Fiberglass insulation on front of foundation???

[Michael Courtemanche]

Hello to all!

I did an inspection yesterday and, when inspecting the outside of the foundation, came across what seems to be fiberglass insulation all along the front portion of the foundation only. Parging seems to have been applied over it but flaked off. Does anyone know why this insulation would be there? And why it would be in the front only? I live in eastern Ontario, Canada if this helps. Many thanks!

Mike

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[Raymond Wand]

I have seen fibreglass batts used on exterior foundation over repaired cracks to act as a drainage plane, but I am not sure this was the purpose per your inquiry.

[Roger Hankey]

The material shown in your photo is consistent with O-C Warm & Dry foundation insulation. I have the product on my own home (blt. 1987)

The coating can simply be re-applied to protect the FG from damage by impact and UV radiation from sun.

I have no idea why installed on only one side. We have had very good performance from this product however, some sections slid down the foundation as soil compacted and we had to have a few pcs. added at top of foundation to cover where this had occurred.

O-C website on this product is
http://www.buildsite.com/dbderived/owenscorning/derived_files/derived238388.pdf

Best wishes.

[Jerry Peck]

The material shown in your photo is consistent with O-C Warm & Dry foundation insulation. I have the product on my own home (blt. 1987)

Roger,

From your link, that Warm & Dry Board is a board insulation. The stuff in the photo looks like fiberglass batt insulation.

I have not seen the Warm & Dry insulation, but I am visualizing it to look somewhat like ductboard with the fiberglass compressed and adhered together.

[Roger Hankey]

Jerry,

The insulation is a high density FG board with oriented fibers (mostly vertical orientation). Typically 2" thick. Typically applied to the outside of an O-C foundation waterproofing coating. When exposed to light, the color in the FG fades and the exposed fibers begin to open or unweave slightly. This is an excellent drain board AND insulation. O-C folks often demonstrate with a 6"x6" piece in a bucket of water. Lift it out of the bucket parallel to floor and it only drips, turn on edge and the water flows back into bucket rapidly.
I am an advocate of exterior foundation insulation. Much better than interior insulation in our northern climate.

[Jerry Peck]

Roger,

Thank you for the description of it, so my visualization of it as being somewhat like ductboard was correct in that the fibers are adhered together in a thin board like form (thin being relative, some may think of it as thick) ... except that the fibers are oriented basically in one direction for drainage.

[Roger Hankey]

Roger,

Thank you for the description of it, so my visualization of it as being somewhat like ductboard was correct in that the fibers are adhered together in a thin board like form (thin being relative, some may think of it as thick) ... except that the fibers are oriented basically in one direction for drainage.

YES. Thicker than ductboard. I haven't check the O-C site, but I believe it comes in 4'x8' sheets to be adheared and fastened to the foundation.