Hardwood Floor Insulation
Your hardwood floors will always look beautiful, you simply need to insulate them for our very cold winters here in Reno/Tahoe. Hardwood flooring can also be very susceptible to cold drafts, too. So efficient and affordable insulation can make your bare feet more comfortable, while keeping your heating bills down. Hardwood floor insulation can also act as a vapor barrier, separating the wood from moisture which can cause damage, while keeping your home or office quieter.
Insulate Your Hardwood Flooring with Good R-Value Materials
R-value measures any material’s thermal resistance. You’ll hear it often when buying and installing insulation. The greater the R-value, the greater the thermal reflection. R-value only measures resistance to conductive heat transfer, however. Heat can still be lost from a wooden floor by several other means like air infiltration, standard convection, drafts or radiation.
Area Rugs Offer Excellent Insulation
Area Rugs are a classic answer for insulating hardwood flooring. However, even the thickest carpet will not cut out drafts. Area rugs are also useful to insulate a first floor overlying a basement or crawl space. They offer the best solution when the crawl space is too small to be accessible for fitting under floor insulation.
Foil Insulation is Affordable and Effective
Reflective foil is used to form a radiant barrier against heat loss by reflecting heat back to the room. Foil also acts as a vapor barrier which stops moisture from rising off a floor slab or crawl space. Good reflective aluminum foil is made of two or more sheets which are separated by trapped air pockets. Some of the more expensive insulating foils have a plastic reinforcement for extra strength. Foil is a quick and cost-effective method of hardwood floor insulation.
Fiber Insulation Offers Excellent R-Value
Fiber insulation acts like an extra layer of clothing for your hardwood flooring. It serves as a thermal barrier against escaping heat, like a good winter coat. Polyester and fiberglass are the cheapest insulation materials, because they dampen sound. However, both are poor barriers to rising damp so plastic sheeting should be installed along with them. Another key advantage is that fiber insulation allows a wooden floor to expand and contract during temperature changes so the hardwood can avoid buckling and splintering.
Polystyrene is Cheap and Effective, However…
Polystyrene produces highly toxic gases when burned and it’s really flammable (even the “flame resistant” types). On the plus side, it can be cut to fit snugly between joists, it comes in easily managed sheets and blocks, and it acts as a good acoustic barrier, vapor barrier and heat retainer.
I am always happy to meet with you and discuss your needs, advising you as to the best most cost effective ways to insulate your hardwood flooring. Contact me today and let’s arrange a free consultation.
Sorin Giurca
Master Craftsman, Owner
775-831-1379