need to be insulated?
Your in TX.
No.
Heat loss is proportional to the temp difference between the interior of the house and the crawlspace.
68 indoor temp is real close to crawlspace temps.
Even in winter, when hvac ducts are in the CS the temp stays up there.
The answer is “depends where you live”.
Insulation is always a good idea however.
Necessary, not always.
Air infiltration is a greater concern than “R” Value.
Thanks David for the info! The reason I ask is I was talking to a local inspector and he was inspecting a house with a raised kitchen and dining area with a small crawlspace beneath but there was no entrance to inspect it. So he asked if it should be insulated and I just assumed all crawlspaces should be insulated. I just posted the question to get some more input on the matter. Again thanks David.
Only with a properly installed moisture barrier. Also the crawlspace needs to be well vented.
Properly sealed CS can also be “conditioned”!
The answer is NO, but that means “Not always”, not “Not ever”!