Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Crawlspace with water pipes?

I have a crawl space under an addition (bath) that has hot and cold water pipes running in through it, and the floor is extremely cold.

Can i insulate this space with blown in insulation or any other means?


Thanks very much!

If you have open floor joists, you could install batt insulation between the joists. There is a special hanger that holds the batts in place.

Hope this helps.

http://www.autocirc.com/Autocirc.htm

A common problem people experience when they insulate crawl spaces is the water pipes freeze in the winter. The link mentioned above will solve that problem if you are worried about it. There are other methods that can accomplish the same but none as easy to do, cost effective and have the ability to accomplish the desired results.

Actually, I have very limited access to that area, and there are no joists to, at least that I can reach. I basically have a tiny bit of room around where the pipes enter the crawlspace from the basement wall where they are run from. the area around the pipes is fitted with sheet metal, which I suppose I could remove to blow insulation in, or something along those lines, but I am concerned about what kind of conditions it would be under in the crawlspace. Most likely its bare ground on the floor of it, and most likely damp, and then there is the issue of the hot water pipes, etc. This stuff I am not sure about.

Any other advice? Thanks again!

Actually, I have very limited access to that area, and there are no joists to, at least that I can reach. I basically have a tiny bit of room around where the pipes enter the crawlspace from the basement wall where they are run from. the area around the pipes is fitted with sheet metal, which I suppose I could remove to blow insulation in, or something along those lines, but I am concerned about what kind of conditions it would be under in the crawlspace. Most likely its bare ground on the floor of it, and most likely damp, and then there is the issue of the hot water pipes, etc. This stuff I am not sure about.

Any other advice? Thanks again!

sorry for the double post. too quick on the submit button pressing.

Thanks for all the help.

Given your situation, you might be able to blow insulation into this enclosed area if you mean that it will not sit on the bare soil. You don't want to fill the entire space between the soil of the crawl space and the floor above it.

Are you trying to prevent the freezing of the pipes or to make the bathroom floor warmer? If you are trying to make the floor warmer, there may be other solutions.

I am simply trying to make the floor warmer, and also improve the overall energy efficiency of the bathroom.

A little history...the previous owners had simply enlosed a back porch and slapped walls up and built a second full bathroom onto the back of the house in that space. The plumbing was run to it from the basement and as a result the room has very poor insulation and I am afraid it is a huge source of energy loss in the house, as well as a huge expense when the bill comes.

You know, you might be able to find a thermally efficient flooring to add to the bath and make the floor warmer. It would save doing the other in the blind. Just a thought.