Effective insulation is vital for creating a warm and comfortable home while significantly reducing energy costs and lowering C02 emissions. With energy prices on the rise, investing in the right insulation for your home has never been more important.

Studies indicate that an uninsulated home could be losing up to 30% of its heat through the roof and walls, resulting in wasted energy and inflated bills.

There is a large range of insulation options available, each offering different advantages and disadvantages for areas in your home. Choosing the right insulation for your home rests on several key factors including the installation location, budgetary constraints, and which type provides superior thermal performance or ease of installation.

We will explore various insulation options to help you determine the best fit for your building, ensuring you make an informed decision that improves both comfort and efficiency.

Understanding Insulation Materials And Types

Insulation materials are crafted from a variety of materials, each with unique characteristics and properties that make them ideal for specific applications. Available in various forms, including insulation board, insulation slab, insulation roll and insulation plasterboard, there are also options like blown-in insulation by specialised contractors.

Different types of insulation excel in particular scenarios, leveraging their distinct features for the best performance. Discover the most common insulation materials and find the perfect fit for your needs:

Fibreglass: Ideal for insulating rafters, timber frame walls, and cladding systems. It effectively retains heat, creating a comfortable environment in your home or office, and helps reduce energy usage immediately. 

Rigid Foam Board: Made from materials such as polyurethane or polyisocyanurate foam. The aluminium foil on these boards acts as a vapour barrier, preventing moisture from damaging insulation or reducing its effectiveness. 

Reflective Barriers: Recommended for use in a range of applications. They have a high vapour resistance, so they may also function as a vapour control layer. Usually, aluminium foils or plastic membranes are laminated or coated with a reflective material.

Multifoil insulation: Insulative material made of layers of sheets, foil and other insulating materials. Multifoil insulation rolls provide versatile options. They adjust to various surfaces, seamlessly fitting your construction requirements.

Insulation slabs: Otherwise known as batt insulation, these cost-effective solutions enhance comfort and energy efficiency in the home while also offering sound insulation. Compact, rigid, and flexible enough to be cut to size.

Choosing The Right Type Of Insulation For Different Areas Of The Home

Choosing the right types of insulation for your home is a vital decision that influences your comfort, energy efficiency and overall well-being.

The right insulation materials can lead to substantial energy savings, enhance indoor air quality, reduce noise levels, and promote environmental sustainability. By investing in the best insulation, you can transform living spaces into a healthier, more efficient, and more enjoyable environment, elevating your quality of life and reducing your carbon footprint. 

• Attic & loft insulation is essential for creating a comfortable home environment, ensuring your space remains refreshingly cool in the summer and comfortably warm in the winter. With various options available, including sheep's wool to fibreglass, insulting your loft space brings benefits all year round.

In England, Scotland, and Wales, the minimum U-value for pitched roof refurbishment is set at 0.18 W/m2K. To enhance your home's energy efficiency and comfort, make sure to choose the best insulation for attics based on their thermal conductivity. 

• Wall insulation is a vital addition to any property, both internally and externally. It effectively maintains comfortable and controllable heat levels whether you’re working or relaxing. By investing in wall insulation or cavity wall insulation, you’re not only enhancing your comfort but also contributing to a more sustainable living or working environment.

Wall insulation comes in several types, including cavity wall, internal wall, external wall insulation and solid wall insulation. Proper insulation not only adds value to your property but also promotes a more comfortable and sustainable living environment.

• Floor/ crawl space insulation is essential for elevating energy efficiency, minimising moisture, lowering heating costs, and enhancing indoor air quality.

It serves a vital purpose in bolstering energy efficiency and safeguarding your home from moisture-related damage. In the UK, crawl spaces frequently face cold, damp, and humid conditions, making proper underfloor insulation not just important but critical for achieving significant savings and a healthier indoor environment.

Factors To Consider When Choosing Insulation For Your Home

When selecting home insulation materials, 10 key characteristics should be evaluated to guarantee their efficiency and appropriateness for the specific use. Among the crucial aspects are:

1. Thermal Resistance (R-Value). The material’s ability to resist heat transfer is measured by its R-value, with higher values indicating better insulation.
2. Thermal Conductivity. Low thermal conductivity indicates a good insulator, as it minimises heat flow. When touching a material, we should feel a minimal temperature difference. Excellent insulation materials have conductivity lower than 0.022W/mK.
3. Moisture Resistance. Insulation materials must demonstrate moisture resistance to prevent water absorption, which could jeopardise their insulating capabilities.
4. Fire Resistance is essential for safety. Rockwool stone wool boards are top-rated, achieving an A1 classification for total fire resistance. In contrast, polystyrene ranks low, with fire resistance classes E and F, making it one of the least fire-resistant options.
5. Density. Materials with higher density offer greater hardness, water resistance, and insulation properties. For insulation under significant static loads, 35kg/m3 is ideal.
6. Environmental Impact. It’s important to use eco-friendly materials with minimal environmental impact during production and disposal. Generally, insulation materials come from petroleum-based resources or natural elements like rock, but in certain situations, petroleum-based products may be undesirable.
7. Soundproofing. Some insulation materials can reduce sound transmission which is vital for certain applications. Rockwool insulation, with a density of 100kg/m3, is the most effective for soundproofing walls and ceilings.
8. Durability. The longevity of the material is essential in high-wear areas. PIR boards excel in durability, lasting decades if protected from extreme weather and direct sunlight.
9. Insulation Installation. Installing insulation materials shouldn’t be too difficult for builders or DIY-ers. Polystyrene is the easiest to work with, as it’s lightweight and easy to cut. PIR board is more challenging to install, requiring skill and specialised tools.
10. Cost. Balancing cost-effectiveness with the desired properties is crucial for project decisions for homeowners. Price is often the primary reason for selecting insulation materials. However, since we insulate homes only once in a lifetime, saving costs now may seem unjustified, especially with rising energy and gas expenses.

Common Problems Solved

How do I know if my home needs more insulation?

To identify a lack of insulation in your home, watch for cold walls, draughts around windows and doors, and inconsistent room temperatures due to heat loss. Rising energy bills and signs of dampness or mould may also indicate insulation issues.

What is the lifespan of different insulation materials?

The lifespan of insulation materials varies. Fibreglass and cellulose last about 20-30 years, mineral wool can last 30-100+ years, and spray foam lasts 30-80 years when installed correctly. Choosing these materials ensures lasting comfort and efficiency for your home.

Can insulation help with noise reduction?

Insulation, particularly acoustic or soundproof insulation, can greatly aid in minimising noise by soaking up sound savings and stopping them from passing through walls, floors, and ceilings. 

Conclusion

With the help of Armstrong Cheshire’s team of experts, now is the ideal time to assess your current insulation standards and invest in upgrades in moisture control, soundproofing and fire-resistance.

Shop a wide range of insulation materials that are designed to be used in various areas across a building, with specific characteristics helping to create the best results. 

For more insulation for your home advice, get in touch with our expert team using the contact details below:

Call: 01625 322269
Email: contact@armstrongcheshire.co.uk
Or use our contact form here