Started insulating the floor 10/11/2022

Our area requires R-19 insulation for the floor. Last year, I got the whole place chinked on the outside and then got the wood stove installed. But I was disappointed when I fired up the stove and found that my feet were still freezing inside my boots. I had to wear some of my homemade wool socks to keep my feet warm, even with a fire blazing. I took off my boots as a test - and the floor was so cold, I could feel it coming up through my shoes. The gables aren't insulated either at this point, so that will have to be done eventually as well.

The picture shows rolls all unrolled - I found it was easier to have a bunch to pull in while I was under the house, rather than keep crawling out from underneath to grab another roll. And I thought it was weird, but the instructions say to install it with the paper facing up. I guess it makes sense if you think about it - you don't want moisture to soak up through the paper into the insulation, and then get trapped there. Instead, you want the cold moist air to flow up into the insulation, and right back out again. Wet insulation = no insulation.

I thought up until just a few days ago that I had to wait until I got the HVAC vents and plenum run in before I could insulate the floor, but after studying the plan my Brother-in-law came up with, it looks like I just need to pull back the insulation in a few areas to cut holes for the registers. And plus, the sewer lines and electrical are already in the way of where the insulation goes. I don't want HVAC to add to the mess just yet.

So I ponied up some money and bought 15 bags of R-19 kraft faced rolls and started stuffing it in there. It was going very quick - I got about 1/3 done - and then my kid called - his car broke down in town and a stranger wasn't able to jump it. Since we are down to 1 car (waiting on a pressure regulator to ship for my truck....grrrr!), I thought it would be wise if we had at least access to another vehicle, so I spent the rest of the day replacing a starter.

I'll get back into the insulation tomorrow. I'm curious how much of a difference it will make for cold weather.