Insulation For Concrete Floor Slabs

These codes do not require any insulation for slabs that are more than 12 in.

Insulation for concrete floor slabs.

Insulating a concrete floor can save you money on your heating bill making an attached garage or basement warmer and by extension the rest of your house. Check out this article for a list of slab edge insulation solutions and episode 125 for my interview with henry edney of maxraft. In addition to offering insulation and energy savings the plywood subfloor described here can provide the perfect foundation for finish flooring such as carpeting adding warmth in look as. Such spaces typically have a sound level concrete slab floor but lack sufficient floor insulation to achieve the thermal performance targets for.

Up to 80 of heat loss in a floor slab occurs around the edges. Otherwise both codes require that slab on grade floors with a floor surface less than 12 in. Below grade need vertical insulation at the slab perimeter. Insulation below the slab suits continuous low level heating gradually warming the thermal mass of the concrete and sustaining it at a consistent temperature.

The codes are silent about whether above grade slabs need to be insulated. Upgrading concrete slab floors converting existing unheated basements garages and storage areas into habitable rooms is a popular way of increasing living space without constructing an extension. The reflectix concrete slab insulation is an innovative easy to handle product that increases the energy efficiency of radiant floor and snow melt systems under concrete.