Floor Insulation

Finding Proper Floor Insulation is Important for the Energy Efficiency of Your Home

When building a house, or simply renovating an existing one, it is important to spend time researching and purchasing adequate floor insulation. This form of insulation has many benefits. During the winter, insulation helps keep the warm air in, and prevent cold air from the outside coming in. During the summer, it’s the opposite. Heat is kept out and cool, air-conditioned air is kept in. A proper insulation job will drastically reduce your heating and cooling costs.

One of the functions of insulation is to form a barrier between the inside of your house to the outside, or in the case of floor insulation, a barrier between the basement and attic. It also helps to reduce the draft within a house. A proper insulation job can significantly reduce the amount of noticeable drafts in a home.

Floor insulation is often cheaper than foam sheathing or building thicker walls. Proper floor insulation can also help increase the R-value of the home with little additional cost. When installing insulation, make sure that the areas within the floor are completely filled. Any gaps or voids will reduce the effectiveness of the newly installed insulation. Also, make sure not to over compress the insulation, as this could reduce its effectiveness as well.

There are many different supports to hold the insulation in the floor cavity. There are springy metal rods, plastic straps, plastic mesh, and lath. Lath is a thin and narrow strip of a material, often wood or metal. Depending on the configuration of your floors and the type of insulation you choose, the proper supports may vary.

When considering the batt thickness of insulation, there are many different sizes. Different sizes of floor insulation are suitable for different size cavities. Common sizes range from R-19, which is usually about 6.25 inches deep, to R-38, which is up to 12 inches deep. Depending on the brand of the batt, these sizes can vary up to an inch. Your local supplier is a good source of information for the appropriate size batt.

An innovative style of floor insulation is called blown-in insulation. This option helps eliminate the possibility for gaps and voids. It is also a good option for getting around wires and pipes. A blown-in job by professionals can help increase the energy efficiency of your home significantly.

As can be expected, there are many types of insulation that are suited for different applications. However, all types of insulation serve the same purpose. They also need to be properly applied. When adding insulation to your floors, remember to speak to your local supplier for appropriate types of insulation and additional tips on installation. With a properly insulated floor, you will be well on your way to reducing energy costs.