Do You Insulate Floors In A House

Cut pieces of insulation just large enough to fit along the rim joist the framing material into which all the floor joists are nailed.

Do you insulate floors in a house. If you have 2 inches of insulation your floor has an r value of 6 4. Adding insulation mitigates the problem but there are some considerations to keep in mind. If you have or will have an unventilated crawlspace the best approach is to seal and insulate the foundation walls rather than the floor between the crawlspace and the house. Crawl space insulation as a part of overall home air sealing and insulation helps maintain your entire home s energy efficiency without insulation heat and cool air are easily lost through the floor.

I want to put insulation on the floor under the house i watched your video and want to know if it would be alright to do what you did only i would like to put foil bubble wrap on last to hold the insulation up. Department of energy recommends r 11 3 insulation under floors in warm climates and an r 25 6 to 8 in cold climates. A pier and beam home built on top of sturdy supports typically has an open crawl space between the floor of the house and the earth. Fiberglass insulation batts or rolls are the most economical and easiest diy choice for insulating between the floor joist in a crawl space.

This strategy has the advantage of keeping piping and ductwork within the conditioned volume of the house so these building components don t require insulation for energy. Consider underfloor heating if replacing a floor as this can provide a comfortable and energy efficient means of heating especially when used in conjunction with solid floors. The sill plate is the first piece of framing lumber and it runs on top of the crawl space wall. However it makes sense to consider retrofitting particularly if you have a suspended timber floor.

The ground floor beneath a house is generally warmer than the air around it and so it would perhaps be third on your list of priorities behind walls and roofs. Insulating floors is often trickier than insulating other areas of your home. Ensure you insulate thoroughly but avoid squashing insulation material as this will seriously compromise its effectiveness. Insulation also helps to preserve the air quality and reduce energy costs.

Older houses with suspended floors which are in effect above a void are likely to lose more heat. Whether you need floor insulation or not depends on your home and what kind of floors it has. Most homes require at least r 13 though homes in cold areas can benefit from more insulation.