I have looked at this system a few times on their website, but this explanation really helped me get it. I'd like to see how the transition detail from wall to floor works in a future video.
Just finished putting it in our basement. I think there's a few details insofast hasn't quite perfected, and that's terminations--inside corners of foundation walls, windows/exterior doors, or where interior walls T to the foundation walls. There's no great way to have a 'stud' at those locations without 1. putting wood there or 2. cutting the panels and putting them precisely where needed, creating unsealed butt joints. This makes drywall installations a bit trickier--using interior corner flashing or adhesive is required, which aren't standard for drywall installers. It would be nice if insofast sold termination panels or strips that lock or glue to the end of your run and/or wherever you have a T. The wire was also challenging to run around inside corners without cutting into an installed panel. Fortunately I tested this out before installing the panels, but it required me to know my exact wire layout before I laid the wires in the first row of panels before placing the 2nd/3rd/etc row. Fine for me, but not OK if you have to schedule contractors to stop/start installing the panels around the elec. Paired with spray foamed rim joist, the basement has smelled normal for the first time we've lived here (12 years), and that's worth it. 1941 home, Minneapolis.
I agree about the corners and openings needing some extra components. I was just studying my windows for this yesterday. It looks like I'm going to have to add a bit of extra wood on the jambs for drywall and trim. One contractor I know who has used InSoFast a lot says he doesn't use the horizontal wiring chases for basements. He runs horizontally at the band joist and drops down to each junction box through the vertical chases.
Being in ATL what thermal efficiency gain do you expect from the InSoFast system? As in how beneficial is the foundation wall insulation vs no insulation. I see very little temp delta with an 8" poured wall all year long in the Southeast. So it's difficult for me to justify insulating.
Great video. InSoFast sounds good - however here's a puzzle for you - what to do with about a half-height CMU wall with no perimeter drain? I fear the CMU will weep and the foamboard will just lock in the water and make the entire assembly damp. Not sure how to think about giving the CMU an ability to try with an air gap while also getting the air sealing details right such that humid air never hits it, or how the assembly could work without a costly perimeter drain
First of all, you need to make sure you don't have any bulk water problems, such as CMU walls weeping liquid water. If it does happen but only rarely, it wouldn't be a big deal, in my opinion. You'll get a bit of water behind the panels and it will dry back through the CMU wall as the other side dries out.
Yes, usually the above-grade portions of walls are built with wood framing these days. In my case, the concrete block foundation wall goes all the way around the house.
I had seen this product previously and thought it very clever. Another benefit - it takes up much less room than other solutions (less room loss). However, a multi-layer wall of XPS foam board, pressure-treated dimensional lumber and cavity insulation (I'd go with rockwool below grade) takes up more usable space but costs far less than the Insofast solution. I also assume that your ceiling height is tall enough to accommodate the higher finished floor.
Yes, it does take up less room than framing and insulating a wall. It takes up more room than my old 1x4 furring strips nailed to the concrete block walls and then drywall nailed to the furring strips. Yes, XPS against the foundation wall with an insulated 2x4 wall in front is a good way to go, too. But is it really cheaper? I haven't priced it out. Yes, our slab to ceiling joist height is about 103 inches, so the 3 inches we're adding to the floor still leaves plenty of ceiling height, even in most of the places where we're using a dropped ceiling.
You don't leave a drainage gap from the top of the foam to beneath because yes, that would mess up the air barrier. It also would allow soil gases and moisture to get into the basement.
If you get the InSoFast sealed up properly, it does help keep soil gases from infiltrating into the house. Sealing by itself often doesn't do enough, so sub-slab depressurization is still needed if that's the case.
I have looked at this system a few times on their website, but this explanation really helped me get it. I'd like to see how the transition detail from wall to floor works in a future video.
Thanks! I'll cover that in a future video.
I loved this video. Very cool product and description of it
Glad you liked it!
