# Should I Enclose Utilities in Basement?



## velvetfoot (Sep 28, 2011)

I'm semi-finishing my basement.
I don't necessarily really care about enclosing my pump tank/water softener and oil boiler/tank/hw tank/elec. panel in rooms.
But, I can't insulate the walls easy in those areas because of pipes, supports, clearance to walls, etc.
So, I could put them in rooms.

I can see some potential problems:
-have to make sure boiler room has holes in wall big enough to supply combustion air
-softener room could get funky inside closed room?  Frozen pipes (I doubt it)?
-access to remove + service equip

Any experience, plus or minus?


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## Jack Straw (Sep 28, 2011)

I would put a louvered door on the room that contains the boiler. I finished one room in my SIL's basement and I made a small closet for the service panel. This blocked access to the panel from the rest of the basement. I put a 2" pvc pipe in the ceiling with 4 strings in it so wires can be pulled in the future.


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## Swedishchef (Sep 28, 2011)

Velvet: I simply did not finish the utilities room. It's also where I keep some tools, gallons of paint, etc.

Are they all in the same room?

I insulated the walls with sprayfoam and roxul.

What did you end up deciding for your ceiling?

Andrew


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## velvetfoot (Sep 28, 2011)

Right now, there are no utilities rooms.  I'd have to make two, one for the boiler/tanks and panel (or make a little cabinet like Jack Straw to save a little space), and one for the well tank/softener.  Andrew, you insulated the utilities room's walls?  My problem is that with all the hangers and such, it'd be a real pain, if not impossible.

I'm getting close to finishing the foam on the rest of the wall.  I want to start on the drywall since it'd be impossible to get the trailer down to the basement door with snow in the yard and I'm not sure if I have enough drywall stockpiled.  Interesting that Lowes doesn't sell the paperless drywall anymore, which is what I got.  

Still have to figure out what to do with the floor (other thread).

I'm still going with the landscape fabric on the ceiling.
As I said, semi-finished.


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## semipro (Sep 28, 2011)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> ...
> I'm still going with the landscape fabric on the ceiling.
> As I said, semi-finished.



I never heard of such a thing.  How's it work?


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## velvetfoot (Sep 28, 2011)

I'm not bragging about it.
I have fiberglass in the basement ceiling and I want to cover it up to keep the fibers up there and neaten it up a little.
I'm just going to staple it up there.
Can take it down easy to run wire, find leak, etc.


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## firefighterjake (Sep 28, 2011)

My utilities are not in the basement, but are in the mudroom. When my wife and I added two walls to make a small half bath we eneded up going with sliding doors with louvres as JackStraw mentioned for the make-up air . . . it works well as it hides the ugly boiler (well it's actually a nice Pensotti), pipes, hot water heater and the cat litter boxes.


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## velvetfoot (Sep 28, 2011)

The sliding doors would be more substantial than the bifold doors and would also be able to be removed in case something big had to be taken out.
I was actually thinking of making the doors solid and making holes in the end of the room so that the noise from the oil burner could be attenuated some.
On the other hand, the room would have a tendency to hold in the excess heat.


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## firefighterjake (Sep 28, 2011)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> The sliding doors would be more substantial than the bifold doors *and would also be able to be removed in case something big had to be taken out*.
> I was actually thinking of making the doors solid and making holes in the end of the room so that the noise from the oil burner could be attenuated some.
> On the other hand, the room would have a tendency to hold in the excess heat.



The ease of removing the doors to move stuff or to allow the oil burner tech easy access to everything was one of the reasons we went with the sliders.


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## semipro (Sep 28, 2011)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> I'm not bragging about it.
> I have fiberglass in the basement ceiling and I want to cover it up to keep the fibers up there and neaten it up a little.
> I'm just going to staple it up there.
> Can take it down easy to run wire, find leak, etc.



I like it, good idea (as long as its not a fire hazard.  I don't want to step in that one again).

Didn't think you were bragging but maybe you should.


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## velvetfoot (Sep 28, 2011)

It's quite thin, so there's not much material.
I tried to set it on fire on the gravel but all it mostly did was melt.


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## Jags (Sep 28, 2011)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> Interesting that Lowes doesn't sell the paperless drywall anymore, which is what I got.



Are you referring to cement board, cuz I have never heard of paperless drywall (and I am in the industry).


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## Delta-T (Sep 28, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

> velvetfoot said:
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papaerless drywall...sounds very fragile. gypsum not really famous for its strength or bendiness. Would be a neat product though.


