If you’re building a new home or renovating, it’s the perfect time to think about insulation. Also, if you’re having trouble keeping your existing home cool in summer and warm in winter, insulation may be the issue.
When you’re building or renovating, insulation is a lot easier to install and get right. But likewise, if your existing home is poorly insulated, all is not lost. There are definitely options to make your home more comfortable, such as going with the right insulation for steel building that will help you save energy in the near future.
From ceilings and walls to underfloor insulation, here’s the basics to help you get it right.
Ceiling Insulation Basics
Your roof cavity is a major source of heat getting into your home, but also a spot where warmth can escape. Because of this, you want to get your ceiling insulation right.
Firstly, consider the type of batts you’re installing. All insulation has an ‘R’ rating, which lets you know how resistant it is to heat loss. For ceilings, anything between 2.5 – 6.0 is appropriate. Secondly, don’t forget about all the smaller parts of your roof cavity where air can escape. If you have vents, exhaust fans or a chimney, make sure you insulate around the edges. Even with quality batts installed, you still need to pay attention to the smaller details.
Furthermore, remember that you do still need proper ventilation in your roof cavity. Your roof draws in a lot of heat, so if it can’t get into your home, and can’t get out, you could experience moisture problems.
Wall Insulation Options
For external walls, batts are the most common type of insulation. Here, you need to look for an ’R’ rating between 1.5 – 2.7. Almost all homes have well insulated external walls, but what if yours doesn’t?
Most people don’t want to tear down their plasterboard to install batts, so you can use blow-in insulation. A special machine is used to blow insulation into the wall cavity via a series of small holes.
Internal walls are similar, you can choose batts if you have access to the wall cavity but blow-in insulation is a less invasive method. Internal wall insulation provides not just air management, but also sound control. Keep household noise in the room where it belongs!
Underfloor Insulation
Firstly, floor insulation should have an ‘R’ rating of 1.7. It can be thinner than other insulation because less air escapes through the floor. Still, you want to choose quality products when installing underfloor insulation.
With quality products, underfloor insulation provides thermal comfort and energy efficiency for your home. It also limits some of the ‘walking’ noise created by moving around your home. Carpet can dull this noise too, but underfloor insulation is particularly helpful in homes with timber floors.
Environmental Options
If you’re looking for environmentally conscious insulation, there’s also good news. You can look for brands that create insulation made from 80% recycled glass, and also use no formaldehyde. You might be asking if this lowers the quality? Rather, it’s quite the opposite.
Eco-friendly insulation is usually made for high thermal performance and acoustic performance. It’s also non-combustible, and super soft which makes it easy to install.
So, if it’s time to insulate your home, you now understand all the basics. We hope this has helped you keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter!
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