Everything you need to know about Floor Insulation

Yes, around 15% of all heat that is lost via the fabric of a building is through the floor, and insulating the floor (whether it is concrete or suspended timber) could save you up to £70 per year on your heating bills.

It depends on the individual property, but typically ground floor insulation causes the most disruption to the occupant with the least benefit to heat loss. Therefore it is favourable that ground floor insulation is considered only in whole house retrofit projects.

A Retrofit Assessor will determine whether the floor in your property is suitable for insulation, and will also be able to confirm whether the floor is solid concrete or suspended timber, which will affect the process.

Furniture, floor finishes, skirting boards and kitchen appliances will have to be removed and replaced. Heating pipework and electrical wiring will need to be re-routed.

Heat loss can be decreased through reducing draughts by sealing the gaps between the floorboards and along the skirtings.

Before the work, any damage from damp, rot or infestitation must be repaired. The Installer will lift the floorboards from the joists, lay insulation board or mineral fibre between the joists and then replace the floorboards.

Floor insulation is still possible, however the insulation must be tightly fitted between the joists, secured with netting if required, and the ceiling of the basement must be fitted with plasterboard for fire safety reasons.

Insulation can either be laid over the existing floor, or can be laid directly onto the concrete slab or under a new one if the floor is being replaced.

Yes, adding a layer of insulation whether on top of the floor, onto the concrete slab or below the concrete slab will increase the height of the floor. It is recommended to keep the thickness of the insulation to a minimum, as alterations to door openings, stairs and other fixtures can increase the cost of the job. Floor height is not affected when insulating a suspended timber floor.

The Installer will most likely lay a damp-proof membrane under the insulation and a moistureresistant chip-board over to reduce the risk of damp

Floor insulation can cost around £500 for a suspended timber floor and starts at around £1000 for a solid concrete floor depending on the size of the floor and the insulation product used

There are several different types of insulation including solid insulation boards, mineral wool and sprayable foam

No, the ground floor insulation will not need to be maintained following installation, but regular building maintenance is recommended.

For the lifetime of the building.

The payback period was 7 years for a timber floor and 14 years for a concrete floor in 2019.