How to Insulate Under Your Hardwood Floors

If you love those old original two story homes with all the natural hardwood flooring, but hate the fact that they are all the time very cold in the winter and hot in the summer, you'll be glad to know that there is a solution to your problem. By adding some cheap insulation to back side of the flooring can eliminate this problem for good. Not only will it eliminate the coldness, but it will also serve as a form of sound proofing barrier.

If your ceiling that is underneath your hardwood flooring is open, then your job just got a lot easier. You can use the original fiberglass bats that are most generally found. They tend to be made so the width is that of the space between the floor joists. If not, then you'll have to cut them to accommodate this feat. Once you have them in the allowable measurements, you simply press each one into place. Be sure that you're not forcing them in, or compressing the insulation to much as this will cause them to lose the insulating properties, or their 'R' value.

Flooring Story

If you are unable to gin access to your floor from the ceiling below, you can all the time try to use some spray in foam insulation. This only requires that have a small opening in which to insert the nozzle of the applicator. You'll want to find out which way you floor joists run, then make a small hole in between each one. Insert the nozzle and press the trigger. The foam will shoot in, expand, and dry to form a great insulator.

If you just want to eliminate the noises from the floor above, as mentioned before, you can buy some acoustic insulation. It comes just like the pink fiberglass, but doesn't have any of the 'R-value, so it's just for soundproofing, not for insulating.

Wood floors aren't terrible about letting heat escape, but even if you're utility bills haven't skyrocketed, you can be put off by the fact that your floor is too cold during the winter. Wood floor insulation is a great way to sacrifice your heating bills, give you a comfortable floor, and safe your wood flooring from the infiltration of moisture. Too many homeowners who own older homes don't even perceive they've been living without floor insulation until they have a particularly harsh winter or settle to have their floor replaced. If you do settle to setup wood floor insulation, this may also be the excellent time to reconsider radiant floor heating, which can greatly enhance the broad potential of your home heating.

How to Insulate Under Your Hardwood Floors