Crawl Space Insulation – An Ignored yet Important Aspect of House Maintenance

Usually while buying homes we take various things into account from the flooring
to the ceiling but what we mostly ignore is the crawl space. And some of us don’t
even know what exactly it is and where it exists! So what’s a crawl space and
why its proper insulation is mandatory. We will cover everything in this article.
What is a Crawl Space?
A crawl space is a hollow area that is found underneath homes between the first
floor and the ground. As the space is hardly 2 to 3 feet high, it is enough for
someone to enter it crawling hence the name crawl space.
Advantages of a Crawl Space:
‣A crawl space contains the guts of the house i.e. plumbing, electrical wiring,
heating and air conditioning systems hence whenever there is any issue like pipe
leakage or electrical circuitry problems arise we can easily access the problems.
Whereas if we do not have a crawl space we will need to perform excavations.
‣Crawl spaces are cheaper than basements.
‣Crawl spaces are suitable for areas with high moisture and also for the coastal
areas with sandy soil. Damp locations are more prone to termites.
‣Maintenance of crawl space is easier as compared to basements.

Now as we know what a crawl space is and came across the various
benefits of it we should now know why better insulation is necessary
for crawl spaces.
Crawl space insulation is a vital part of the overall air sealing and
insulation and it helps in maintaining energy efficiency of the entire
house. Without proper insulation the heat and cool air get lost easily
through the floor. Also a crawl space which is not insulated properly
deteriorates the value of the floors as well as the durability is reduced.
Another problem with improper insulation of crawl spaces is pest
infestation which affects the health of the people residing in the house.
Insulation is also beneficial for preserving the air quality as well as
energy cost reductions.
Next question that arises here is how to know if the crawl space is
properly insulated or not? Then the answer is if during winters the floor
above your crawl space gets extremely cold, generates unpleasant
odor particularly of the molds and if there is infestation of pests
including mice is observed then it confirms that the crawl space
insulation is not properly installed or it has damaged.

Again, crawl spaces are of two varieties i.e. ventilated crawl space and
unventilated crawl space. Although the goal of insulating both is the same i.e.
enclosing the space in a thermal envelope but still both require their own form
of insulations.
Ventilated Crawl Space Insulation:
A ventilated crawl space is ideal as it aids elimination of moisture keep the
space dry. In such type of crawl space installing fiberglass insulation under the
subfloor between the floor joists becomes easier. And to keep the insulation safe
and in order to prevent it from moisture and mold covering it with a vapor
barrier is recommended by professionals.
Unventilated Crawl Space Insulation:
When the crawl space is not ventilated insulating the crawl space walls is
preferred over insulating the subfloor of the room above. Hence, it requires less
insulation and eliminates the need of insulating ducts and pipes separately. A
polyurethane vapor barrier can also be installed over the dirt floor for further
protection.
Although crawl space insulations can be installed by homeowners but for proper
and durable insulation installation hiring a professional is the best choice.

Conclusion
Author Information:
YIS Insulation provides the best and highly specialized crawl space
insulation in Charlotte for both residential as well as commercial settings.
For proper and professional crawl space insulation get in touch with them
at https://www.yisinsulationcompany.com/crawl-space.php