Insulating concrete floors: Why and how to do it — plus retrofit options

feet on bare concrete floor
(Image credit: Getty)

While the job of insulating concrete floors tends to be a little more involved than when insulating suspended timber floors, it is most certainly a job well worth doing. And choosing the right insulation and knowing the best way of installing it is key to an energy efficient home, helping to cut bills and warm up a chilly house.  

“Concrete ground floors became commonplace in the 1950s, many being installed without an effective damp proof membrane,” explains Rob Bohm, Heating and Energy Consultant at CLPM Construction Consultancy. “As the building regulations changed, effective dampproof membranes were fitted, but only since the 1990s have building regulations required that new ground floors be insulated in order to conserve energy.”

Natasha Brinsmead

Natasha is Homebuilding & Renovating’s Associate Content Editor and has been a member of the team for over two decades. An experienced journalist and renovation expert, she has written for a number of homes titles. Over the years Natasha has renovated and carried out a side extension to a Victorian terrace. She is currently living in the rural Edwardian cottage she renovated and extended on a largely DIY basis, living on site for the duration of the project. She is now looking for her next project — something which is proving far harder than she thought it would be.