Insulating Foundations
As the days get colder and the nights draw in, we start to think about how we can make our homes warmer through the chilly months.
Aside from the obvious installation of fireplaces, heaters and thick blankets, flooring foundations are a surprisingly prominent way of keeping your home warm.
Standards of buildings have changed drastically since the era of cold flooring back in the 1980s, where little thought was given to the amount of heat loss generated through draughts, gaps and from soil.
Nowadays, homeowners seek underfloor heating to keep rooms warm all year round and is considered to have huge overall importance when it comes to a buildings’ performance.
Most commonly used insulators for ground bearing slabs and trench fill foundations include expanded polystyrene and extruded polystyrene materials. These must have the appropriate density to withstand substantial weights, low absorption qualities and be resistant to contaminants.
Suspended floors are likely to lose heat as they are suspended above a space.
With suspended concrete floors, prestressed concrete beams are a good option as they are designed to cope with greater weight loads. These can be insulated using thermal concrete blocks with rigid insulation accompanied by secondary floor screed.
For suspended timber flooring, there is a greater emphasis on engineered timber joists. They should be supported by fixed battens on the joints with precast rigid board. Material insulation (wool or rigid insulation) is then used on top of the boards.
For passivhaus-standard foundations and slabs, insulation should be stored beneath both the ground floor slab and the perimeter wall foundation so that there is thermal protection right around the entire house.
It’s a good idea to talk to the experts before starting any new project to ensure quality and success.
We’re knowledgeable in foundations for both domestic and commercial projects. With over 15 years experience in specialist foundations, we can assist with your next project.
Sources:
https://www.self-build.co.uk/how-to-insulate-foundations/?highlight=foundations
