The Experimental Hygrothermal Performance of a Robust Cold-Climate Retrofit Interior Foundation Wall Insulation System PDF

A durable interior foundation wall retrofit insulation system, including a water management system in compliance with the foundation wall performance option in the 2009 Minnesota Energy Code, has been developed, patented, and tested. The system was tested in an interior foundation wall insulation retrofit application on a masonry block foundation wall using two different types of interior insulation. An interior basement insulation system without a water management system was used as a control. The system was tested under a severe internal boundary condition regime in which the relative humidity reached a maximum value of 72% during the heating season. During the cooling season, water was injected into the system via a spray bar to mimic bulk water leakage through the foundation wall. The results confirm that the water management system was effective in draining bulk water and condensate fromboth sides of the water separation plane in compliance with the requirements of the performance option under the imposed severe boundary conditions.

Presented at Thermal Performance of Exterior Envelopes of Whole Buildings XII, December 2013