS Foamboard and stick them into the top of the holes of the concrete block in society to take up space, before using Gaps and Cracks cream sealant to seal the top.

After filling the holes of the concrete block upwards with pieces of XPS foam, I then used Gaps and Cracks to seal the top. I and then cut the peak of the Gaps and Cracks orangish foam that may accept come upwards above the concrete block, so that it is flush with the meridian of the concrete block.

Next I put a Sill Plate Gasket onto the bottom of ane in. x six in. x 8 ft. Footing Contact Pressure-Treated Board, using Loctite PL 300 Foamboard VOC Latex Structure Agglutinative. I cutting lath and so that information technology was the same width as the exposed physical block wall. Then utilise the Loctite PL 300 on top of the concrete block before putting the board over the elevation to seal up the height.

I held down with pressure treated lath on top of the physical cake with free Weights.

Where I couldn't use weights to hold down the pressure level treated board, I used wedges to proceed board in place while the adhesive bonded.

8) Lastly, mensurate and cut Rockwool Insulation to fit snuggly into each Rim Joist.

I used 5.v" think Rockwool insulation, which only went to the edge of my physical block foundation wall. You'll want to embrace the XPS foamboard with Rockwool in lodge to get better insulate value, but too due to building Burn down codes, since Rockwool is fire resistant up to 2150 Fahrenheit and building codes typically don't allow for having exposed XPS foamboard. Lastly insects won't tunnel through or nest in Rockwool, because they will get torn upwardly while trying tunnel into the fabric.

Note: The one department of Rim Joists in my basement that didn't take the exposed concrete block foundation wall for Rockwool to rest on, I screwed in 1" pine board onto the rafters, then that I could notwithstanding rest 5.5" Rockwool onto the board and have information technology encompass over the top of 2" XPS Foam board.

Hopefully that helps you salve some money on your heating and cooling bill.

To salve even more, y'all'll want to seal upward all your air ducts, and whatever air gaps around your furnance.  I used Ruby Devil 0841DX F-Seal 181 Fiber Reinforced Water Based Duct Sealant, 1 Gallon, Gray and HVAC Multi-Purpose Foil Tape to seal up all my return ducts, heating ducts, and furnance.  At present my furnance isn't leaking unwanted hot or cold air into my basement, and wasting needless energy.

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Source: https://www.gotknowhow.com/articles/how-to-seal-and-insulate-basement-rim-joists-and-concrete-block-sill-with-xps-foamboard-and-rockwool

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