Insulating your floors can further your home’s energy efficiency, and if your home has a crawlspace, it adds a valuable layer of protection. There are easy and quick ways to insulate your floor and more expansive ways to do so.
Expect to pay between $1,000 to $3,000 for floor insulation installation, depending upon the area, labor and materials used to insulate the floor. Homeowners can recoup the installation costs in the years to come through the reduction in energy costs.
How Much Does Floor Insulation Cost?
Flooring insulation costs vary based on the size of the project, the type of insulation and the R-value of the insulation. R-value indicates the insulation’s ability to provide protection and retain heat.
The higher the R-value, the more protection and the higher the cost. Insulation typically comes in four types: fiberglass batt, foam board, spray foam and vapor barriers. To insulate a 1,000-square-foot floor area, expect to pay between $1,100 to $2,800 on average, with labor, based on an insulation with a R-13 rating.
Is It Worth Insulating a Floor?
Insulating parts of a house typically has a high return on investment. Insulating a floor can net a homeowner around a 10% savings in energy costs, but that number can rise if insulation is added to a home with a crawl space.
A home that has a crawl space, especially one that sits on a concrete slab, can lose a lot of heat and suffer from cold air seeping in. Insulating a crawl space is a little easier than adding insulation under an existing floor.
What Type of Insulation Is Best for Floors?
Fiberglass batt and foam board insulation are the two most popular types of insulation for floors for DIYers because of their ease of installation compared to other materials. Both fiberglass batt and foam board typically run cheaper than spray foam. Vapor barriers can be less expensive, but might not provide the same R-value as other options.
A crawl space needs a vapor barrier, at a minimum, to protect a home from moisture. Often, a crawl space will have a plastic liner for a vapor barrier, but some homeowners will use a radiant vapor barrier, which looks like a sheet of aluminum foil. Radiant vapor barriers do not have an R-value because they do not absorb heat like R-value insulation.
What Is the Best Way to Insulate Under a Wooden Floor?
- Install fiberboard or polyfoam underlayment between floor joists.
- Install fiberglass batt: Fiberglass batt should have insulation covered on six sides so glass particles don’t escape. Some pros don’t recommend fiberglass batt because it eventually falls down, isn’t in contact with the subfloor or gets compressed when installed in crawl spaces. A vapor barrier is needed in crawl spaces with fiberglass batt, but those vapor barriers degrade usually in five to 10 years.
- Reflective foil: Lay foil over joists on a suspended floor with the shiny side facing up. Nail it in place for a quick and easy fix. Reflective foil holds zero R-value but it can create a vapor barrier.
- If you want to add insulation below an existing wooden floor and the subfloor, you’ll have to remove the existing wood floor. In that instance it might be better to have a pro complete the project because of the time it will take to pull up the existing floor and replace it.
How Much Does Crawl Space Insulation Cost?
Crawl space insulation will cost between $3,000 and $8,000 with an additional $3 to $7 per square foot for waterproofing, plus a vapor barrier can cost between $2 to $4 per square foot to install.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I insulate under my floor?
If your home has a crawl space, you can add insulation under the floor that way and install insulation between floor joists. Be sure to note any electrical wiring, plumbing or duct work and carefully install insulation around them.
You can also add insulation between the subfloor and the actual flooring, too.
What R-value do I need for floors?
The U.S. Department of Energy recommends that floors in warm climate zones be insulated with an R-11 value, or insulation that is 3 ½-inches thick, and R-25 insulation for cold climate zones. Energy Star has a helpful climate zone guide to determine R-value levels.
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