How to Insulate Your Crawl Space

Did you know there is a different way to insulate your crawl space depending on where you live?

Insulation on really works if you allow it to contact a surface that is supposed to be warm.

Are your feet cold when your furnace or other type of heating is burning full blast? The culprit is probably your crawl space!

Insulation needs to be maintained like anything else. The regular inspection of your insulation is covered in C4U Inspection's home maintenance schedule.

Insulation only works if it's in contact with the surface that's supposed to be warm. If you do have cold feet, then there is an easy way to find out how.

Take a look under your house and look for damp insulation. It will probably be hanging down due to the weight. If you house was build before energy saving efficiency codes, you might find you don't have any insulation at all.

Keeping your feet cozy and cool (during summer) will also greatly reduce your heating and cooling bills. Spring is the perfect time to sort out all insulation for your home - especially if you live in a climate that gets a little hot in summer. Good insulation can reduce your home environmental management bills by more than 50%.

Insulation is an investment. Regular inspection and maintenance will increase the lifespan of your investment. Selecting the right insulation for your crawl space will depend on the climate you live in. If you are not sure, talk to Lloyd via the contact form at the bottom of this blog.

Floor insulation for moderate climates.
Six-inch thick fiberglass batts are perfect if you are lucky enough to live somewhere that rarely has temperatures below freezing. Don't forget to think about moisture and mould prevention with your choice of batts.

This is what you need to get the job done right

• Fiberglass batts need to be unfaced and installed so they are contacting the underside of the subfloor. Wood lath should also be pace every 18 inches. You can also choose to use a webbing of wire because it is easier to install and gives great support.
• Your crawl space will need some amount of ventilation. This is a question you might want to ask Lloyd because it depends on the design of your sub flooring
• Insulate your plumbing and air conditioning (or other heating/cooling source pipes) to prevent heat loss.
• You can seal off your batts with a special spray but it is pretty pricey at $5 per square foot. It is the fasted way to seal off your insulation, but alternatives are available if you are willing to put in a lot more work -- probably the reason why the spray is so expensive. The price is probably based on the fact it makes the job much easier.

Enclosing your crawl space in colder climates.

In a cold climate, you will have a little more work to do. It will be worth it. It the most efficient technique is to insulate the walls of your crawl space and close it off from outside by sealing all possible air leaks. In this method, all your plumbing and HVAC pipes will also be protected from the elements and you will conserve a huge amount of energy -- and therefore money.

If you go DIY, you will save about half the cost of getting the job done professionally. The normal cost by the professionals will cost you about 5 dollars per square meter, but you might not do the job as well as they do -- this is really something to consider.

This is what is required to get the job done right.

• Use rigid insulation
• Closing the vents on your foundation is not enough. The vents need to be removed and all holes sealed.
• The rim joist needs to be seal - this is the joist that stands on your foundation and can be sealed with closed-cell foam spray.
• Insulate the foundation walls using waterproof construction adhesive.
• Insulate the base of your crawl space - even if it is dirt, because it will produce moisture - again you can use waterproof plastic used in foundation construction.
• Make sure you don't have any plumbing leaks - moisture control is the key to a crawl space insulation job well done.

Sounds a little complicated? Get advice from Lloyd. He is highly experienced at all aspects of home maintenance and inspection. He can always be called upon to inspect a trades persons work before you pay.

Get more tips on home maintenance and learn all you need to know about home inspections at C4UInspections today!

If you just want to ask our chief inspector, Lloyde Kenzle, a question on anything to do with home maintenance and home inspections, he is more than happy to oblige. It is very hard to set a fixed price for home inspections and home maintenance programs. However, we do our best to provide a reliable quote online. The more information you provide helps us with an accurate quote. 

If you have images, photos and other bulky documents, please upload them to Google Documents or DropBox and share the link in the details box below. No question is too small or silly to ask. Lloyd spends a couple of hours at his desk each afternoon after managing the days projects and will reply to you as soon as possible.

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Need more information and have questions? Contact C4U Inspections today