Quote:
Originally Posted by cabmando
I have an old farmhouse. My foundation walls are about 4 blocks high out of the ground.
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afaik from a layman)
You need that gap to prevent carpenter ants from following moisture burrowing up through the walls and rotting sill plates.
They are only following warm easy food.
Exposed concrete block has it's own problems:
-It is moisture porous.
It really needs sealing on the outside as far down as possible. Preferably an entire envelope wrap under the slab. Which is of course not possible.
-It's not a heat barrier.
20% total loss is usually around the sill plate from top ground transfer. Like standing next to an open cooler.
Add insulation down to the frost line about 4ft down.
Inside or outside?...IDK.
-Block may not serve as structural, depending on shifting soils and what is under the foundation base.