Floor Insulation

[TexomaGang]

The insulation in the belly is in need of repair. I am unable to find the kind without the paper backing in our area hardware stores. Thinking of using R13 or R19 rolls between the joists and using foam sleves to insulate the pipes. Frost risk is minimal here in North Texas. More concerned about keeping the place cool in the 100+ degree days of summer.

Is there a specific type of batt insultaion that is commonly used below the plumbing? That is what appears to be in place, but has been damaged by water leakage and is in need of repair. And where would yo find it if not Lowes or Home Depot?

[Greg]

any unfaced fiberglass insulation should work fine. Any home center should have it.

Greg

[Bliz]

What are your thoughts on expanding foam spray insulation? (closed cell)... I was thinking of taking out the underbelly and having this done underneath my doublewide... I heard that it serves as a great vapor barrier in addition to its insulating properties. My doublewide sits on a cement slab with cinderblocks. I was also considering putting up some rigid foam board insulation behind the blocks surrounding the perimeter of the house. Any thoughts on this?

I had recently gone to install new construction windows with extended jams, and I recoiled in horror to discover that the outer wall of my doublewide was sheathed with a fiberglass board that you could poke your finger through... I ended up stripping off all of my vinyl siding, and pulling all of the panels off (pulling many staples), and after I had the entire house down to studs and fiberglass, I re-sheathed it with plywood (calking all of the seams) using screws, I then put on a tyvek wrap around the entire house (again taping all seams), and then I added the Owens Corning rigid foam board insulation (again taping all seams) as an underlayment for the vinyl siding that I put back on. All of my walls are now airtight, but my floor is now cold. I had put down laminate flooring, and I never realized how much the carpets had insulated the flooring before... Do you think that the expanding foam insulation will be a viable alternative to an underbelly lining? I heard that the foam serves as a great vapor barrier as well...

[hhb]

Everyone in the construction business is going crazy with spray foam. The first problem with it is the cost; it's really expensive compared to other forms of insulation. But, the bigger problem looming for many that you will probably hear about in a few years is inappropriate application.

There's no way I would ever spray foam the underneath of any trailer / MH. It will trap in moisture for one thing, rotting out your floor. Plus, have fun fixing anything else underneath from now on when it's all covered in that crap.

Sealing up any building too much against moisture is always a recipe for disaster down the road. Buildings, especially smaller buildings like mobile homes, have to breathe.

Just my humble opinion.

[Greg]

Well the dynamics of this thread has changed. Spray foam is a great product - In the right places. I would not use it in the under belly if for no other reason you need to be able to access the area. ALL of the plumbing & drains run through it, the heat ducts, and often some electrical.

A better idea and possibly less expensive might be to foam the skirting and insulate that. You will still need ventilation under the home, but that could be in the form of removable screened panels that you could open in warm weather and close in the cold.

Greg

[Bliz]

Great Idea Greg. Thanks for your help guys.

[wreckless]

i have just done mine with PIR foam board have posted thread in this forum same thread name as this.I have also posted some pictures i virtually had to cut each piece to the size of the gap it was to fit took 5 days to do it all and very fiddly.
i looked in to the spray and agree it looked messy so i opted for the board, i chatted with a few people who had done this already and a few of the foam manufacturers and got as much information as i could even down to the science of condensation.