underfloor ventilation/ gap

[sinead]

Hello all,
I am not familiar with this site, so I hope I am posting this on the correct site. I bought a house, which is a 100 years old, and the ground floor has a gap of about 2 feet underneath it, and terracotta vent cages to the external. The floor is timber construction. I was wondering if it would be better to fill in the floor by means of hardcore, dpm, radon, insulation and concrete floor as most domestic buildings nowadays, or would it be safe and practical to leave the 2 foot gap and simply insulate?
I hope you can help me. Thank You.

 

[masona]

I can see no point providing you have plenty ventilation underneath. The good side is the space is handy for wiring and pipework etc. Yes you can use insulation slab between joists.

 

[chappers]

leaveit well alone its been ok for 100 years it will be good for a hundred more.
Laying concrete slabs in place of suspended floors can have a nasty habit of causing damp problems especially as your house probably has no dpc

 

[noterom]

hi, how do you fix insulation slabs between floor joists,and is it o-k to
do so?,does it not create moisture on joists and floorboards?
noterom.u.k.

 

[masona]

I have use green garden wire or insulation tape wrap it round joists so the insulation slabs can rest onto it. Providing you use beatheable insulation and have a good air flow shouldn't be a problem.