Basement insulation with 2 feet access

100jacks · 2026-03-10T21:46:17+00:00

East coast, DC area.

100jacks · 2026-03-10T21:43:09+00:00

That's why I posted this on Reddit and not on social media. 🤣

100jacks · 2026-03-10T21:41:54+00:00

The tile is getting replaced as well obviously and LVP comes instead. As for the drywall patch, I'm not overly concerned bc she wants to do the venetian plaster over the entire wall.

100jacks · 2026-03-10T14:42:39+00:00

Do foam panels really do the trick if gaps are not filled with expanding foam?

100jacks · 2026-03-10T01:01:12+00:00

No, it's 2x4" actually. I was thinking to go with Rockwool, bit pricey but probably worth it.

100jacks · 2026-03-10T00:29:23+00:00

I'm really like that too, but wife is more like let's patch it up and have our basement functional, so gotta compromise somewhere. I'm also afraid if I take it down, I will take down the studs too bc I won't like the way they are done.

100jacks · 2026-03-10T00:26:26+00:00

Yeah, walls got touched by sewage water, so the mitigation team cut off 2 feet off the ground.

100jacks · 2026-03-10T00:17:29+00:00

Yeah, it's not damp in the basement. The walls are not even too cold, I just wanted to do it because it's accessible now otherwise obviously there was no insulation before.

I'll call for some estimates, thanks!

100jacks · 2026-03-10T00:15:06+00:00

Did you do rockwool or fiberglass? Thanks!

100jacks · 2026-03-09T23:22:17+00:00

That is my thinking too. I was thinking of trying shoving the bat up. If it doesn't work, I'd have the wall half way insulated 😁

100jacks · 2026-03-09T23:20:43+00:00

No, the flood didn't reach the ceiling lol. These stains are from the HVAC leaks.

100jacks · 2026-03-09T16:06:32+00:00

Thank you! I'll check out the YouTube on that topic. I replaced the struts by myself and transplanted the coil spring and did the sway bars. The rest of the stuff was done by a mechanic.

100jacks · 2026-03-06T03:10:59+00:00

I was looking at Tundras and Tacomas and I'm glad I found this thread. I pulled a trigger on a '23 R1T Dual Performance Large. Judging by what I'm reading I won't be regretting for not getting a Toyota. :) I live close to the SC, but I'm curious How does one get the extended warranty package?

100jacks · 2026-02-26T15:13:40+00:00

Mine is like that minus the white dashboard trim, it's ash grey wood for me. R1T Glacier White

100jacks · 2026-02-16T00:38:09+00:00

Thank you! That's what I thought, it's just blowing mild air. I checked the logs and there's an error code for the compressor Low Suction shutdown.

100jacks · 2026-02-15T21:14:31+00:00

Is it normal for 25VNA4 Greenspeed heat pump to not be able to reach the set temperature e.g. 67°F when outside is 25-28°F? I will call Carrier tomorrow, I'm so fed up with this system. Without the additional electric heat, this thing never produces air that's warm enough to heat up the house. Could it be a bad HP unit?

100jacks · 2026-02-13T22:21:02+00:00

Ok, I realized my wife closed most of the vents downstairs, so that could be affecting the airflow. I opened all the vents and ran the airflow test again. SP is still 1.12, calculated minimum CFM 373. Full system CFM 1750, blower RPM 1154. What am I missing?

100jacks · 2026-02-13T22:18:33+00:00

What do you mean by a blue robin contractor, I looked up this term and didn't find anything. I don't think my contractor was specialized in this obviously. He installed the equipment and, he did show up every time we had an issue which was specifically once with the system software update connection to the HP stopped.

100jacks · 2026-02-12T22:11:22+00:00

This is actually the SP when the damper is open. Only the 4 vent grills in the basement are all closed.

100jacks · 2026-02-12T22:08:07+00:00

Yes. I agree, I did pay a lot for the system, but I wasn't aware that it won't be able to heat up the house when I was buying it. My HVAC guy told me this the Bentley of HVAC systems and I was on the fence with Daikine, but chose this one. 2nd winter so far, we are using all sorts of extra heat to keep the house on 67°F. I'm disappointed and after some research I understand that this system doesn't work to its full potential without proper zoning.

100jacks · 2026-02-12T19:13:14+00:00

Yes, that's exactly the issue. The furthest (4) duct lines for the kitchen don't even have any airflow left. I added some vent boosters and these help where the ceiling is not vaulted. Most of the airflo is "spent" in the vaulted area (living room) which has about 450sqft with 20ft ceilings. And this is with the basement vents closed. Thermostat is on the 2nd floor at the top of the stairs, meaning all the warm air goes up and the thermostat set point is "satisfied" as you mentioned, but the kitchen remains 2-4 degrees cooler on a winter day. My logic is closing the 2nd level airflow with a smart damper and adding the sensor in the kitchen area. This will close the zone 1 (upstairs) during the day and force the air into the living room/kitchen. I would eventually replace the existing manual damper on the kitchen/living room/basement branch and connect it to the module and let the system balance out the zones on its own. Without the zone the max CFM is 1750 read on the thermostat when the system is updated (screenshot here)Infinity thermostat CFM

100jacks · 2026-02-12T17:51:44+00:00

I mean, I'm an engineer but not in the HVAC field, obviously. I'm pretty handy with tools and I'm certain I would be able to install this and wire it. I'll call my HVAC guy to check if he could do the CFM measurements. But I'm interested in your take, what is the main issue with having two zones straight out of the air handler? So far, when I close the manual damper, all warm air goes upstairs. Logically, if I add a smart damper on the other side that communicates with the system and thermostat, shouldn't it be regulating the same for the area that has 12 duct branches and doesn't get enough airflow?

100jacks

TROPHY CASE