Heating accounts for anything up to 70% of the energy bills in buildings and yet without adequate insulation, much of that energy is being unnecessarily wasted.
Insulation saves money and creates a more comfortable living environment, by maintaining a uniform temperature throughout the building. Insulation is an Energy Saving Solution. Quality insulation is key to long term insulation performance. High performing insulation products will ultimately reduce the demand on space heating requirements.
Install Quality Insulation, Eliminate Thermal Bridging, Ensure Airtightness.
How does insulation help? Heat flows naturally from a warmer to a cooler space. In the winter, this heat flow moves directly from all heated living spaces to adjacent unheated spaces, or to the outdoors; or indirectly through interior ceilings, walls, and floors - wherever there is a difference in temperature. To maintain comfort, the heat lost in winter must be replaced by your heating system. Insulating ceilings, walls, and floors decreases this heat flow by providing an effective resistance to the flow of heat.
An un-insulated or poorly insulated roof or wall costs you money and harms the environment. On average, a home loses 20 - 30% of its heat through its walls, up to 30% through the roof and even more if they are not properly insulated
For existing builds you can improve your heat loss by improving the insulation in your attic and walls. The benefits for insulating your walls are-
Reduction in heating bills
Increased comfort levels
Reduction in Greenhouse gas emissions
These benefits also apply to attic insulation along with the additional benefits of –
Low capital cost
Short payback periods
Attic Insulation
When insulating an attic you can either insulate at ceiling or rafter level. Some key tips- If you have a pitched roof with an attic space, one of the simplest ceiling insulation methods is to lay a quilt (Mineral Fibre, Glass Fibre, Hemp, Sheepswool materials are all capable of satisfying the performance requirements of the scheme). If this type of material is to be used, it is important to ensure that the quilt is installed in two layers and in two directions in order to ensure the maximum benefit is achieved. There are many other products that can insulate effectively at ceiling level. And at rafter level typical insulation materials used are semi-rigid insulation boards as well as glass/mineral fiber batts The insulation material you choose may depend on the depth of your rafters. The optimum solution for your specific case should be discussed with the Contractor. The insulation boards should be installed between rafters, leaving a gap between the insulation and the felt. There should also be a layer of insulation across the underside of the rafters to minimise heat loss.
Wall Insulation
Some Tips for Wall Insulation – Firstly find out what is the wall type for your property. The three main wall types are cavity walls, solid walls and hollow block walls. A building contractor or architect will be able to tell you what type of wall your home has if you don't already know yourself. There are three main types of wall insulation, which suit different walls and homes - Cavity Wall Insulation, Internal Insulation, External Insulation.
A cavity wall consists of two rows of brick or concrete block with a cavity or space between them. An insulating product can be injected from the outside and is the best method for insulating this type of wall.
It is vital to look for high quality when choosing your insulation product. Be sure it is a certified product. Installation of wall insulation requires a level of competency, experience and the use of specialist equipment.
If your home is built using solid wall or hollow block construction methods, cavity fill insulation is not an option. Internal insulation (sometimes referred to as 'dry-lining') involves fixing insulation to the inner surfaces of your external walls. This usually involves fixing an insulation board to the walls and covering it with a vapour barrier layer and plasterboard. One of the main disadvantages of internal insulation is the loss of room space; this may be minimised by using high performance insulation products that are thinner. While this is often a more affordable option than installing external wall insulation, the loss of space and potential necessity to take out and re-fit fitted kitchens and appliances can result in people choosing the external insulation option.
External insulation involves fixing insulating materials such as mineral wool or expanded polystyrene slabs to the outer surface of the wall. The insulation is then covered with a special render to provide weather resistance. A steel or fiber-glass mesh is embedded in this render to provide strength and impact resistance. External insulation is an expensive solution; however additional problems (other than poor levels of insulation) suffered by some homes such as rain penetration, poor air tightness or frost damage can also be solved by an external insulation system.
For more information on specific products and their merits please click on the “Manufactures” button above
Pipe Insulation
Hot and Cold water pipe insulation will save you money. By insulating the pipes they will not freeze in winter and will minimise heating costs associaded with heating water. The insulation prevents the water losing heat.
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