Insulation

WHAT IS INSULATION?

Insulation is a process to keep sound, electricity and heat from spreading. A material specially designed to prevent the transmission of heat or sound from one space to other is known as insulation material. The ultimate purpose of insulation is to create a barrier around the building which helps in reduction of the amount of heating needed on a cold day or vice versa. All year round you can keep the desired temperature in your house by the help of insulation.

HOW DOES INSULATION WORK?

You will need to understand heat flow if you want to understand how insulation works. Heat is transmitted in three different way like convection, conduction, and radiation. Thermal insulation works by restricting the movement of heat in any form providing a much more comfortable place to live in.

The combination of these two characteristics plays a main role in the quality of insulation

The natural capacity of insulation material to inhibit the transmission of heat.

Natural insulants which are trapped inside the pockets of insulation material.

WHAT ARE THE 3 TYPES OF INSULATION?

The 3 types of insulation are thermal insulation, sound insulation, and fire insulation.

Thermal insulation

Thermal insulation prevents or reduce heat loss and reduces the amount of money and gas and electricity we use to do this. With ever-rising energy costs if the house is properly insulated it can save up to 2/3 of the energy required.

Acoustic insulation

The sound that causes trouble to others is nothing but undesirable an unaccepted sound. Acoustic insulation is also known as sound insulation or soundproof insulation. The purpose of acoustic insulation is to block or decrease the intensity of soundwaves transmitting from outside the house to a room inside or vice versa.

Fire-resistant insulation

Fire-resistant insulation material slows the spread of fire and protects the building. Fire-resistant insulation material is specially designed to resist high temperature and ensure no toxic smoke is released if it does come in contact with flames.

Fire resistance is classified in various ratings as follows

A1- non-combustible

A2- limited combustible

B-F - Low- high contribution to fire.

Another thing you may wish to consider when looking to reduce your heating bills is to use efficient doors and windows. A customer reported big improvements in their heating costs by installing a upvc door in their kitchen. There is no point in insulating your house if you let your heating escape straight into the garden and out onto the decking due to poor ventilation! It is definitely one to add to the list.

Why should you insulate

Reduces heating and energy cost

Control condensation

Lowers carbon footprint

Reduces the amount of noise

Increases fire-resistant of your house

Increases the value of your domestic property

Increases comfort

INSTALLING LOFT INSULATION

Loft insulation is the easiest way to improve comfort and save money in your home.

A well-insulated loft has many benefits including reducing heat loss through the roof. That means you'll have a cosier home which will reduce your heating costs.

Choosing loft insulation

There are different types of loft insulation and they vary in cost and performance. So choose the one which best suits your needs.

The insulation typically comes in rolls or slabs which are pre-cut at common widths. Popular brands include Isover and Knauf.

For more information on choosing loft insulation, see our loft insulation page. We also sell a huge range of roofing products such as roofing membranes and roofing tiles on our sister site Build4less.

Many people choose to install loft insulation themselves, as it works out much cheaper and is an easy job for most people. (Be warned - installing loft insulation is a messy job and you should definitely wear a mask, goggles and gloves!)

The first step is to measure your loft. You can then work out how much material you need (see our guide on measuring). Homeowners typically look to use two layers of a fibreglass type loft roll insulation. The benefits here include cheaper costs and it's easily installed. Other options include using rigid insulation board in the floors (or ceilings in a room in roof situation). The insulation industry is starting to use spray foams and other types of foam insulation such as polyurethane foam in the roof space. This provides better insulation but it's not a DIY job.

You might also consider boarding your loft at the same time, it's a smart way to add extra storage for your tools and household accessories.

Just be careful of electric cables. Electric cables are generally fine to cover with loft roll insulation, but you should consult with an electrician to be sure.  

For more detailed information see our diy loft insulation page.

CAVITY WALL INSULATION

Insulating cavity walls is an effective way to lower energy bills by reducing the amount of heat that escapes from your home. It's also one of the most popular retrofit options.

All new builds must insulate their cavity walls to meet building regulations.

New builds typically use pir insulation or another similar insulation board to insulate because you have access while building. This offers the best performance for the cost.

For an existing home, the installation involves using a spray such as beads or spray foam which can be pumped into the walls. This is a technical process and the user needs to be well trained and used to the process in order to get the best results.

For our full range of cavity wall options for new builds, click here.