I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

kimosabe wrote:
I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

blown on foam? not a diy project, these are usually truck mounted. getting
at the pipes afterwards would be a HASSLE though.

kimosabe wrote:

I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

If you can afford it, have a professional spray urethane foam.

Robert Neville wrote:

If you can afford it, have a professional spray urethane foam.

Will any responsible professional spray urethane under a house, where
it won't be completely surrounded by highly fire resistant material?

kimosabe wrote in news:31d1eccf-c1a9-4c2f-b16a-
:

I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

I just glued high density foam board to the inside of crawl space walls.
My place has forced air ducts in the crawl space. The heat loss from the
ducts stays in the crawl space and helps keep the floors warm.

TheHack wrote:
kimosabe wrote in news:31d1eccf-c1a9-4c2f-b16a-
:

I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

I just glued high density foam board to the inside of crawl space walls.
My place has forced air ducts in the crawl space. The heat loss from the
ducts stays in the crawl space and helps keep the floors warm.

And we have a winner! If your crawl stays dry, and the sidewalls get
down or close to frostline, insulating the walls is the way to go. Link
to that free ground heat and cooling.

--
aem sends...

"aemeijers" wrote in message
...
TheHack wrote:
kimosabe wrote in news:31d1eccf-c1a9-4c2f-b16a-
:

I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

I just glued high density foam board to the inside of crawl space walls.
My place has forced air ducts in the crawl space. The heat loss from the
ducts stays in the crawl space and helps keep the floors warm.

And we have a winner! If your crawl stays dry, and the sidewalls get down
or close to frostline, insulating the walls is the way to go. Link to that
free ground heat and cooling.

--
aem sends...

You would just be increasing the amount of space you are heating and
cooling.

JimT wrote:

"aemeijers" wrote in message
...
TheHack wrote:
kimosabe wrote in news:31d1eccf-c1a9-4c2f-b16a-
:

I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

I just glued high density foam board to the inside of crawl space walls.
My place has forced air ducts in the crawl space. The heat loss from
the ducts stays in the crawl space and helps keep the floors warm.

And we have a winner! If your crawl stays dry, and the sidewalls get
down or close to frostline, insulating the walls is the way to go.
Link to that free ground heat and cooling.

--
aem sends...

You would just be increasing the amount of space you are heating and
cooling.

The delta from the 55 degree ground temp of a well-insulated 'finger' of
earth temp touching the bottom of your heated envelope, is small. Same
concept is an earth-bermed house. No HVAC ducts feeding the crawl, of
course. I'd only try this on a deep dry crawl or basement where I could
heavily insulate the walls, though. And in summer, of course, when it is
a bazillion degrees out, that cool slab or covered dirt is already
keeping the floor above halfway cool.

That dream house I'm gonna build when I hit the lotto? - deep basement
with thick walls insulated on the outside to below frostline. Even if
furnace goes out, should stay above freezing in winter, for several
days. There is a reason bears hang out in caves over the winter.

--
aem sends....

In article ,
aemeijers wrote:


That dream house I'm gonna build when I hit the lotto? - deep basement
with thick walls insulated on the outside to below frostline. Even if
furnace goes out, should stay above freezing in winter, for several
days. There is a reason bears hang out in caves over the winter.

You're gonna live where it gets below freezing when you hit the lotto?
Reminds me of my friend from Iowa: "The strangest thing about the people
there is they don't seem to realize they're free to leave."

"kimosabe" wrote in message
...
I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

Let me Google that for you. :-)

This one shows a generous crawl space but you get the idea.

http://videos.howstuffworks.com/john...pace-video.htm

Jim

"kimosabe" wrote in message
...
I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.


It would appear you have 2 choices..Either fiberglass bats or spayed
foam...If you can afford it foam is best...If not fiberglass is your only
choice...On a happier note you could have it installed by an insulation
contractor for about what you would pay for it retail...Atleast around
here..(Maine) My garage doors were the same...I got them installed by a
garage door company for about 100 bucks more than I could buy them...FWIW...

kimosabe wrote:

I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Paper or foil side should face the warmer side, the house.

Do NOT use foam board, spray foam, or anything else flammable. Stick
with fiberglass or rock wool.

kimosabe wrote:
I have to insulate the floor in an older ranch house. It will be done
from underneath, which is a crawl space. (Ugh.)

Anyway, considering the usual array of pipes, electrical wires, and
cross-bracing between the joists that all tend to make the job more of
a hassle, what would be the most workable type of insulation to get?
I thought about rigid, but it would mean a lot of cutting and fitting.

If it turns out to be batting, that means the paper side would be
facing the ground. Is that OK?

Any other tips on how to do this are very welcome.

Call up the utility companies and local conservation organizations,
not to be confused with for-profit weatherization contractors.
Depending on where you live, there are GENEROUS weatherization
incentives and rebates available...and I do mean GENEROUS, as long as
you comply
with their requirements.
That may dictate the type of insulation you choose.