Pier and beam — insulation under floors/house?
I live in a 645 s.f. two-story home on pier and beam. It is not well insulated, not winterized and not the most precise construction. It is about 20 years old and we just purchased it a year ago. My husband and I had plans to work on it to get it better insulated and heated, but he passed away suddenly and now I am trying to think of the things he mentioned we might try.
One was insulating under the house – but what kind?? should I be considering. This house if FULL of drafts and I find I have rugs and towels stuck in every drafty place I find. I would rather not have to pack up every other week to my daughter’s in the winter months to get warm….I am on a limited budget now and need to try to come up with economical and worthwhile solutions for this place. I am in the Bonham Texas area.
Any suggestions?
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Replies
Jennifer,
1. Here is a link to an article that explains how you can insulate this type of floor: How to Insulate a Cold Floor.
2. The way to address your drafts is to hire a contractor who can perform blower-door-directed air sealing. Here is a link to a video on the topic: Blower-door-directed air sealing.
3. If you want to do the air sealing work yourself, you might want to read these articles to get you started:
Air Sealing an Attic
Pinpointing Leaks With a Fog Machine
4. If your family is low-income, you may qualify for free weatherization services (usually including free blower-door-directed air sealing) from your local Weatherization Assistance Program agency. Since you live in Texas, you should visit this website for more information: Weatherization Assistance Program -- Texas Department of Housing & Community Affairs.