Does Underfloor Insulation work?

We have installed thousands of homes with Underfloor Insulation. there are some technical considerations, such as ensuring sufficient airflow and protecting pipes from freezing, but to experienced installers it is a relatively straightforward operation. Space can be limited under the floor and it is dark and dusty, installers often work lying on their backs installing insulation between the joists. Not an easy job, but the benefits can easily be enjoyed by the homeowners.

Uninsulated floors are exposed to the cold air under your home. Movement of air in this area is important for your timber and air comes in from air vents on the perimeter. This makes the space very cold in winter. The floor boards are chilled with this cold air and some unwanted air (chilly draughts) escape into the rooms above through gaps in the flooring and around the skirtings. This results in the lower area of the room being colder and draughtier than higher up.

Heating is used to warm up the room, and part of this process is convection. Cold air is dragged across the floor and up into the radiator where it is warmed up and starts to rise. Unfortunately not much of this heat reaches the floor, but up at the ceiling it will be nice and warm where all your warm air has gone. but we don't live up at our ceilings, we do walk on our floors and sit on chairs and couches in the lower parts of our rooms.

Insulating the floors has a couple of effects, which combine to make Floor Insulation incredibly effective. Insulating the loft can keep the heat in your room, but high up. Add enough heat and you'll start to feel warm, but with the cost of heating this is not hugely economical.

Underfloor Insulation does the following:

1. Insulating floors will keep the floor warmer and raise the temperature a bit. Some say as much as a few degrees, what I can say for certain is, it is a noticeable increase. Without using your heating, the part of the room in which you spend you time close to or on is instantly a more comfortable temperature than without insulation.

2. When you do use your heating, the cold air being pulled into the radiators has been insulated from the cold space below your floor, resulting in more efficient heating of your room.

3. Unwanted chilly draughts are reduced making the room more comfortable and we carefully ensure the ventilation is sufficient to protect your home. We keep the good airflow and reduce the unwanted draughts.

4. As your feet are kept a little warmer with the insulated floor, and the space where you are sitting is a little warmer you find you do not feel the need to switch on your heating just as much.

Loft Insulation helps to keep the heat from your radiators in your home. Underfloor Insulation affects the all important living space low down, increasing the temperature of the space your in. This results in retaining heat and also means you wont need to use your heating quite as much.

Personally, I have high ceilings. I have 300mm Loft Insulation and 150mm Underfloor Insulation. My heating bills are running away with me and I'm looking at increasing my Underfloor Insulation before my Loft Insulation. Luckily, I have a plan for that!

You can see more at our page on Underfloor Insulation.