Floor insulation

Ken68

Not sure if this is the right board, and please feel free to move it , if so.
Am thinking of insulating beneath the floor of the front room here.
Wood with an 18" void below, and plenty of vent holes.
Does anyone know how I should go about it, what materials to use ...and perhaps if there are grants available.

Ken68

In the absence of replies, I rang The Energy Savings Trust on 08009157722...and they put me onto....08003166011...who said to ring....0800512012..who said ring your local Age Concern....who said to ring The Energy Savings Trust on 08009157722.
Ring-a-ring- a call centre.....tis a Friday after all.

Fran

I've moved your thread to In my home, where you might get some replies, hope that's ok.

Ken68

Bless yer Fran

jennifernil

Do you have easy access to the underneath of the floor?

Our ground floors are all insulated, but it was done from above when the house was built. To do it from below you would need to use something fairly rigid that could be wedged between the joists. If you have a decent builders' merchant nearby they should be able to advise you.

mossstar

Hi there

Can you get up underneath your house? We live in NZ now, and have a traditional New Zealand wooden house on piles, with wooden floors. We've just spent a few days insulating underneath with something they call 'expol' which is really common here - it's basically polystyrene though, and i know lots of people who've had access to large amounts just use that. We looked about for a greener alternative, but sadly NZ doesn't benefit from the same cheap supply of diy/anything products that the UK does (rip off britain? don't get me started - the UK's SO cheap!).

You can also use the blanket style insulation if you can get access - and I'm sue that in the UK you'd be able to find a recycled/greener version of that?

The polystyrene you just wedge up under the joists, the blanket style you have to staple up.

It's made a HUGE difference to us, the house is so much warmer now - NZ houses don't really have central heating, we just have a woodburner.. and it's so hot having insulated! lovely! (it's winter here!)

S

Ken68

Thank you both for replying....had the thing on hold..there is a product called Kingspan and something else called Certex (sp) would do the job, rigid polystyrene boards.
There is a void, Jen., but not very deep and the answer I think is to remove the floorboards and work from above, a big job, and as you say Moss, would prefer something kinder to the environment. Curiously enough was given some 8'x4' polystyrene sheets from a retiring builder. Lay in the shed for years until recently I made interior window shutters.Put 'em up at dusk in the winter months, then double curtains, and with doubleglazed windows. Snug as a bug in a rug.
But..now the floor..big job..trying for a grant, but the doers of these things seem only to offer loft insulation and cavity wall jobs.

startrekker

I dont wish to poke my nose in...but... in older houses the voids were to allow circulation of air under the floor to prevent rot etc etc. I remember asking about my old house in Plymouth and the only way to fill it was to
A. Concrete or
B. Concrete then asphalt it.
If you were to insulate the void then you probably would have a problem with rot. I would ask a builder first it it were me


Correct me if im wrong....Nobodys perfect

Ken68

From what I gather, Star....the gap in between the 5" joists are insulated with 2" boards or normal loft insulation pressed in onto netting which is stapled to the joists.
The Energy Savings Trust have just told me that insulation is usually put under the floor.
Tempted tho to just hardboard it from the top to cut out the draughts.

startrekker

Good carpet underlays are brilliant at insulating. Remember to tape the joints as air blown through will stain the carpet above. Also a point to note is that the gap under the skirting could do with being filled in as this is a point where air comes through and creates a dark line around the room. I would go for a flat crushed crumb rubber underlay, Treadmore by duralay is excellent and about £6 sq mtr, coupled with a reasonable quality carpet you should get that room nice and cosy
Good Luck

jennifernil

If you are doing it from above there are 2 ways. Cheapest is to use netting draped over the joists, allowing it to hang down enough to accect the thickness of the insulation material, which should not be compressed.this will still allow plenty of ventilation. You can then use quilt or insulating batts as they don't need to be self-supporting.
Best way is to fix battens to the sides of the joists at the appropriate distance down, drop in sheets of ply cut to fit, then the insulation. Again you can use any type of stuff. There will still be plenty of space ( you say 18 inches from joists to ground) to allow air circulation round the joists. Just be sure you don't block any of the air vents. Ours are all below joist level anyway so that is OK.
The latter is the way it is usually done in Scandinavia, where they have really good insulation.