How to insulate a condo concrete floor?
fisherplace
| Posted in Energy Efficiency and Durability on
My daughter bought a condo in a highrise concrete structure. This past winter the floors have been cold even though the floor is the ceiling of a heated garage (55F) below. The shower floor next to an outer wall was 37F, outside temp was 12F. How can we insulate the shower and bathroom floor? The floor is ceramic tile.
We may even consider insulating the entire condo.
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Replies
Concrete floors - the perfect thermal bridge - bringing cold outside temperatures into your living space! A very thick rug with a thick pad will help some in living areas, but the only way to insulate concrete floors is to cover them with a layer of sheet foam - ideally 2" - over which you could glue plywood (or Advantech) then finish with a new laminated wood or carpet. Baths are difficult due to the plumbing, but it is possible. Of course then you get into issues with doors, kitchen cabinets, etc, etc. Bottom line is that there is no easy fix.
First bring it up with your condo board. It may be a systemic problem which needs to be addressed by the whole building.