Insulating The Floor Crawn Space

In moderate or dry climates without the threat of sustained subfreezing temperatures insulation between floor joists makes sense.

Insulating the floor crawn space.

The crawl space is actually dirt floor. 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. Insulating during crawl space encapsulation. Insulation also helps to preserve the air quality and reduce energy costs.

Department of energy recommends r 11 3 insulation under floors in warm climates and an r 25 6 to 8 in cold climates. Crawl space insulation basics. Fiberglass insulation batts or rolls are the most economical and easiest diy choice for insulating between the floor joist in a crawl space. You can also insulate the floor of the crawl space and the sub floor of the crawl space if you live in a cold environment.

An improper crawl space insulation will lead to the floor above the crawl space to be cold and uncomfortable to walk on barefoot or in socks during winters. Insulation on the dirt floor may be useful but in tennessee we find this not to be so. In those days common building practice was to insulate the floor above the crawl space and to leave the crawl space s wall vents open so any moisture buildup would vent to the outside a. Where winter temperatures are extreme opt for insulating the walls and sealing off the crawl space entirely.

While this method does work in the very short term moisture eventually builds in the crawl space and grows on this highly porous surface. Remember up to 50 of the crawl space air can transfer into the living space. Symptoms that you need a new crawl space insulation. Sometimes the crawl space is insulated from the above space and left cool and sometimes they are heated or cooled as part of the home but in either case there should always be insulation separating your interior space from the outdoors or you will have a lot of energy loss which you will pay for.