Floor Insulation for Wood Floors: What You Need to Know

Insulating your floors is the best way to reduce your heating bills and make your home more comfortable. As much as 10-20% of heat loss comes from the ground floor. insulation company

Using insulation on your floors can cut your energy bills by up to PS40 a year and, if you install it yourself, could pay for itself in around two years. It's also a good idea to insulate the skirting boards and any gaps between your floorboards as well.

The type of floor insulation you choose will depend on several factors including the type of flooring, whether it's concrete or wood, and whether any crawl spaces are accessible in your home. You'll also need to consider the thickness of the insulation you're installing.

Slabs of insulation: Generally, the most effective floor insulation is slabs of rock wool or rigid foam insulation boards. These are easy to move and offer excellent sound insulation.

Rolls of insulation: If you have a suspended floor, you can insulate between the joists with rolls of glass, mineral or sheep's wool insulation. These should be nailed to the underside of the floorboards or held in place by timber battens.

Rigid foam: If your floor is made of solid concrete, add a layer of rigid foam over the top. This stops thermal bridging through the joists and also helps air-seal them, especially if you use high-quality tape to seal around the perimeter of each piece of foam.

You can also install insulation in the spaces between the floorboards of your suspended floor if you have access to the crawl space (void) beneath them. This will prevent drafts and keep your feet warm in winter.