Just finished putting it in our basement. I think there's a few details insofast hasn't quite perfected, and that's terminations--inside corners of foundation walls, windows/exterior doors, or where interior walls T to the foundation walls. There's no great way to have a 'stud' at those locations without 1. putting wood there or 2. cutting the panels and putting them precisely where needed, creating unsealed butt joints. This makes drywall installations a bit trickier--using interior corner flashing or adhesive is required, which aren't standard for drywall installers. It would be nice if insofast sold termination panels or strips that lock or glue to the end of your run and/or wherever you have a T. The wire was also challenging to run around inside corners without cutting into an installed panel. Fortunately I tested this out before installing the panels, but it required me to know my exact wire layout before I laid the wires in the first row of panels before placing the 2nd/3rd/etc row. Fine for me, but not OK if you have to schedule contractors to stop/start installing the panels around the elec. Paired with spray foamed rim joist, the basement has smelled normal for the first time we've lived here (12 years), and that's worth it. 1941 home, Minneapolis.
I agree about the corners and openings needing some extra components. I was just studying my windows for this yesterday. It looks like I'm going to have to add a bit of extra wood on the jambs for drywall and trim.
One contractor I know who has used InSoFast a lot says he doesn't use the horizontal wiring chases for basements. He runs horizontally at the band joist and drops down to each junction box through the vertical chases.
Being in ATL what thermal efficiency gain do you expect from the InSoFast system? As in how beneficial is the foundation wall insulation vs no insulation. I see very little temp delta with an 8" poured wall all year long in the Southeast. So it's difficult for me to justify insulating.
Great video. InSoFast sounds good - however here's a puzzle for you - what to do with about a half-height CMU wall with no perimeter drain? I fear the CMU will weep and the foamboard will just lock in the water and make the entire assembly damp. Not sure how to think about giving the CMU an ability to try with an air gap while also getting the air sealing details right such that humid air never hits it, or how the assembly could work without a costly perimeter drain
First of all, you need to make sure you don't have any bulk water problems, such as CMU walls weeping liquid water. If it does happen but only rarely, it wouldn't be a big deal, in my opinion. You'll get a bit of water behind the panels and it will dry back through the CMU wall as the other side dries out.
What did you do for the rim joist?
Ours had closed cell spray foam on it when we bought the house.
For daylight basements, do you use wood framing and fiberglass for the pony wall?
Yes, usually the above-grade portions of walls are built with wood framing these days. In my case, the concrete block foundation wall goes all the way around the house.
I had seen this product previously and thought it very clever. Another benefit - it takes up much less room than other solutions (less room loss). However, a multi-layer wall of XPS foam board, pressure-treated dimensional lumber and cavity insulation (I'd go with rockwool below grade) takes up more usable space but costs far less than the Insofast solution. I also assume that your ceiling height is tall enough to accommodate the higher finished floor.
Yes, it does take up less room than framing and insulating a wall. It takes up more room than my old 1x4 furring strips nailed to the concrete block walls and then drywall nailed to the furring strips.
Yes, XPS against the foundation wall with an insulated 2x4 wall in front is a good way to go, too. But is it really cheaper? I haven't priced it out.
Yes, our slab to ceiling joist height is about 103 inches, so the 3 inches we're adding to the floor still leaves plenty of ceiling height, even in most of the places where we're using a dropped ceiling.
Does the drywall screw into the plastic stud?
Yep. You also can glue the drywall directly to the foam if you need attachment where there's not a stud.
Does the foam go all the way to the slab or do you leave a drainage gap? Wouldn't that ruin the aor sealing?
You don't leave a drainage gap from the top of the foam to beneath because yes, that would mess up the air barrier. It also would allow soil gases and moisture to get into the basement.
Does it work as a radon mitigation barrier, or would one install that liner then this system?
If you get the InSoFast sealed up properly, it does help keep soil gases from infiltrating into the house. Sealing by itself often doesn't do enough, so sub-slab depressurization is still needed if that's the case.
@@TheEnergyVanguard sounds good. I have the subgrade depressurization in place already
Love this product but they could have done better with the name. In so fast is such a stupid name. Sounds like an As Seen On TV product
Maybe so. What would you have called it?
@@TheEnergyVanguard StyroStack