Green Redux

We’ve framed up the new stud walls in the basement. A pressure treated sole plate is used where the walls site on the slab to prevent any future insect or rot problems. The heat pipes will remain exposed, but I want to leave as little exposed mechanicals above as possible so we built soffits over various pipes. When doing this it is very important to leave access to any valves, junction boxes, etc.

After our framing was in place, our electrician Mr. X came back and we roughed in all the circuits for the new basement and then started inspections, in this case four: plumbing, electrical, building and, soon after, insulation. Rough inspections are the “hump” in the project and once they are done we can insulate and close up all the walls.

Our inspectors all gave us their approval and the insulation was ready to go. I’m using R-13 kraft faced fiberglass batts. My feeling is that this type will be able to remain dry and help manage humidity on both sides of the partition.

Although this is a stone foundation, it is now waterproofed and the stud walls are held away enough that the insulation isn’t touching the stone wall. It’s also important that the fiberglass (and sheetrock/plaster) not touch the concrete floor or it could wick moisture from it.

Next we get a boom truck delivery of 80 sheets of plasterboard, two pallets of plaster and the Darosa Brothers arrive from New Bedford to plaster and paint the basement.

*We’ve moved the photo album to flickr! Check it out here and there’s a link in the sidebar.