Often when thinking about insulation, people always consider the ceiling and walls. But what about floor insulation? It often gets overlooked, but you might be surprised to know there are plenty of benefits to insulating your floor. While it’s not always incredibly easy to install, for maximum comfort you’ll want to consider underfloor insulation.
The common misconception is that because heat rises, you don’t need to worry about it escaping through the floorboards. The fact is though, heat will find any way possible to escape into a colder area. Also, consider that the space under your home can also heat up, and this heat will try to get into your otherwise cool home during summer.
Here’s why underfloor insulation is so important.
What is underfloor insulation?
Underfloor insulation can look slightly different depending on where it is. While that sounds strange, because it’s obviously under the floor, the installation process will be different whether you have a basement or not, and also whether you’re installing between floors of a multi-story home.
Essentially though, underfloor insulation creates a barrier to keep air from escaping through the floor. That way, your home stays warm in winter and cool in summer without as much help from your heating and cooling systems. Therefore, you save money on energy and maintain a comfortable home.
How is it installed?
Like most insulation, it’s far easier to install during the building process. So, if you’re building a new home, that’s the perfect time to have it installed. This is because there is easy access to all parts of your home, especially while things are being framed up. However, if your home is already well established, you’ll need to find ways to install your underfloor insulation.
Often, it’s best to seek the help of a professional, however if you have easy access to the space under your house, it’s not impossible to do. Alternatively, it can be a very time-consuming and difficult job because you’ll have to lift up the floors. Naturally, you’ll need to be the judge of whether this is worth it in the long run.
Improve your home’s comfort?
Underfloor insulation is important for the simple fact that it keeps your home warm in winter and cool in summer. Because warm air constantly tries to move to cooler spaces, shoring up the area under your floors cuts off another avenue of escape. It also stops hot air coming through the floor during summer when you want your house to be cool.
Save money on energy bills
The other aspect to this is a financial one. If air is escaping freely from your home, or getting into your home from outside, your air conditioner works harder to keep up. The more your heating and cooling systems have to work, the more energy they use and this costs money. Effective underfloor insulation decreases your energy bills.
Reducing walking noise
Finally, underfloor insulation can also reduce walking noise. Even with carpet, the noise of footsteps through the house is quite obvious and annoying. Because insulation has sound absorption qualities, walking noise reduces.