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## Swedishchef (Sep 28, 2011)

Velvet: yes I did insulate the utilities' room walls. The spray foam guy got behind the water tank, etc and I kept enough room to fram behind it, added roxul and voila, it was done.
When I installed my electrical pannel, I put 2 inches of foam and then 3/4 inch plywood on top, hooked it to the concrete (screwed through plywood and foam). Then I attached the electrical panel to the plywood. It's not moving. Sprayfoam around the plywood and off I was.

Andrew


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## semipro (Sep 29, 2011)

Jags said:
			
		

> velvetfoot said:
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Check out DensArmor.  Its what I used on my last below grade job.


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## velvetfoot (Sep 29, 2011)

That's what I was referring to.  It has fiberglass instead of paper.  My Lowes doesn't carry it anymore.

Andrew, it sounds like you started from scratch and could do it the way you wanted.  I'm retrofitting, and not about to remove the panel (rigid conduit entrance), tanks, pipe, etc.


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## Swedishchef (Sep 29, 2011)

Heh. Yes, it is a new house so I had a fresh canvas. Lots of work got done but it's nice. 

My current problem is that I am 70% done and have lost all motivation to keep going. I have had doors in place without doorknobs for 7 months. LOL. Like I tell people, it's my basement and we don't often use it (except in winter since the stove and flat screen TV are downstairs). It's very easily "liveable". moldings are done, floor is done, plastered and painted. Just missing ceiling, doorknobs and the bathroom needs to have gyprock put up with a toilet and shower and that's it. Wiring is done as is plumbing.

Fun jobs eh?

Andrew


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## velvetfoot (Sep 29, 2011)

It'd be nice to have a bathroom down there, but as I've said, it's only going to be semi-finished.  
The winter is a good time to work down there. 
I'm hoping to get the foam on the walls finished soon and then put up the gyprock.
Still not sure about the floor either.


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## Jags (Sep 29, 2011)

Semipro said:
			
		

> Check out DensArmor.  Its what I used on my last below grade job.



Ah, Densarmor/densglass/denshield ...I know that stuff.  In the industry it is considered a substrate not a drywall (or "finish") product.  Now I got ya.


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## Don2222 (Oct 2, 2011)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> I'm semi-finishing my basement.
> I don't necessarily really care about enclosing my pump tank/water softener and oil boiler/tank/hw tank/elec. panel in rooms.
> But, I can't insulate the walls easy in those areas because of pipes, supports, clearance to walls, etc.
> So, I could put them in rooms.
> ...



A boiler OAK either way makes a big difference in making your house warmer and more comfortable.
See pics of our Carling burner OAK
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/58408/


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## velvetfoot (Oct 2, 2011)

Thanks for that tip Don.
I've read before on a oak for my Beckett burner too.  I had the part number once, but never ordered it. I have to figure out how to run the pipe.  This is another reason for keeping the the ceiling flexible so that future changes can be made.  

How did it work for you last winter?  How long is the run to the boiler?  Did you insulate the corregated pipe? The installation instr. on the kit I was looking at specified galvanized pipe, but maybe with a short distance it doesn't matter.  Did you form a trap in the corregated pipe to help prevent cold air intake when boiler is off?  A lot of questions, sorry.

If I recall, m thinking at the time was that if things were working okay, why mess with it.


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## Don2222 (Oct 2, 2011)

velvetfoot said:
			
		

> Thanks for that tip Don.
> I've read before on a oak for my Beckett burner too.  I had the part number once, but never ordered it. I have to figure out how to run the pipe.  This is another reason for keeping the the ceiling flexible so that future changes can be made.
> 
> How did it work for you last winter?  How long is the run to the boiler?  Did you insulate the corregated pipe? The installation instr. on the kit I was looking at specified galvanized pipe, but maybe with a short distance it doesn't matter.  Did you form a trap in the corregated pipe to help prevent cold air intake when boiler is off?  A lot of questions, sorry.
> ...



The Boiler OAK worked awsome! It is amazing how much air that draws in! Much more that a wood stove or pellet stove when the boiler is firing!! Therefore, there is no more inside air going up the chimney and the whole house is warmer and much more comfortable

Did you see the pics?
See pics of our Carling burner OAK
https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/58408/

It is NOT recommended to insulate the flex metal pipe for the OAK, because the air needs to be warmer before going into the boiler so they even recommend a 10 - 12 foot run to get the air warmer. My run is about 6 feet so I kept an I on it all winter and it seemed fine. My boiler analyst stated you may have banging noise if the outside temp goes to -10 to -20 below. If you hear the noise then an adjustment is needed. There is no trap but a damper is needed for safety in case the outside vent becomes blocked!
they o not recommend an automatic shutter to stop outside air when not in use in case something goes wrong. I find that since I did enclose the boiler in a room, that the room is so warm that it is fine!

Good Luck!


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