Efficient floor insulation: the key to energy-efficient and comfortable buildings
Floor insulation plays a crucial role in achieving climate goals and increasing living comfort.
Floor insulation was partly overlooked in the construction sector for a long time, but with the growing focus on energy efficiency and comfort, that has completely changed. Floor insulation plays a crucial role in achieving climate goals and enhancing living comfort.
Why Floor Insulation is Essential
In the UK, uninsulated floors can be responsible for around 10–20% of home heat loss, especially where they adjoin unheated spaces like basements, garages or underfloor voids. Proper floor insulation not only helps retain warmth and cut energy bills, but also improves comfort by reducing draughts and cold floors. It’s also crucial for getting the most efficiency from underfloor heating — increasingly chosen in modern UK homes and renovation projects (Source: Energy Saving Trust).
Floor Insulation and UK Energy Performance Standards
In the UK, building projects must meet the energy efficiency requirements of Approved Document Part L of the Building Regulations, which set minimum standards for thermal performance in new builds and major renovations. According to the Energy Saving Trust, uninsulated floors can be responsible for 10–20% of heat loss in a typical home, making proper insulation vital for reducing energy waste and lowering heating bills. Improving floor insulation also supports a better Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating — beneficial for compliance with regulations and for property value — as well as enhancing the effectiveness of heating systems like underfloor heating.
Deck-VQ® Vacuum Insulation
Deck-VQ® vacuum insulation can also be used as floor insulation, especially in situations where space is limited and a high insulation value is required. Deck-VQ® is a vacuum insulation panel (VIP) of just 45 mm with a high RD value of 5.00 m²K/W. The panels are equipped with a protective layer (Topcover), making them easier to install with a laying plan.
FAQs
Floor
Can PIR insulation boards be used directly below flooring tiles?
No, PIR insulation boards should not be used directly below flooring tiles, a suitable substrate such as screed should be used to distribute the load and prevent movement and cracking of the tiles.
Is a vapour control layer (VCL) required in a floor insulation application?
In addition to the damp proof membrane (normally a 1200-gauge polythene sheet below the insulation), a 500-gauge polythene VCL should be laid over the insulation. Where a concrete slab or a screed is to be poured on top, the VCL will also protect the foil face of the board from alkalis within the concrete, and stop poured concrete opening board joints and causing a thermal break.
What insulation products can be used with underfloor heating?
Recticel Insulation's Eurothane® GP boards are compatible with both wet and electrical underfloor heating systems. Clipping a wet system through the VCL described above will not compromise the performance of the VCL or the insulation.