Should I Insulate Floor Over Crawl Space In South Carolina

There are two types of crawl spaces ventilated and unventilated and each requires its own form of insulation.

Should i insulate floor over crawl space in south carolina.

In this design a concrete pad called a mud pad is poured on the crawl space floor. This type of insulation allows for conditioned air to be introduced into the crawl space. With and with out a vapor barrier. These r values are a sum meaning this should be the total r value once you add up the entire depth of insulation.

In those days common building practice was to insulate the floor above the crawl space and to leave the crawl space s wall vents open so any moisture buildup would vent to the outside a. If you don t your crawl space becomes a petri dish with crawl space sealed off from cold and moisture your crawl space can be linked to your household hvac system via vents. This is done several ways. A crawl space under a house helps protect against certain pests but a crawl space with abundant moisture can invite problems including mold wood rot and vermin.

To enclose the space in a thermal envelope. Insulation also helps to preserve the air quality and reduce energy costs. Cold air that sweeps through a crawl space meanwhile can lead to cold floors inside the home whether or not the space is wet. Crawl space vents crawl space vents were originally designed to allow moisture out of your crawl space to prevent rotting of your floor joists and prevent mold from growing.

For your crawl space insulation to perform like it should it s essential to install the right type of insulation the right amount of insulation and use the correct installation technique. Department of energy recommends r 11 3 insulation under floors in warm climates and an r 25 6 to 8 in cold climates. Find your zone on the map and then use the above insulation r value chart to determine the level of insulation you need to properly insulate your attic walls floors and crawlspaces. However the insulation needs to be treated with a fire retardant.

Fiberglass insulation batts or rolls are the most economical and easiest diy choice for insulating between the floor joist in a crawl space. The traditional mud pad is a poured concrete pad over a roughly graded dirt floor. At carolina energy conservation we can improve the condition of your crawl space and the living space above with products that are durable long lasting. As building science has progressed over the years they found that this actually led to more problems.

This is essentially a concrete barrier meant to help control moisture in the crawl space. This type of crawl space also allows insulation with an r value of 19 installed in the floor joist if the crawl space and has a permanently installed dehumidifier.