Expert: Bruce E. Johnson - 11/10/2008

Question
Bruce, I have a home which is above ground which needs additional insulation underneath in the back of the house. The bathroom pipes freeze in the winter! Someone at the local home supply store recommended installing masonry block around the base of the house to trap the air in and avoid air exchange. The house also smells musty inside.
Since we live in Illinois, we can get temperatures down to 0 degrees in the winter. What would you recommend?

Answer
Hi Rosemary, what kind of foundation does your home sit on?  If it is up on piers and the sides of the foundation is open all around then you need to enclose the crawlspace under the house with either Masonry block as you suggest or wood stud framing with plywood sheathing on the exterior.  This wood framed wall can then be insulated with regular fiberglass insulation batts.   You can also wrap the pipes with insulation.  Most building supply stores stock a pipe insulation that has a cloth or plastic backing making it easy to wrap the pipes with.  As far as the musty smell goes you might try hanging Damprid in your closets and areas that get musty.  The Damprid will absorb the moisture out of the air that causes the musty odor. Damprid can be found in various forms at your grocery store, or hardware store.  I hope this information helps feel free to write again regarding this or other matters, sincerely bruce e johnson..bejohnsonconsulting.com