Should You Insulate Lower Level Flooring

During energy audits we get into a lot of building shell discussions should i insulate my basement or should i insulate my interior walls to pick two completely random questions that i totally haven t written about.

Should you insulate lower level flooring.

Insulating the attic floor. The table below shows what levels of insulation are cost effective for different climates and locations in the home. You could get to it from a hole in the wall that was covered by a plywood panel but as. Find your zone on the map and then use the above insulation r value chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces.

The overlap must be at least 6 to 12 inches and those seams should be taped. In practical terms you can choose between mineral wool or insulation boards. Maybe you have an entertainment room or home theater and you don t want to bother people upstairs while watching your favorite movies. At first blush it makes some kind of sense.

The question of whether you should insulate between floors is remarkably similar to that of insulating interior walls. R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it. Floors above cold spaces such as vented crawl spaces and unheated garages. A dirt floor even one topped with gravel releases and absorbs moisture with changes in humidity levels.

Whether the crawl space has vents or not moisture is the first problem to limit. If you do not use the attic much it is pointless heating this area. The middle floor the one that split the upper and lower levels was built upon a crawl space. Seal out that moisture with overlapped sheets of 6 mil polyethylene plastic.

Gaps in the attic or between the lower floors and the attic will let heated or cooled air escape to the great unconditioned outdoors making any insulation you add essentially useless. For example if you have a type of insulation. Maybe you have rooms in the basement that need quiet and privacy. 4c as an alternative to floor insulation foundation walls of unvented crawl spaces.

One of the top reasons that people will insulate their basement ceilings is to add a sound barrier between the lower level and the main floors. So insulating the floor of the attic is not only the best solution but it is also the simplest and cheapest. Also check that water pipes are not leaking. Without lifting solid floors it s difficult to introduce any permanent thermal insulation but coir or other breathable floor coverings can help.

Also insulate 4a any portion of the floor in a room that is cantilevered beyond the exterior wall below. Find a diagram of common air leaks here here s a quick primer on fixing draft prone spots. Insulation level are specified by r value. Where damp is evident ensure external ground levels are lower than the floor and drains and gullies are not blocked.