Realty.com

Expert Advice

Insulating a Crawl Space

Q: I just purchased an older home with a couple of separate crawlspaces and would like to know the best way of insulating this area.

A: By crawlspace I assume you mean underneath a home. If you are going to insulate under a floor and you have 16” or 24” on-centers, my insulation expert recommends using unfaced friction-fit batts with what professionals call lightning rods.

These are metal rods about the thickness of a metal coat hanger with pointed ends about two inches longer than the interior joist space. You can stick these up an unfaced batt and then install a lightning rod every 18” or so to hold up the insulation. This is a very fast and easy installation.

You could also nail plywood or lattice boards to the bottom of the floor joists, but again are a lot more expensive than lightning rods. Some people use netting, but that is a lot more work.

In some areas they call the room in the attic a crawl space. If you mean in your attic, blown insulation to a value of R-30 or greater is recommended.

To locate reputable insulation contractors to collect bids, please visit our site at http://www.servicemagic.com. Fill out the appropriate service request, and let us match you with the ideal service professional in your area.

Good luck!

Kathy Maynard