Recommended R Value Floor Over Crawlspace
R value is a measure of insulation s ability to resist heat traveling through it.
Recommended r value floor over crawlspace. These r values are a sum meaning this should be the total r value once you add up the entire depth of insulation. Crawl spaces typically provide ventilation to protect framing members from moisture damage as well as space for the home s plumbing and electrical components. Crawl spaces are the shallow spaces beneath a home s first floor between the ground and the floor joists. Depending on where you live and the part of your home you re insulating walls crawlspace attic etc you ll need a different r value.
Unfaced r 25 or r 19 insulation batts are usually cut into small pieces to fit snugly between the floor joists against sills and band joists. Most types of flooring are suitable for installation over a crawl space. For example if you have a type of insulation that has an r value of r 5 per inch of thickness you will need a depth of 6 inches of this insulation installed in your attic to reach r 30 if you live in zones 2 or 3. Recommended home insulation r values.
If the existing crawl space floor is dirt some improvements might be undertaken to give the homeowner the best floor possible. Unvented crawlspaces can be treated like an unintentionally heated basement by insulating the exterior foundation walls. About 3 inches 7 62 cm of stone or crushed gravel can be applied over the plastic to hold it down and allow work to be done in the crawl space without tearing the. Whether the floor of your crawl space is bare earth gravel or concrete it is going to exude moisture.
A double layer is recommended. Moist household air is bound to cause condensation in the crawl space. Typical recommendations for exterior walls are r 13 to r 23 while r 30 r 38 and r 49 are common for ceilings and attic spaces. Insulate the floor from below and be sure to insulate any water pipes or heating cooling ducts in the crawlspace especially any water pipes at or near the perimeter.
Add a vapor barrier. The higher the r value the better the thermal performance of the insulation. A six mill plastic vapor barrier should be installed. Insulation level are specified by r value.
A 6 mil polyethylene plastic vapor barrier covering the ground keeps the wet at bay. Moisture can damage a hardwood floor irreversibly so every installation should include effective safeguards against it.