Basement Framing for HVAC

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There is another subject that hasn't discussed.

Is you existing comfort heat appliance of sufficient capacity to handle the increased load and will the existing blowers be sufficient to maintain comfort heating throughout?

Usually taken into account when house is built and he has been in contact with the O installer.
 
Yes, when I first started looking into this, I asked the original installer, and he said that the current one was sized big enough for finishing the basement.
 
So it sounds like a recently built house. http://energycode.pnl.gov/EnergyCodeReqs/index.jsp?state=Minnesota

You probably do have 2" x 2'(or 4') perimeter insulation under the slab, so a sill sealer would work. IMHO, insulate the wood rims before building the wall- unless you have 2" FB on the exterior at the rim joist already. When retro the rims, use foil-faced to stop summer/winter condensation on the rim, both from the exterior/interior. Best; caulk all wood joints before canned foam on the under-sized cut FB for a good air seal; http://www.buildingfoundation.umn.edu/RimJoist/default.htm

Poly in the wall cavity is a bad idea for your location, since '98; http://www.buildingfoundation.umn.edu/OCBasementSystem/default.htm

Ask the Inspector about the Class of vapor barrier needed because with 2" XPS on exterior, you may not need any more than drywall (paper-less is best) with latex paint. While there, ask about using builders paper on the concrete face to throttle any moisture coming in to encourage drying rather than pooling at the plate. The air gap is an alternative and in your case with ext. FB, would limit any convective looping/wetness to top of wall that a gap encourages. Foam board shrinks 2% across its width to break most tapes other than furnace cement/furnace tape- but as most your FB is outside- the gaps between sheets as it ages- moist air from exfiltration would stop at the builders paper rather than condensing due to ext. FB.

Gary
 
GBR the rim is done and covered with drywall so as that was code on the build the rim should be done to code.
 
Yes, when I first started looking into this, I asked the original installer, and he said that the current one was sized big enough for finishing the basement.

Did they also tell you the required temp. standard the appliance is required to maintain 5' above the finished floor?

There are standards for you municipality, that had you submitted your plans for plan check, would have been a specific note on the plan check sheet.
 
Usually taken into account when house is built and he has been in contact with the O installer.

If the house is built with an unfinished basement, the comfort heat is designed for that configuration, because only a fool would design for maybe.
 
If the house is built with an unfinished basement, the comfort heat is designed for that configuration, because only a fool would design for maybe.

Unless they were asked by the home owner doing the build to size it because the plan was to finish the basement within 5 years...

I'm not to concerned with HVAC because I'm having the same company that did the HVAC for the finished floors come back and finish off the Basement part.

I guess what I'm most concerned with this phase is the framing, and if there is something specific I need to worry about in the framing based on the VERY rough idea of electrical.

I can look into submitting my plans for review, however I was specifically told by the city inspector NOT to start the permit process, because this project isn't going to be a 30 day thing for me. I need to do it as time allows, so it is likely to drag on for a few years I'm thinking. It'll be an hour or two a weekend I am thinking is all... and at some point I'll probably hire someone to finish what is left to just get it done, but wanted to do as much of it myself as I could to save money.

I do appreciate all the helpful suggestions and things (This is new to me, so I don't pretend to be an expert), its been a huge help. The sarcastic comments however don't generally do anyone any good. Please remember as per this forum thread, this is the DIY section...
 
Sorry, another question, if I'm doing a double top plate, can I nail the first top plate to the top floor joists, build the rest of the wall on the ground, lift it up, then nail that to the upper top plate already nailed to the ceiling?

and I have a ramset for nailing to floor. Is there a length I need to use, or will the below work for me? and also any suggestions on if I need the green powder loads?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002XDR3Y8/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20
 
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Yes you can if the floor is really close to level. If it is not level you will be in for a whole bunch of hurt.
Yes that will work too, don't remember colour, it should be marked for concrete. 2 1/2 or even 2 1/4 would be plenty
 
jjohnston: if you are thinking about bringing in a pro at some point later in the process (as you mentioned, to finish) then perhaps you should use the pro now to get the basics right. Then your work will be mostly in the finishing where you can take time and learn as you go.
 
Sorry, another question, if I'm doing a double top plate, can I nail the first top plate to the top floor joists, build the rest of the wall on the ground, lift it up, then nail that to the upper top plate already nailed to the ceiling?

and I have a ramset for nailing to floor. Is there a length I need to use, or will the below work for me? and also any suggestions on if I need the green powder loads?

Do you understand the difference between plan check and permit?
Do you understand the vacancy requirement's for permits, and their duration, or the process for extending them?

Each municipality has them.

Another opinion given by someone in another geographical area, and may be totally unrelated to your areas code requirements.

Had you submited your plan for plan check, you would have had the answer.
 
I don't know how long this guy has been in the trades, but I've never pushed a pin with another pin, and have always shot the pin through a steel plate, which prevents the pin from being buried in the sil.
 
If you always shoot 3 inch you never have to push the nail in. Some guns won't sink the nail all the way in if you don't do that. At the end of the video you will see that he moves his metal straight edge.
 
When you compress the barrel to the firing position, the nail head is tight to the load chamber.

What does him moving the square have to do with the performance of anchoring the sil?
 
I have a ramset. do people usually do a nail in between every other stud space?
 
Once again, had you submitted your plans for plan check, you would have had the correct answer for your area.

Generally, anchor points are recommended to be within 12" of the sil ends and every 4', or so.

If the sil end has a knot or the lumber is dry the greater the chance of it splitting occurs the closer to the end the pin is placed.
 
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I am in a similar situation right now, and I have also called for the services of an HVAC company as I do not know anything about it. The HVAC guys told me that I also need to cut a 3.5" hole in my top plate. So, I have exactly the same question as you, if the code says I can't cut more than half the wood out without some metal reinforcement, should I actually do it? How have you done it?
 
I am in a similar situation right now, and I have also called for the services of an HVAC company as I do not know anything about it. The HVAC guys told me that I also need to cut a 3.5" hole in my top plate. So, I have exactly the same question as you, if the code says I can't cut more than half the wood out without some metal reinforcement, should I actually do it? How have you done it?

There are any # of plate straps that will bridge/tie them together.
 
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