adding insulation to skirting?

[Mary]

Can anyone advise how adding insulation to skirting is done?

I see new brick-type skirting for sale on the parts page, but I'd like to keep what we have (since I can't afford new) and just add insulation, if possible.

[Mark Bower]

In my opinion, if you are going to add insulation, the only type to add is fiberglass. Many add foamboard, which has very little insulating value. Use the type of fiberglass that's enclosed in a plastic barrier. Then I go one step further and put down strips of foam board on the ground for the fiberglass to set on. I've installed this in my home and several other homes and have had outstanding results.

On the homes I've done (all in cold South Dakota), none have dropped below freezing. That prevents frozen pipes and keeps the floors warmer. Right now we're in a blizzard with winds of 50+ mph. Windchill is God knows how many degrees below zero -- yet right now it's a comfy 42 degrees underneath my home. My phone is going nuts with people froze-up, and until the blizzard stops we can't get to them. Not putting ourselves at risk.

Mark
You gotta see my repair manual!

[Mary]

Thank you, Mark, but I'm still a bit confused. Does the fiberglass get added to the skirting, behind it and vertically? And then the pieces sit on the fiberboard on the ground? What holds it to the metal skirting? Or does it stand up by itself?

I hate to say that I'm in (mostly) sunny California, and our temperature outside doesn't drop too low in winter... about 25 degrees is the lowest... but it still gets cold in here, with cold floors (warm floors in summer) and I'd like to get some insulation under the home somehow.

Adding film to the windows and having all double glazed windows has certainly helped, but there's that floor.... and I know the electric/gas bills would go down if we had better insulation under the home.

[Annette]

Mark,
We have R11 Fiberglass roll insulation underneath our home. We know we need to replace it, I would like to do so with R19 or better. I live in a part of California that gets into the teens in the winter and over the hundreds in the summer. If I read your previous post correctly, you're saying to put in the fiberglass and cover it with the foam board? Please let me know what you think, my house is constantly cold and I am always running out of propane.

Our home is 2 ft off the ground, all of the heat duct runs under the home, I figured this information would be handy to have.

Thanks, in advance, for your response.