In this video, Dr. Energy Saver solves home comfort problems caused by an unsealed, uninsulated crawl space. Watch to see how to make your crawl space more energy efficient!
Crawl spaces are shallow structures installed directly into the dirt under your home. As such, they tend to soak up the natural cold of the earth around your home and transfer it into the air in your crawl space.
If you have utilities in your crawl space such as your water heater, furnace, or hot water pipes, your energy bills will suffer. The fluctuation in temperature will force your heating and air conditioning systems to work harder, causing your energy costs to rise.
For your crawl space insulation to perform as it should, it's essential to install the right type of insulation, the right amount of insulation, and use the correct installation technique.
At Fogarty's Home Services, we can improve the condition of your crawl space and the living space above with products that are durable, long-lasting, and made especially for the crawl space environment.
The old-fashioned way to insulate a crawl space was to install fiberglass batt insulation between joists and vent the crawl space so outside air could circulate beneath the house.
Unfortunately, this combination usually leads to the problems listed above. Fiberglass insulation doesn't respond well to the moist conditions that can be found in a crawl space.
The cotton-like material absorbs moisture, gets soggy, compresses, and loses R-value. Fiberglass batts often end up on the crawl space floor in a soggy mess. The main advantage of fiberglass insulation, its low cost, is totally negated when the material ceases to perform its main function.
Long-lasting. Rigid foam insulation can't be damaged by moisture and won't degrade in appearance or R-value over time. In a crawl space, it's usually installed against the interior face of foundation walls.
Rigid foam insulation performs much better than fiberglass in a crawl space. This type of insulation is manufactured in panels of different thicknesses. Installers cut the panels to fit against the interior face of crawl space foundation walls. Panels are secured with adhesive or mechanical fasteners.
We typically insulate crawl space walls with
foam board insulation. This brings the crawl space inside the building envelope, which improves overall home energy performance. This will also help make rooms above the crawl space more comfortable and can help lower heating and cooling bills.
Although rigid foam insulation costs more than fiberglass insulation, it's less expensive when you consider that you'll never have to clean up or redo a mess of damaged, ineffective installation. Rigid foam will deliver the same performance and benefits in 15 years as it does on day #1.
Top performance. Covering the crawl space floor with TerraBlock™ insulation creates a durable thermal and moisture barrier.
Does your crawl space need insulation on the floor as well as on the walls? TerraBlock™ insulation has what it takes to handle tough crawl space conditions. It's made from a special type of rigid foam insulation that is flexible enough to install over rough, irregular crawl space floors. Faced on both sides with durable vinyl, TerraBlock™ insulation has excellent puncture and abrasion resistance.
In addition to providing extra insulation value, TerraBlock™ creates a clean, comfortable floor for homeowners and service pros who need to move around in the crawl space.
Call 1-855-229-7070 or contact us online to schedule a free estimate for basement or crawl space insulation in South Windsor, Simsbury, Longmeadow, and nearby including Suffield, Granby, Wilbraham, Windsor, Chicopee, Springfield, Tolland, and more. Fogarty's Home Services is your trusted insulation company serving Northern CT, Berkshire County and Greater Springfield MA.
We also offer a comprehensive home energy evaluation, which we use to fully diagnose the causes of your home's energy issues.