ᐅ Perimeter Insulation and Waterproofing for Older Buildings Without a Foundation
Created on: 11 Jun 2025 18:29
K
kettjenWe have an old farmhouse/barn dating back to around 1850. As part of insulating the exterior facade, we are now considering adding perimeter insulation. The problem is that we don’t have a traditional foundation.
There is no slab; only a rammed earth floor. However, the floor underneath the screed has been insulated and is thermally decoupled from the walls.
The exterior walls are built about 30 cm (12 inches) into the ground, which is composed of clay/sandy soil. The walls are made of fired bricks/solid bricks. The walls near the ground are slightly damp in winter, but otherwise show no significant issues. In the area of the former horse stalls, there were minor salt efflorescence problems when damp, which we managed well with lime plaster.
Question: Does applying a masonry waterproofing make sense here, or could it actually cause problems? And what about the perimeter insulation? How much energy loss can we expect in this area?
There is no slab; only a rammed earth floor. However, the floor underneath the screed has been insulated and is thermally decoupled from the walls.
The exterior walls are built about 30 cm (12 inches) into the ground, which is composed of clay/sandy soil. The walls are made of fired bricks/solid bricks. The walls near the ground are slightly damp in winter, but otherwise show no significant issues. In the area of the former horse stalls, there were minor salt efflorescence problems when damp, which we managed well with lime plaster.
Question: Does applying a masonry waterproofing make sense here, or could it actually cause problems? And what about the perimeter insulation? How much energy loss can we expect in this area?
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