Air infiltration from dirt basement through 100+ wide plank flooring
We bought an old farm house with the original wide plank wood floors. We are not certain of the age of the house but it is built over a dirt floored basement. The floors all had a simple L shaped tongue and groove except the kitchen. The kitchen boards are squared. Could we fill the cracks or put a barrier on the accessible ceiling in the basement to prevent drafts or potential moisture issues? Could this hurt the wood floor? What products are best to preserve the floor and our comfort. The wood is really nice and we are keeping vs. the engineered waterproof bamboo we bought. Is this a mistake? We live in central Ohio and it has been below zero windchill and the floor is not too cold. But we have yet to experience spring and rains here. Your suggestions are appreciated. Thanks
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You have to decide whether the basement is part of the building or outside of it.
The boundary between inside the house and outside needs four layers: barriers to water, air and vapor, and thermal insulation. You have to decide whether those four layers go between the house and the basement or between the basement and the world. If there is plumbing or HVAC in the basement you probably want it part of the house. I think this article ( https://www.buildingscience.com/documents/insights/bsi-041-rubble-foundations#P08 ) shows the best way of doing it to an old house.