14 - Friday, January 13, 1989 - North Shore News

DO iT YOURSELF

Insulate from the outside
if the basement is damp

From page 13

around these obstructions range
from 150 mm to 450 mm, depen-
ding cn the type of fuel and the
manufacturer's specifications.

® Turn off the power before
working around electrica! outlets.
If possible, avoid working around
the main electrical panel for the
house; even when the power to the
test of the house is off, the panel
will still be “‘live.””

* Remember the airtightness of
any insulated assembly is critical to
its good performance. Depending
on the insulation method chosen
and the materials used, the air-
vapor barrier may be a continuous
sheet of polyethylene sealed at
edges and penetrations, or it may
Tesult from a dedicated effort to
seal the joints of rigid insulations
and/or interior finishes.

If your basement walls have a
history of moisture problems, it is
preferable to insulate from the

outside. Insulating from the out-
side offers two advantages: you do
not use up valuable inside space,
and the foundation wall becomes
part of the home's heated area.

Since this approach can involve
a lot of digging, you might want to
hire a back-hoe to do the bulk of
the work. Contact utilities and
other companies (telephone and
cablevision) that might have un-
derground cables near your home;
most offer free locating services
that tell you where not to dig.

Once the digging is completed,
cracks in the wall should be
repaired, the wall should be
damp-proofed, and proper
drainage tiles should be installed
(if the existing ones are damaged
or none are present}. A rigid board
insulation should then be installed
against the foundation wall, down
to the footing if possible.

Remember to check the manu-
facturer’s specifications before in-
stalling the insulation.

SAVE
ON ALL
FABRICS & BLINDS

Specializing in custom draperies,
furniture, reupholstery,
slipcovers & bedspreads

Complimentary in-home consultation

GOLDEN

TOUCH

INTERIORS
985-6112

1099 Marine Dr., North Van.

corner of Lloyd & Marine

AT

INTERSECTIONS CICBC

TAKE YOUR TIME
NOT YOUR CHANCES

TRAFFIC SAFETY

Where the insulation meets the
siding, use a J-channel (available
from your building supply dealer)
as a flashing and caulk it under the
siding. Some manufacturers pro-
duce a special coating that protects
their product from _ ultraviolet
radiation and physical abuse.

lf this is not the case with the
material you buy, protect any sec-
tion of the insulation that is above
fround with a water and impact
resistant covering, such as metal
lah and parging or pressure
treated plywood.

Backfill with a material that
drains well, such as sand or gravel,
and slope the topsoil away frem
the wall. You can then landscape
the area, but avoid planting trees
and shrubs close to the wall.

There should also be proper
eavestroughs to drain any water
away from the foundation wall.

Whichever approach you take,
basement insulation should offer
almost immediate benefits,  in-
cluding increased comfort and
substantially reduced home heating
costs.

USE THE NEWS

very Friday the North Shore
“HOMES”

packed with hundreds of
residential listings — from Lions Bay to

News

Deep Cove.

Usually these listings
are accompanied by
superior quality pictures
that allow you, our
readers, to get an idea of

the appearance of a home before you go

section is looking for yourself.

No matter what location, style or price
range you're looking for, you'll find your
new home in the “HOMES” section.

north shore When you're looking

Sava VV, oe around for a new house,

(i 0 start with us. USE the

SUNDAY » WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY NEWS.

We work for you!

|