Where winter temperatures are extreme opt for insulating the walls and sealing off the crawl space entirely.
Insulation crawl space floor joists.
Cover the walls with insulation from the sill plate to the plastic covered dirt floor.
If vents are not present in your crawl space insulate the walls instead of the joist bays.
Joist bays the open spaces between floor joists are prime hosts for insulation under specific circumstances.
When the basement or crawl space has vents installed insulating joist bays.
In moderate or dry climates without the threat of sustained subfreezing temperatures insulation between floor joists makes sense.
If the crawl space is ventilated which is ideal because it aids in the elimination of moisture then fiberglass insulation can be easily installed under the subfloor between the floor joists.
It is important to secure insulation and cover it with a vapor barrier in order to prevent moisture and the mold that often follows close behind.
Department of energy recommends r 11 3 insulation under floors in warm climates and an r 25 6 to 8 in cold climates.
Floor insulation for moderate climes popular reads.