How To Insulate A Ground Floor Flat

Insulation is laid on the concrete and covered with a screed.

How to insulate a ground floor flat.

Putting insulation between the ground and first floor should in theory stop sound vibration and heat from moving between levels in your property. When installing insulation on top of the concrete floor the most common method of installation is as follows. Ground floors are usually constructed as either solid ground floors or suspended ground floors. If you need to insulate between floors you can do so in a very similar way to a ground floor.

Lay the damp proof membrane onto the concrete followed by the insulation. Design considerations such as existing ground conditions the presence of radon gas or methane gas and the intended use of the building are among the factors that will dictate the choice of ground floor and also the insulation used within them. Measure spaces between the floor support beams and purchase roll type fiberglass or foam slab insulation to fill the spaces. This will also increase thermal insulation for the room above and below making them more comfortable to be in and quieter too.

Double glazing or secondary glazing. Install the insulation with the moisture barrier facing the floor not the ground. Roll insulation can be attached to beams with a heavy duty staple gun. Then lay moisture resistant chipboard or a concrete screed to the top which can then be covered by the flooring to finish.

There will be a damp proof membrane under the insulation and possibly a second membrane on top depending on the type of screed. Insulating a solid ground floor below the ground bearing concrete slab can be done using either pir insulation boards or eps insulation boards. Most modern homes have a solid floor for example. Eps can be a cost effective alternative to pir for floor insulation and the same thermal performance can be achieved with increased thickness.

Draughts can be prevented by insulating under the floor or by sheeting over the floor and applying a floor finish. Insulation below a concrete floor. Another way is to add acoustic insulation panels to the ceiling when soundproofing a flat which can be purchased in a range of different colours. The most effective way to insulate a floor is by insulating between the floor joists across which the floorboards are laid.