Up to 80 of heat loss in a floor slab occurs around the edges.
How to insulate your concrete floor.
If you re planning on finishing a basement or portion of your home that has a concrete floor then it may be a good idea to insulate it before installing basement flooring.
In addition to offering insulation and energy savings the plywood subfloor described here can provide the perfect foundation for finish flooring such as carpeting adding warmth in look as.
Insulating a concrete floor alternative options.
Most people know the benefits of insulating a home s wall floors and ceilings.
Here we look at why insulating concrete floors is so important and offer tips on choosing and installing concrete floor insulation.
The method shown above is the best way to insulate a concrete floor without digging it up and laying it again with insulation added below the finished surface.
Reduced energy costs and greater comfort.
Insulating concrete garage floors begins with covering the entire floor with 6 mil polyethylene which will serve as a vapor barrier.
Inspect your floor framing and measure the thickness of the existing insulation if any.
3 multiply the total inches of insulation by 3 2 to estimate the existing r value of your floor.
Whether you use your basement for storage laundry or a bonus living space or all of the above choosing to insulate a concrete floor will benefit you in a variety of ways.
Overlap the seams about 6 to 8 inches and seal the seams with waterproof construction tape.
Insulating a concrete floor can save you money on your heating bill making an attached garage or basement warmer and by extension the rest of your house.
If you live in a cold climate then you re no stranger to cold concrete floors in the winter.
But it isn t cheap and it can cause additional problems such as raising the floor level too much.
Run the polyethylene up the sides of the walls 3 to 4 inches and secure to the walls with construction tape.
Check out this article for a list of slab edge insulation solutions and episode 125 for my interview with henry edney of maxraft.