Insulating the floor of a house can significantly improve energy efficiency and comfort. One method involves adding layers on top of your existing floor structure.
Core Insulation Method
A practical approach to insulating a floor is to lay rigid insulation directly on top of the original floor surface. Following this, a new floor layer, such as chipboard flooring, is then placed over the rigid insulation. This creates a thermal barrier that helps prevent heat loss downwards.
Practical Considerations
It is important to be aware that using this method will increase the overall level of your floor. This has several implications that you must consider during the planning and installation stages:
- Raising the Floor Level: The thickness of the rigid insulation and the new chipboard flooring will cause the floor height to rise.
- Door Adjustments: As the floor level increases, doors will likely sit too low and will need to be trimmed shorter at the bottom to accommodate the new height.
- Skirting Boards: Existing skirting boards may need to be removed and refitted at the new floor level.
- Electrical Sockets: Some electrical sockets located near the floor may also require adjustment or relocation depending on their height relative to the raised floor.
By laying rigid insulation and chipboard flooring on top of the original floor, you create an effective insulation layer, though it necessitates adjustments to surrounding elements like doors and skirting boards.
