How To Insulate On Top Of Concrete Floor
One option for insulating on top of a slab is to apply rigid foam insulation directly to the slab then install the subfloor on top of the insulation.
How to insulate on top of concrete floor. The math is pretty simple the thicker the concrete floor insulation material the deeper the slab will have to be. Most people know the benefits of insulating a home s wall floors and ceilings. How to insulate a concrete floor before pouring. 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.
The first thing to consider when looking into different types of concrete floors is why it s so important to insulate the floor slab. The panels can be applied to every surface from floors to walls to ceilings. Dealing with the edges the foam insulation and two layers of plywood can add as much as 2 inches of height to the garage floor. Adding insulation under the concrete floor requires the same skill set and equipment as forming and pouring the concrete slab.
Reduced energy costs and greater comfort. But fewer know that a. Check out this article for a list of slab edge insulation solutions and episode 125 for my interview with henry edney of maxraft. Insofast is a diyers dream a simple way to install insulation needing only a hand saw utility knife and caulking gun.
Insofast s insulation panels provide an easy way to insulate a cold concrete floor. You may need to grind down significantly high spots to ensure an even surface. 1 to prepare for insulating the floor first evaluate the condition of the concrete. The concrete floors of most modern houses should all have been insulated during construction normally using a thick layer of dense polystyrene laid in sheets between the hardcore base and the finished surface.
Step 1 excavate the area under the slab to 12 inches below the planned level of the top of the slab. If you know you have issues with moisture tend to those problems before installing the insulation. But when adding insulation to an existing slab the vapor barrier is laid over the top of the slab before the foam insulating panels are installed. Also check the floor for smoothness and level.
If you live in a cold climate then you re no stranger to cold concrete floors in the winter.