Hello!
I am in the process of renovating the kitchen in our 60s house and will also be installing underfloor heating. Therefore, I have removed the floor to replace it with grooved particle boards for underfloor heating. Under the floor, there is about 30 cm of wood shavings as insulation down to the concrete slab (there is a basement below the slab, so it is not against ground/crawl space). See attached image. My question is, should I:
A) remove the shavings and insulate with something else?
B) leave the shavings and insulate with mineral wool or similar directly on top?
C) not touch it at all?
The wood shavings and floorboards appear very dry and fine, although the shavings have settled a bit over the years.
Grateful for answers!
I am in the process of renovating the kitchen in our 60s house and will also be installing underfloor heating. Therefore, I have removed the floor to replace it with grooved particle boards for underfloor heating. Under the floor, there is about 30 cm of wood shavings as insulation down to the concrete slab (there is a basement below the slab, so it is not against ground/crawl space). See attached image. My question is, should I:
A) remove the shavings and insulate with something else?
B) leave the shavings and insulate with mineral wool or similar directly on top?
C) not touch it at all?
The wood shavings and floorboards appear very dry and fine, although the shavings have settled a bit over the years.
Grateful for answers!
D) Top up with more shavings so that there is no air gap.
The draft and cold feet are due to the air being able to move in the joist, if you top up to the boards, the shavings fulfill their function, and the air remains still, allowing you to avoid cold floors. Now, you will have underfloor heating, but then the energy consumption will be less instead.
You should not mix different materials in the insulation.
Just my opinion anyway, but I could be wrong
The draft and cold feet are due to the air being able to move in the joist, if you top up to the boards, the shavings fulfill their function, and the air remains still, allowing you to avoid cold floors. Now, you will have underfloor heating, but then the energy consumption will be less instead.
You should not mix different materials in the insulation.
Just my opinion anyway, but I could be wrong
Alternatively, lay a thin mineral wool mat on the shavings along the outer walls and compress it under the floor chipboards.
The biggest cause of cold floors is, as mentioned, that the cold outside air can pass above the shavings.
The biggest cause of cold floors is, as mentioned, that the cold outside air can pass above the shavings.