Insulation

There is a very broad spectrum of insulation materials available on the market, with an equally broad variance in form, performance, sustainability, cost-effectiveness and availability.

Most insulations resist the transfer of heat, by relying on pockets of trapped air or gas within their structure and their thermal resistance is consistent regardless of the direction of heat flow through it. This insulation includes materials such as glass and rock, mineral wool, cellulose fibre and rigid plastic insulation boards.

Foil insulation, however, mainly resists radiant heat flow due to its high reflectivity and low emissivity. The thermal resistance of reflective insulation products varies with the direction of heat flow and the brightness of the foil facing. Multi foil insulation products work in the same manner as reflective foil products whilst also containing several layers of a metallised component which are usually separated by a combination of wadding and foam.

The following are the main forms of insulation to consider.

Cavity wall insulation is so cost effective that it will pay for itself over and over again. The better insulated your home, the less energy you need to keep it warm and the more money you will save. By insulating your cavity walls you could cut your heating costs and, by saving energy, your household will produce less CO2. An un-insulated home loses around a third of its heat through its external walls. If every UK household that is suitable for cavity wall insulation installed it, we could save around £690 million and nearly 4 million tonnes of CO₂ every year.

If your home was built before or around 1920, its external walls are likely to be solid rather than cavity walls. Cavity walls are made of two layers with a small gap or cavity between them. Solid walls have no such gap and this allows more heat to pass through them than through cavity walls. In fact, twice as much heat can be lost through an un-insulated solid wall as through an un-insulated cavity wall. But the good news is that, like cavity walls, solid walls can be insulated inside or out.

Timber floors can be insulated by lifting the floorboards and laying bulk wool insulation supported by netting between the joists. You can also use a regular tube sealant, such as silicone, to fill gaps between floorboards and skirting boards to stop draughts. Using a silicone sealant to fill gaps will offer savings on your heating bills, insulating underneath the floorboards on the ground floor will save you money year after year.

In an uninsulated home a quarter of your heat is lost through the roof. Insulating your loft is a simple and effective way to reduce your heating bills and you can even do it yourself. It has never been more important to think about insulating your loft. Without proper insulation a lot of the valuable, expensive energy you use to heat your home will be lost through the loft. So, insulating your loft or topping up any insulation you have already will help to heat your home more efficiently.

Draught proofing saves you money, and makes your home snug and pleasant. Draughts are like ventilation in some ways, both let fresh air into your home. But draughts are uncontrolled. They let in too much cold air and waste too much heat. Draughts occur where there are accidental gaps in the construction of your home, or if you leave doors, windows, keyholes or letterboxes open or uncovered. Draught proofing is one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to save energy in any type of building, from a flat to a mansion but it's often overlooked. To draught proof your home you should block up unwanted gaps that let cold air in and warm air out.

All properties lose heat through their windows. Installing energy efficient glazing is an effective way of reducing your energy bills and keeping your home warmer and quieter. Double glazed windows use two sheets of glass with a gap between them which creates an insulating barrier, whilst triple glazed windows have three sheets of glass. Both options can deliver a high level of energy efficiency. It is not the case that you have to use triple glazing to gain the most energy efficient window.

All our insulation is available to collect from our drive-through and shop in Rue des Pres Trading Estate, St Saviour, or delivered free of charge to any destination islandwide.

Pop in, contact us or call us on 01534 888000 for more information.