Shoutout to my neighbor Frank for talking me out of that foam insulation idea

I was dead set on spraying closed cell foam into my basement walls last fall. Frank, who lives two doors down and has been fixing up old houses for 30 years, told me to hold off. He said I'd regret it if I ever had a leak because the foam traps moisture against the foundation. I didn't listen at first, but he brought me over to his place and showed me a spot in his own basement where the foam had actually caused rot behind the drywall. So I went with rigid foam boards instead, with a vapor barrier. Three months later we got that big rainstorm in November and a crack in the foundation seeped water. The boards came right out, I dried everything, and put them back. Has anyone else had good luck with rigid foam over spray in a damp basement?

2 comments

2 Comments

julia8431d agoTop Commenter

Rigid foam saved my basement too after a wet spring... works perfect for repairs.

mason.paige1d ago

Honestly @julia843 I used to think foam was overkill for basement stuff but you and that wet spring changed my mind. I had a leaky corner that I patched with regular stuff and it just kept coming back. Finally tried rigid foam like you said and it held up perfect through the last big rain. I don't know why I was so stubborn about it before. The foam just seals everything tighter than traditional patches ever did. Now I tell everyone to go with foam first.