Insulating crawl space walls comes with benefits, which is why knowledgeable professionals recommend it. In fact, crawl space wall insulation is so essential that some building codes require it by law. As such, including this type of insulation is something that anyone with a crawl space should do. This article will help explain why that’s the case.
Benefits of Insulating Crawl Space Walls
Overall, insulating a crawl space’s walls is an excellent idea. However, it’s also essential to understand a few of the specific reasons why that’s true. The list below provides you with a few leading benefits of crawl space wall insulation:
- Maintains internal temperature: Whether you use it in a crawl space or in any other area of your home, the main purpose of insulation is to help maintain a stable internal temperature. Despite outdoor temperature shifts, which can be extreme, insulation helps prevent those shifts from influencing the environment within your crawl space. Thanks to insulation, your crawl space can stay at a stable temperature.
- Increases energy efficiency: By controlling temperature changes, insulation makes it considerably easier for your HVAC units to operate. Easier operation allows these units to become more efficient, leading to lower energy costs for your home.
- Helps control moisture: Crawl space insulation can also prevent excessive humidity inside your crawl space. Reducing moisture also prevents moisture-related issues such as mold and mildew growth, making your crawl space a more viable storage area.
- Better air quality: Insulating a crawl space often improves overall air quality, which contributes to a healthier living environment.
- Discourages pest infestations: Including insulation in your crawl space adds another layer of protective material, making it much more difficult for pests to enter. Since insulation also helps control moisture, which many pests prefer, infestations become even less likely.
Best Type of Crawl Space Insulation
If you intend to experience all the benefits of crawl space wall insulation we mentioned above, you must ensure that you use the best type of insulation for the job. While professionals have relied on other types of insulation in the past, we now know that the ideal insulation for crawl space walls is foam board insulation.
The primary benefit of foam board insulation is that it does not absorb moisture. By contrast, fiberglass insulation, another common type, absorbs moisture, which can lead to mold accumulations and other issues.
Unlike fiberglass insulation, foam board insulation is thin and dense. This type of insulation is also extremely effective at mitigating temperature differences and is relatively easy to install.
How the Crawl Space Insulation Process Works
Installing crawl space insulation is a straightforward process. Here are the steps a crawl space professional will take to complete this kind of project:
- Remove any existing insulation: If you have old or underperforming insulation, the first step is to remove it entirely to make space for the new insulation.
- Clean the area: Before continuing with the installation process, it’s essential to clean the area. It’s especially important to clean the crawl space walls to allow for proper insulation attachment.
- Seal openings: A crawl space professional should seal all openings that allow outside air to enter your crawl space, including any crawl space vents.
- Install a vapor barrier: Before attaching the insulation, your crawl space professional should install a vapor barrier. This barrier provides a complete seal that makes it difficult for moisture and pests to enter.
- Install insulation: The final primary step of this process is to install the insulation. During this stage, the professional you hire should use the foam board insulation to completely cover every part of your walls’ surfaces.
Sign You Need Crawl Space Insulation
The most obvious sign that you need to insulate your crawl space is that your crawl space lacks insulation entirely. Even if you lack professional experience, a quick visual inspection will let you know if your crawl space insulation is missing. Additionally, several other, more subtle signs that insulating your crawl space walls is something you should do:
- Cold floors above your crawl space: When your crawl space lacks insulation, it can become quite chilly. When this happens, it’s typical for the floor above your crawl space to feel cool to the touch as well.
- High energy bills: When insulation is lacking, it’s more difficult for utilities to do their job, leading to higher energy use and costlier bills.
- Unstable temperatures inside your home: Have you noticed that the temperature inside your home fluctuates considerably when the weather changes? If so, your home likely needs better insulation, including inside your crawl space.
- Moist or damaged existing insulation: At times, a lack of insulation is not the problem. You may have existing insulation that has become moist, damaged, or ineffective in some other way. In such cases, replacing your crawl space insulation is an excellent choice.
Contact a Professional for Crawl Space Insulation
After learning about the importance of crawl space insulation, some people are quick to attempt insulation installation on their own. However, we suggest taking a different approach. The best bet for all your crawl space needs is to reach out to a qualified professional.
At Regional Foundation & Crawl Space Repair, we are the ideal crawl space experts for anyone in the Triangle, Triad, and Eastern parts of North Carolina. If you are considering crawl space improvements, contact us today to learn more about what we can offer.
