The Benefits of Under Floor Insulation
How to insulate a floor helps to keep the heat in your home during winter and the cool air out during summer, reducing your heating bills and enhancing energy efficiency. It also reduces draughts and cold spots in your home, making it more comfortable. Its acoustic properties also help to reduce noise transfer between floors. In addition, it can help to prevent condensation and mould in the underfloor space.
Under floor insulation can be installed in new homes, as well as being a retrofit option for existing houses. There are a few factors that need to be considered before installing underfloor insulation, including the accessibility of the space and the type of insulation chosen. If the underfloor area is easily accessible, blanket batts and rolls or loose-fill insulation can be used. If the space is a crawlspace, however, it might be more practical to use rigid foam insulation or a vapor barrier.
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The most common types of underfloor insulation include polystyrene (EPS) or extruded polystyrene (XPS), wool and cotton, and cellulose fibre. Polystyrene is a popular choice as it offers good thermal resistance, moisture resistance and durability. Cotton and wool insulation are a more natural option with good thermal, acoustic and moisture properties. Sheep’s wool is also a great choice, as it is environmentally friendly and provides high levels of fire safety, acoustic and moisture performance.
Whatever type of under floor insulation you choose, it is important to ensure a tight fit and a strong seal around the perimeter of the underfloor space. This will minimize the risk of leaking and will maximize the performance of your insulation.