Insulation, Radiant and Vapor Barriers - Insulate the floor or around the foundation?

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swt66
02-28-09, 09:31 AM
I have a 25 year old house that I have bought. There is little to no Insulation in the crawl space area under the house.

Being on a budget, would it be better to insulate the floor, and leave the foundation with no insulation, or should I insulate the foundation and leave the floor alone?

Thanks in advance. scott

chris8796
03-04-09, 01:00 PM
I prefer to do the foundation wall (unvented crawlspace) for a couple of reasons:

1. You don't have to insulate the ductwork, since it is inside the thermal envelope.

2. You end up with a semi-conditioned space which is nice for storage. Mine is usually within 5 degrees of the conditioned temperature.

3. Some people put a duct in to supply conditioned air to the area.

4. Makes future maintenance/projects easier, since access to floor is typically needed more than access to the foundation wall.