Insulating basement - Thinking aloud

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What exactly is dangerous about exposed xps? It's out in the open at the BBS all the time.

It has a low ignition temperature and then burns quickly and releases toxic gases.
 
Dow Thermax insulation board meets most codes related to fire spread.
 
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Thermax is hard to come by Im not even sure they make it anymore and its pricey usually.
 
Thermax is hard to come by Im not even sure they make it anymore and its pricey usually.
So the material itself is inert, harmless? Can it be painted with fire retardant paint?
 
So the material itself is inert, harmless? Can it be painted with fire retardant paint?

No. Its still foam with a thick foil layer so it passes some sort of flame test.
 
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Does anyone have any idea on the heat absorption rate of poured concrete?
 
If you mean R-value....its pretty low, like 0.1 per inch of thickness. The heat capacity is also fairly large.
 
If you mean R-value....its pretty low, like 0.1 per inch of thickness. The heat capacity is also fairly large.
Folks say poured concrete walls absorbs heat from stoves. Well, I'm wondering how fast and to what extend it does that.
 
Folks say poured concrete walls absorbs heat from stoves. Well, I'm wondering how fast and to what extend it does that.

Turns out to be a non-trivial calculation. Bottom line....they can absorb MOST of it.
 
Bottom line....they can absorb MOST of it.
Which is what I observed in our house.
Our primary source of heat, a wood stove, originally operated in our uninsulated basement with poured concrete walls and backfill outside. The difference in comfort and upstairs house temps was significantly better after insulating the basement walls. Sorry, no numbers to provide though.
 
Has anyone used reflectix, the foil faced bubble wrap insulation?
 
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