Unheated crawlspaces cause cold floors.
Unheated crawlspaces are a nuisance to homeowners when they make the floors and rooms above them feel cold or cause mold because of poor air circulation. Heating the crawlspace can alleviate this problem and make a home comfortable year-round. There are a number of different ways to heat a crawlspace, depending on the goals of the homeowner.
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Remove insulation attached to the floorboards.
It is important to remove any insulation that has been applied to the floorboards that make the roof of the crawlspace. Though commonly installed, the insulation prevents warm air in the crawlspace from getting to the room above. The crawlspace should have a vapor barrier on the ground to keep out moisture, and exterior walls of the crawlspace should be insulated.
Electric Baseboard Heaters
Electric baseboard can be the least expensive way to heat a cold crawlspace. It is also the easiest solution if the crawlspace is cramped or access to the crawlspace is through a small opening that restricts what you can bring in to the crawlspace. Mounted on the framing in the crawlspace, the heaters can be plugged into wall sockets or wired into the home's electrical system.
Heating Ducts
Heating ducts are the best option if the home is heated by a furnace. It is important to check the specifications of the furnace to make sure it can handle the additional workload. Ducts going to the crawlspace need insulation so that as much heat as possible gets into the crawlspace, and also to keep the duct from perspiring, which could cause it to grow mold or corrode. A return duct needs to be installed to keep the air circulating through the crawlspace.
Radiant Floor Heating
Radiant floor heating adds some heat heat to the crawlspace and it is best at attacking a common symptom of unheated crawlspaces -- the cold floors above them. This method requires the installation of special plastic pipes to the floorboards. Hot water circulates through the pipes, which warms the floorboards and the crawlspace. This is more efficient than baseboard heaters or forced-air ducts because heat is not lost from the ducts and it requires minimal electricity to operate.
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