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How To Insulate Your Floor
By Jerry Holt - Staff Writer for DIY Today!

Believe it or not you lose a lot of heat through your floor during the winter months and on the reverse end of things you can gain unwanted heat during the summer months. You can save money each year by insulating your floor. This is a home improvement must that is often overlooked.

To insulate the sub floor you will need:

* R-19 Kraft Faced Insulation Batts
* Staple Gun with Staples
* Polypropylene Twine
* Six-mil black opaque polyethylene sheeting (also know as visqueen).

To insulate the exterior perimeter you will need.:

* R-10 foam board to cover the foundation to the below-ground level. Make sure it has moisture absorption rate of about 3 percent or less. It should also have perm rating of 2 or less.  Your local home improvement store should have what you need. 
* Metal Z flashing to extend around your house between the foundation and the siding. This can be found at your home improvement store or maybe a sheet metal company.  It is used to prevent moisture damage.
* You should also use a fire retardant such as cement board.
* Six-mil black opaque polyethylene sheeting.

Here’s how you install it the insulation to your sub floor:

Make sure your crawl space is well ventilated. You should have several foundation vents to provide cross ventilation. Check for insects such as carpenter ants or termites and also check for dry rot before you begin. If you have these problems I suggest you contact a professional before you begin.

Make sure you wear a mask, goggles and protective clothing (coveralls are a good idea). Push insulation up between the joists making sure the paper side is away from you and touching the sub floor. Don’t compress the insulation as it will lose its R value. Once the insulation is in place staple the twine across the floor joists, back and forth about every 12 inches. Make sure all water pipes not covered by the batts get insulated. The easiest way is to use insulated sleeves. You can find them at any home improvement store.

Finally, you need to lay down ground cover. Make sure all debris is removed and carefully lay down the visqueen. Also make sure it is extended up about 6 inches along the foundation walls and the entire ground area is covered.

Here's how you install the perimeter insulation:

Perimeter insulation is installed on the foundation walls. It is mainly used when there isn't enough space under the floor to properly install insulation.  It is also used for homes built on concrete slab.  I recommend if at possible to go with installing insulation to the sub floor if possible as installing perimeter insulation is more time consuming.  You'll need to dig a trench about a foot deep depending on the frost line in your area making sure not to go below the footings of the foundation.  Once completed, be sure to clean the foundation and remove all debris.  

Next you'll want to use the foam board measured from the bottom of the siding down to the bottom of the trench you have dug.  Use mastic adhesive to secure the foam board by applying it to the foundation walls horizontally every 12 inches or so.  For vents, pipes, electrical wiring and other obstructions you will have to cut around them as not to have them covered.  Firmly apply the foam board to the foundation walls. Try not to leave any sizable gaps and make sure it's fitted against the flashing.  Using a staple hammer attach the polyethylene vapor barrier to the entire area of the foam board.  Finally cover the trench with soil.

That’s it. This project will take a day or two, depending on the size of your floor or foundation. You will find that it will be well worth your time and you will enjoy your savings!
 

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