When it comes to keeping your home nice and toasty there are a few things that we all already know are a good idea; insulating your roof, installing cavity wall insulation, fitting double glazed windows and doors, using an energy efficient boiler etc. But what about insulating your floors as well? Approximately 10% of a home’s heat can be lost through the floors – not only is this thoroughly annoying, but cold floors equal cold and feet and no one wants that, especially not the lovely Bolton builders at Wisecraft Ltd!

When considering a new extension or other building project, or you just want to keep your house warm whilst keeping your energy bills down, it can really pay to think about floor insulation as well as everything else!

Types of floor insulation

The type of floor insulation that you choose largely depends on the type of floor that you have:

• Suspended floors – older houses often have wooden floors that are suspended on joists over a void. There are a number of options to insulate these types of floors; if you have a carpet over your suspended floor then you could add a layer of insulation above the boards but under the carpet. Alternatively it is possible to install underfloor insulation that is attached to the underside of the boards; this can be glass/mineral fibre or sheep’s wool insulation that is held up by netting or alternatively you can install Batts.
• Solid concrete floors – these tend to be found in houses built since the 1930’s and floors are made up of a solid concrete slab. These can often have quite a good thermal mass but depending on the choice of floor covering can feel quite cold. The easiest way to insulate solid concrete floors is with a layer of solid insulation which is placed directly on top of the floor.
• Insulated concrete floors – most modern houses now have solid concrete floors but with a layer of polystyrene insulation that a few inches under the floor’s surface to provide insulation. In some cases this may not require much further insulation, but you could also consider adding an extra layer of insulation on top of the concrete under your floor covering to really ensure that you stay warm and toasty.

What else to consider

When thinking about insulating your floors, especially if you have a traditional suspended floor, then it is important to consider leaving ample opportunity for ventilation, for example ensuring that air bricks are not blocked. If air is not allowed to circulate freely then your floor boards and joists could get damp and begin to rot. This can also apply to solid floors, ensure that air bricks above floor level are not blocked or air can be prevented from circulating through cavity walls etc.

For more information about insulating your floors, contact the friendly experts at Wisecraft Ltd Bolton.