From some googling and reading around this seems to be a subject where there are differing opinions, or at least where the right approach depends on lots of different factors so I'm posting here to see what the group think.
I'm currently "redecorating" a couple of rooms, one ground floor, the other 1st floor immediately above. There is currently no insulation between the two floors. I'm wondering whether it would be a sensible idea to fit some, either to keep heat downstairs or to reduce noise.
More details ...
It's an old stone built building, with solid external walls about 1.5 foot thick on 2.5 sides. The other walls are the same, although (now) internal. The floor is solid - tiles presumably onto the ground given the age (around 300 years), with I'm guessing no insulation :-).
In both rooms I'm fitting insulation and vapour barrier backed plasterboard on battens to the 3 walls which make up the 2.5 external walls. Regular plasterboard on the other walls. Both rooms have smallish new wooden double glazed windows. Currently no insulation in the loft, but I?ll be adding some.
The upstairs room will be decent thick carpet on decent underlay, on top of 22mm T&G chipboard. The space between the joists is currently empty. The ceiling below will be two layers of plasterboard, 12.5mm on top of, probably, 9mm. Floor in the downstairs room will be similarly decent carpet and decent underlay.
Heating will be radiators in both rooms, and an occasional wood fired stove downstairs. Downstairs will be a sitting room and upstairs a child's bedroom.
So given the above it is sensible to fit insulation either to keep heat downstairs, or to stop noise in either direction? I don?t have a good feel for whether it can make a big difference in either case.