We have an existing tub and it's cold. There is cold air from the crawlspace coming up around it, through the drain and through the access panel. I've temporarily shoved in batting (insulted kind for quilting, used in things like potholders, so it can withstand heat) into the opening where the access is. It's not sealing it up great. The way they plumbed it leaves little room for insulation. I'm assuming we'll have to look below to see how to insulate it. But what's best to use around tubs? How can we keep the draft from the drain? Would insulating the pipe work? I know fiberglass tubs aren't known for keeping warm, but this one is very cold. Of course I was in the single digits outside, so it's understandable this year. Any suggestions? Limited expanding foam, or just shoving the left over stuff we're going to us in the attic (fiberglass batts)? Thanks!

 

I don't understand the draft from the drain. Installed properly there should be no air path to the outside from inside the drain.

Around the drain can be a problem and any air path to the crawlspace needs to be covered and sealed. If you seal the air paths, you will probably not need to apply insulation around the tun itself.

Confirm for us what you mean by "through the drain". Is that actually air from inside the drain?

Bud

 

no air coming from the drain, it's just cold coming through it. I assume since the pipes are cold down there the cold is radiating through into the tub. There is air coming up through the access panel though.

The crawl space has fiberglass batting shoved up into ceiling, but I'm not sure how well this was done. The floors are cold, the bathroom seems the worse, but that's title.

 

Without being there (pictures would help) the best approach is to build something around the source of the cold air. Fiberglass insulation does not stop air flow very well. Roxul is a mineral wool insulation and very dense and would work better.

Bud