As the joists are 2x4 s this.
Air gap between floor and insulation.
4b slab floors built directly on the ground.
The number one attic insulation mistake is leaving gaps and spaces between and around the insulation.
How much of a gap has never really been specified which is also confusing because i understood that bat insulation was sized to fit the entire 3 5 inch.
If there is no insulation behind your studs then there sets up a convection loop that can cause the cold and moisture to settle to the bottom of.
Also insulate 4a any portion of the floor in a room that is cantilevered beyond the exterior wall below.
Typically we suggest you have an air gap between 1 2 and 3 4 for the radiant barrier to work.
This is because these unventilated gaps actually contribute to the thermal performance as still air is a good insulator.
Even a small seemingly insignificant gap allows warm air from the house to leak into the attic.
As part of a local council grant i am getting my attic floor insulation 2 inch thick fibreglass replaced with 4 inch thick insulation.
Air gaps larger than this work well too they promote ventilation on the foil and help keep the air dry and the air temps lower.
Use special airtight electrical boxes see photo tip 5 or seal the poly to the electrical box with acoustical sealant.
In situations where you have a breather membrane in place over insulation between the rafters although the tile batten space over the breather membrane needs to be ventilated any gaps below should not be ventilated.
Press the poly into the sealant.
A minimum 10 mm gap between the membrane and tile slate batten although 15 mm is typical to maximise thermal performance.
Walls often have air spaces hidden somewhere between the siding on the outside and the drywall on the inside.
Insulation can t do its job if it s not completely filling the voids between the joists.
Some are accidental some on purpose even code required some served a purpose at one time in history but because of the evolution of construction are no longer useful some are wasteful and some can cause damage.
Just a comment on the air gap behind the stud wall.
A lot of people have been telling me that when installing insulation it is necessary to leave a bit of an air gap between your outer wall and your insulation in order to allow for air flow.
If your building is built to nhbc standards then a ventilated 50 mm gap is still required.
4d extend insulation into joist space to reduce air flows.
I then plan on flooring the attic not as a living space but for storage.
On a continuous surface for example laid flat on the insulation or sarking board.
Seal the gap between the bottom plate of the wall and the floor with acoustical sealant or caulk.
4c as an alternative to floor insulation foundation walls of unvented crawl spaces.