Insulate Attic Or Crawl Space

In new construction adding insulation on the exterior of the basement walls will do the following.

Insulate attic or crawl space.

Open crawl space definition concrete floor or 6 mil plastic qualifies minimum permeance rating of 1 laid on the floor not sealed to the foundation piers or taped at the seams lapped 12 at the seams and has mechanical foundation vents. Find your zone on the map and then use the chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces. Achieving greater r values in attics the higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. For insulating the walls of your crawl space most experts recommend a rigid foam board.

Like blanket or batt insulation foam board comes in faced and unfaced varieties. The thermal blanket that covers your entire house helps to hold cold air inside in the summer and prevent warm air from escaping in the winter and crawl space insulation is an essential part of that. In a cold climate the most efficient technique is to insulate the walls of your crawl space and close it off from the elements by sealing all air leaks. This type of insulation may be faced with silver foil with the foil facing inward toward the crawl space.

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. That way plumbing pipes and hvac ducts are protected from freezing temps helping to conserve energy. If a moisture barrier is required or recommended in your climate zone you will want to use the faced board again reflective facing is a good choice to insulate your walls. Recommended steps to properly insulate in the different crawl space designs and the expected effect.

The access door is in our closet which is fine except the fact that the crawl space has very little insulation and neither does the door. Minimize thermal bridging and reduce heat loss through the foundation protect the damp proof coating from damage during backfilling provide some protection against moisture intrusion make the. 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. Two inch expanded polystyrene foam board is the favored insulation for crawl space inside walls.

As you can see using the flame test the door is a little crooked which leaves a gap at the top and the bottom which allows cold. Insulating a crawl space attic door. Crawlspaces are often overlooked but in order for your home to be appropriately insulated they should be insulated.