Troubleshooting Sub-Floor Thermal Drafts: Installing Polyethylene Foam Sill Seals

When the winter temperature drops and heating bills begin to spike, homeowners frequently ask themselves: why are my floors so cold over crawl space environments? They perform standard energy audits, sealing attic hatches and window thresholds upstairs, yet they are still plagued by a persistent, freezing breeze moving across their living room rugs. In almost … Read more

Fixing Subfloor Rodent Tunneling: Restoring Hollowed Insulation Panels

Many homeowners upgrade from traditional fiberglass batts to rigid foam boards or closed-cell spray foam insulation to prevent mold and moisture tracking. While these polyurethane materials excel at blocking vapor, they introduce a distinct logistical challenge: rodent tunneling. Mice, rats, and chipmunks love the high thermal insulation properties of foam panels. They will chew their … Read more

Why Is Water Trapped Behind My Crawl Space Wall Insulation?

Why Is Water Trapped Behind My Crawl Space Wall Insulation? During a routine home maintenance check, few things are as alarming as peeling back a sheet of rigid foam insulation board or checking a layer of spray foam along your foundation perimeter only to find hidden, pooling water dripping down the raw masonry block. When … Read more

Rigid Foam Board vs. Spray Foam: Best Foundation Wall Insulation

Rigid Foam Board vs. Spray Foam: Best Foundation Wall Insulation Once you make the executive decision to encapsulate and seal your crawl space, your traditional subfloor fiberglass insulation must go. In a closed, unvented crawl space layout, insulation shifts from the underside of your floorboards directly onto the perimeter masonry foundation walls. This transforms your … Read more

Rigid Foam Board vs. Fiberglass Batts in Crawl Spaces

Insulating a crawl space correctly requires understanding how thermal boundaries interact with heavy subterranean humidity. For decades, residential building codes dictated stuffing fiberglass batt insulation up between structural floor joists. Today, modern building science proves that fiberglass in an unconditioned crawl space is one of the leading contributors to wood rot, saggy subfloors, and toxic … Read more