In an average home, more than 40% of the heating energy escapes through the roof and walls. That’s nearly half of the money you spend on keeping warm, doing nothing more than damaging the environment.
None of us have that kind of money to waste, nor can we ignore our responsibility to the planet.It’s worth mentioning that insulation doesn’t just keep you warm: in the height of summer it also provides a barrier against heat gain, so it also helps keep you cool.
As active members of the National Insulation Association, we work committedly to reduce this wastage. The main tools at our disposal are cavity wall insulation and loft insulation.
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Most homes have some sort of insulation in the loft. But unless it’s at least 270mm thick, you’re wasting energy. It’s estimated that if everyone in the UK topped up their insulation to this thickness, we’d cut £560million off our annual energy bills.
Over the years, roll-on loft insulation can break apart, leaving un-insulated areas. It also compresses under the weight of the suitcases, old table lamps and photograph albums that mysteriously accumulate up there. Damp can reduce old insulation’s effectiveness almost to zero. It really does make sound financial and environmental sense to replace the old material with modern, efficient insulation.
We install two types of insulation, depending on what’s right for the property.
Rolled Quilt
This type of insulation will be familiar to many people.
Blown Fibres
In this case we introduce the insulation material into the loft space using a purpose-built blowing machine. The fibres settle between the joists and also penetrate well into inaccessible areas. |
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Almost certainly, the single most effective step you can take towards saving energy is to have the walls of your house properly insulated. It’s like wrapping your home in a huge, invisible continental quilt. Cavity wall insulation typically saves over three times as much energy as installing double glazing!
You probably already know that cavity wall insulation keeps your home warmer in winter; but did you know it also reduces solar heat gain? so it keeps you cooler in summer too.
As you’re probably aware, the outer walls of your house are usually made of a double layer of bricks, with an air space between them. This air space provides some insulation, but as the air inside it is free to convect, it tends to channel heat upwards and vent it into the loft space, where it’s lost through the roof. Cavity wall insulation traps the air, preventing this convection.
In most cases, we apply the insulation by injecting it through the outside walls of your house. |
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Here’s a quick, easy indication of whether your home already has cavity wall insulation. If you have an outside electricity meter cupboard, open it and look around the holes through which the cables enter. If your house is insulated, there may well be traces of yellow-brown foam. If you can’t see any, it may be possible to shine a torch into the cavity through the holes.
Of course, this is a guide, not an infallible test. To be sure, by all means call us on 0800 068 0274 to arrange a free survey, completely without obligation. |
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We use a range of insulation agents, depending on what’s best for your house. They fall broadly into two categories:
Mineral Wool
This is similar to the material used for insulating lofts. It’s spun from rock or glass fibres, so it’s rot-proof and water repellent. The insulation “breathes”, allowing the moisture that accumulates naturally in the cavity to dissipate into the atmosphere as normal.
Expanded Polystyrene Beads
These are very similar to the packing material you find in many cartons. Thousands of tiny polystyrene spheres are blown into the cavity and anchored together using a specially developed adhesive. Again, the insulation locks in heat, but allows moisture to escape.
Whatever material we recommend for you, it’ll be installed in accordance with the latest industry technical standards. |
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