Even though we live in warm and beautiful Florida - homes still need to be insulated. Insulation not only keeps the warmth in, but during the summer months, insulation works to keep the heat out. Homes built on raised foundations (crawlspaces) are required to have the floor insulated with a minimum of R-19 rated insulation. But is there an insulation requirement for home built on a concrete slab (often called slab-on-grade)?

True or False? Residential structures built on concrete slab-on-grade foundations are required to be insulated.

False - When structures are built with a "slab-on-grade" concrete foundation - also called "slabs", there is no supplemental insulation requirement. The concrete barrier acts as the insulation barrier. As an aside - "slab" foundations are required to be poured over a plastic barrier, and there is no wood allowed to be buried within the slab. The plastic barrier requirement is designed to prevent moisture from wicking into the concrete, or entering the structure through cracks, and no wood is permitted to be poured over, to prevent the wood acting as termite bait.

Rosie Baird of Pelican Real Estate