# Insulating a Floor From the Basement



## JohnC20 (Oct 1, 2012)

Hi! 
Going to help a friend with cold floors on the first floor of his home. We plan to insulate the floor from below by accessing the unfinished basement. 
My question is what type of insulation? Foil or paper? Also, thinking r19. Any suggestions? His house is in upper Westchester NY. 
Thanks!!


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_insulation_table

Has it been air sealed?
Are all the foundation vents closed?
If this is a crawl space is there a vaper barrier on the ground?
You need to go back and add your location to your profile.


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## JohnC20 (Oct 1, 2012)

joecaption said:


> http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=home_sealing.hm_improvement_insulation_table
> 
> Has it been air sealed?
> Are all the foundation vents closed?
> If this is a crawl space is there a vaper barrier on the ground?


No no and no! Lol. The home is about 80 y.o. And it leaks air like a flat tire. No vapor barrier. Which is why I asked about foil or paper backed. The basement is unfinished, cobble stone walls.


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Ballon wall constrution, old leaking windows, almost no insulation in the attic, may or may not even have insulation in the walls, non T X G 1 X6's or hardwood installed with no subflooring?
God I love an old house, ching, ching. All I see is dollar signs.


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## JohnC20 (Oct 1, 2012)

joecaption said:


> Ballon wall constrution, old leaking windows, almost no insulation in the attic, may or may not even have insulation in the walls, non T X G 1 X6's or hardwood installed with no subflooring?
> God I love an old house, ching, ching. All I see is dollar signs.


Glad it's my friends!!


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## Fix'n it (Mar 12, 2012)

joecaption said:


> Ballon wall constrution


not all old houses are balloon. mine isn't, and never has been. its at least 80 years old.


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## jklingel (Dec 21, 2008)

if the basement is conditioned (heated), fiberglass is ok, but roxul is better. if the basement is not conditioned and you can get to flat floor joists, fill them w/ batting if you want to and then cover them w/ rigid foam and tape/goo the edges. any batting in between joists leaves their edges cold, and you could get condensation on them. the rigid foam prevents that.


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## JohnC20 (Oct 1, 2012)

jklingel said:


> if the basement is conditioned (heated), fiberglass is ok, but roxul is better. if the basement is not conditioned and you can get to flat floor joists, fill them w/ batting if you want to and then cover them w/ rigid foam and tape/goo the edges. any batting in between joists leaves their edges cold, and you could get condensation on them. the rigid foam prevents that.


Wow.. Ok. Not sure if he wants to spend the money on the foam... Thanks!


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