Use and Care Guide

The most common problem home inspectors find in homes less than 12
years old is basement leaks.
Source: USA Today
Exterior Insulated Basement
When building a home, adding a continuous
layer of STYROFOAM
™
Brand Extruded
Polystyrene Foam Insulation to the exterior of
basement walls is one of the most important
steps you can take to protect your home from
the damaging effects of moisture.
With an R-value of 5.0 per inch, moisture-
resistant STYROFOAM
™
Brand XPS Foam
Insulation:
• Protects the waterproofing membrane from
damage caused by backfill
• Keeps the wall warm, reducing the potential
for condensation on the interior surface of the
wall
• Resists water absorption and compression
from soil loads, retaining its thermal
performance
Manage Moisture
Foundation walls exist in a
typically wet environment caused
by rain, melting snow or the water
table. The concrete and cement
block commonly used to build
most foundation walls absorbs
water from the soil and allows it
to move through the wall.
Much of this movement is due
to capillary action: Water moves
from an area of high concentration
to low concentration, often against
gravity. Water can also pass directly
through cracks in the basement wall.
STYROFOAM™ Brand Extruded Polystyrene Foam
Insulation is inherently moisture-resistant, helping
defend against moisture penetration.
®™Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company (“Dow”) or an affiliated company of Dow
Figure 1:
3
STYROFOAM™ Brand PERIMATE™ Insulation
R-Value*, min. (Btu/°F•ft
2
•h), per ASTM C518,
measured at 75°F mean temperature
Water Absorption, max.
(% by vol.), per ASTM C272
STYROFOAM™ Brand PERIMATE™ Insulation is covered by a 50 year Limited Thermal
Warranty (for further information see http://building.dow.com/na/en/tools/warranty.htm)
See ICC-ES ESR-2142 Report for verification of ASTM C578 Type IV and IRC building code
compliance.
R-10
(for 2.13" thick product
with drain channels)
0.3