Replies

1. Expert Member
   Dana Dorsett | Oct 17, 2018 11:54am | #1

   It may make more sense (and take less foam) to install a ground vapor barrier sealed to the walls, and spray-foam the crawlspace walls, and ventilate that space with a tiny flow of indoor air (or low cfm exhaust-only. That puts all of the wood in the same temperature & humidity environment as the indoors.

   Per the IRC code-minimum floor insulation for a vented crawlspace in US climate zone 2 (most of FL) would be R13 between the joists, which leaves the joist edges in an air conditioned home colder than the outdoor dew points all summer, making them susceptible to mold/rot/insects., since outdoor air (and ground moisture) pass relatively freely under the house.

   There is no code minimum for crawlspace walls in a zone 2 for unvented crawlspaces, but 1-1.5" of rigid foam board or 1" of closed cell spray polyurethane still has a lifecycle rationale on energy savings. In termite zones insulate the foundation sill and band joist with carefully sculpted 3-3.5" thick rock wool batts, not foam, to allow temporary removal for termite inspections.

   In flood zones there is sometimes a requirement that crawlspaces be able to automatically drain when the tide goes out, but there are reasonably air tight insulated vent replacements that can still work in those areas. eg:

   http://www.floodvent.com/how-vents-work.html

   https://smartvent.com/

   If closed cell polyurethane, using an HFO-blown version is much nicer to the environment than the more common HFC blown foam. It can be sprayed with an intumescent paint for fire protection.

   For rigid foam going with 1" fire rated Dow Thermax is probably the easiest & cheapest way out, despite being much more expensive than other foam board. Other foam board would need a thermal barrier or ignition barrier such as half-inch wallboard for fire protection, adding another step to the process. 1" foam board can be attached with 1.5-2" cap screws through-screwed into the foundation on a fairly loose grid, with seams taped over with a high quality aluminum tape.

   The ground vapor barrier can be EPDM (membrane roofing) or 6-10 mil polyethylene lapped up a foot or more on the foundation wall, sealed with duct mastic or polyurethane caulk. The foam insulation overlaps the ground vapor barrier.

2. GBA Editor
   Martin Holladay | Oct 18, 2018 06:30am | #2

   D. Rosenfeld,
   You may want to read these three articles:

   "Building an Unvented Crawl Space"

   "Crawl Spaces vs. Skirts"

   "How to Insulate a Cold Floor"