What kind of insulation can be used on cellar walls, behind pellet stove?

[patricia]

We just had a wood pellet stove installed, but the cellar wall behind the stove, which is vented out the cellar window, is an outside wall and very, very cold. I wonder if there is an insulation we can use to cover this wall. The wallboard is down, so it is just the framing with the concrete behind it. I am afraid of a fire with the pink insulation, or wether to get the silver bubble kind of insulation to keep the heat in. Or am I just totally wrong and need something else? Please help if you can, we don't want to loose all our heat through that outside exposed wall. Pat %-P

 

[webbie]

I think you can use foam board as long as you cover it with sheet rock or something else. Having that type of board fully exposed is not a good idea.

Most wood pellet stoves put very little heat out to the back walls, so as long as the manufacturers clearances are followed you will not have any problems.

 

[LLigetfa]

... it is just the framing with the concrete behind it. I am afraid of a fire with the pink insulation...

Pink fibreglass doesn't burn but the wood framing can. I would not use styrofoam. After you insulate, you just need to put up a radiation shield with air gap.

 

[Wet1]

Pink fibreglass doesn't burn

Sure it does.

 

[tinkabranc]

We just had a wood pellet stove installed, but the cellar wall behind the stove, which is vented out the cellar window, is an outside wall and very, very cold. I wonder if there is an insulation we can use to cover this wall. The wallboard is down, so it is just the framing with the concrete behind it. I am afraid of a fire with the pink insulation, or wether to get the silver bubble kind of insulation to keep the heat in. Or am I just totally wrong and need something else? Please help if you can, we don't want to loose all our heat through that outside exposed wall. Pat %-P

IMO you should be insulating more than just the one wall or they will suck up all your heat.
Before finishing our basement walls we painted them with mold/mildew/waterproof paint, insulated
them with the pink fiberglass stuff and then put on a vapor barrier before finishing it up with drywall
years ago. Basement is nice and toasty in the winter and no mustyness at all in the summer.

 

[RPK1]

We just had a wood pellet stove installed, but the cellar wall behind the stove, which is vented out the cellar window, is an outside wall and very, very cold. I wonder if there is an insulation we can use to cover this wall. The wallboard is down, so it is just the framing with the concrete behind it. I am afraid of a fire with the pink insulation, or wether to get the silver bubble kind of insulation to keep the heat in. Or am I just totally wrong and need something else? Please help if you can, we don't want to loose all our heat through that outside exposed wall. Pat %-P

Most all insulating materials are considered "combustible" and should not be left exposed as an interior finish. This info is usually printed on the insulation material as a disclaimer. As long as you meet the clearance from combustible wall as stated in the stove manual you can use wood framing fiberglass insulation and sheetrock. This is probably the most economical way to go. If the stove will be too close to this combustible wall there are ways of reducing the clearance if needed. Write back if that is the case and we can give suggestions for reducing the clearance to the wall.

RPK1

 

[slls]

Pink fibreglass doesn't burn

Sure it does.

Pink stuff will NOT burn. I just went down the cellar and took a piece of pink stuff and put my propane blow torch to it. It turns red and shrivels up, no flame.

 

[Wet1]

You're right slls, it won't catch on fire... being basically recycled glass and sand, it just melts. BUT, the facing attached to fiber glass insulation is quite combustible. Obviously this is not the case with raw unfaced fiberglass.

 

[RonaldAdams]

You're right slls, it won't catch on fire... being basically recycled glass and sand, it just melts. BUT, the facing attached to fiber glass insulation is quite combustible. Obviously this is not the case with raw unfaced fiberglass.

You could use Roxul mineral wool, I used it all over my basement and I think it is great. Here is the website www.roxul.com. I was in the local big box ( Reno Depot) one day and saw the demonstration of the fire resistance of Roxul's product. It was pretty impressive. The sales guy set a piece of insulation standing up with a propane torch just burning as hot as you can and it didn't even singe the insulation. Being a smarta** , I ask him how long the insulation could withstand a direct flame and if he had tried to burn it from edge. So, he turned the piece of insulation 90 degrees so that the flame was directed into the edge of the piece of batt. We stood there for at least a half hour with a full flame on the piece and still no sign of burning. I even put my bare hand on the opposite side and could not detect any heat. This sold me and it is the only insulation I will use in my home.

 

[el gordo]

i am almost done finishing my new family room in my basement. i did the whole frame, foamboard insulation, and sheetrock but i left behind my p-68 open. now this week im going to put in some nice ceramic tile behind it, and then finish the room out with trim. its going to look really good, plus im hoping the ceramic might help radiate a bit. but thats an idea