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Tips on Crawl Space Insulation
by Jerry Blackburn
Crawl space insulation keeps your house warmer in the winter
time. Insulating under the kitchen floor helps prevent cold
feet in the morning. An added benefit is a lower bill for
heating your home. The method and materials used depends on the
construction of the space and if it is ventilated. Installing
insulation isn’t difficult. In most cases, for a homeowner
with a little knowledge, this is a good DIY job. The typical
space can be insulated over a weekend.
Types of Crawl Space Insulation
Several materials can be used for insulating your crawl space
http://www.soundproofing-tips.com/crawl-space-insulation.html .
Typical materials are fibreglass, wood fibers, foams and paper
fibers. Insulating materials come in blanket form, in rigid
sheets or loose. The type you choose will depend on whether you
are insulating the exterior walls or under the floor of your
home.
Regardless of the material used, the basic concept is the same.
The insulating materials work like the blankets on your bed on a
cold night. The blankets trap air near the source of heat and
prevent the warm air from escaping. Heat normally radiates out
and away from its source. Insulating materials prevent this
from happening.
Products are rated based on their efficiency. More effective
insulating materials will be more expensive. The rating is
known as the R value, which stands for flow resistance. The
higher the rating, the more energy efficient the product. You
will generally find this information on the package. If it’s
not there, ask the salesperson.
Where to Install Crawl Space Insulation
There are generally two choices for insulating a crawl space.
You can either insulate the exterior walls of the space or the
ceiling of the crawl space under the floor of your home. A main
consideration in deciding is whether or not the space is
ventilated. You should only insulate the walls of an
unventilated crawl space.
In most cases, it’s better to insulate the exterior walls.
The typical material used is fibreglass batt. This will need to
be cut to fit the wall from the top, all the way down and
extending onto the ground a few feet. You may need to attach
wood strips to the wall and staple the insulation to the wood.
Another option is to nail into the wood at the top of the wall
and drape the insulation.
When you insulate the exterior walls, you need to put a vapour
barrier on the ground. This will prevent moisture from seeping
from the ground into your crawl space. This moisture can cause
mildew to grow in the space. The exterior walls should only be
insulated if the space remains dry all year. There should be no
ventilation to the outside and any ventilation should be
blocked.
If your crawl space is vented, you will need to insulate under
the floor. When you do this, be sure to insulate any water
pipes and ducts in the space. If you don’t do this, your
pipes may freeze and burst in the winter. Several materials can
be used for this job. You can use unfaced batts or fibreglass
with a foil vapour barrier if moisture is an issue. Reflective
materials are available and are excellent for keeping the floor
warm in the winter.
Insulating the floor can also reduce the noise level in your
home. It acts as a soundproofing material. This results in less
noise when the kids run across the carpet or the tile floor.
When working with any type of materials, safety is important.
Always wear long sleeves and pants, as fibreglass and other
materials are irritating to the skin. Wear gloves on your
hands. A dust mask and eye protection are also needed.
About The Author: Jerry Blackburn writes many news http://www.soundproofing-tips.com
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