Use scrap polyiso for inground gutters?
agurkas
| Posted in GBA Pro Help on
I have bunch of scrap 1 1/2″ fiberglass-faced roofing polyiso left over from basement insulation project. Next large project I will be working on is fixing grading issues around the perimeter of the house, removing all the bushes right next to foundation, and putting down washed p-stone (likely). I have read before on GBA about those inground insulation “skirts”, but there XPS or EPS is recommended with EPDM on top. Would it be bad to just use scrap polyiso under EPDM?
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Replies
Apollo,
If you already own the polyiso, I would go ahead with your plan. The price is right.
The price may be right, but the material is wrong. Unlike EPS and XPS, polyiso is hygroscopic- it can and will wick up water and hang onto it when buried. It's effectiveness as insulation falls very dramatically when that happens.
Given the amount of labor involved in that project it's probably worth buying some EPS instead.
It's a tough call whether to go with Dana's advice or Martin's. To me, it depends on whether your main purpose is water diversion or insulation. If the main purpose is water diversion, and throwing some insulation in while you have it dug out is just a bonus, it can't hurt. But if you are counting on getting some R-value for your effort, EPS is not very expensive and will be much more reliable underground insulation.