Introduction
Cavity walls are the most popular type of wall in UK homes. Double-skin properties were developed starting around 1920, so if your house was built after that, it most likely has an inside wall, an air gap, and then an external wall. This space can be insulated using a variety of insulation materials, but if you have a solid wall, such as 50cm bricks, you have alternative options. Read our post on how to insulate a wall to find out which method is ideal for your insulation strategy.
Of course, walls aren't the only thing that can be insulated. Insulating your entire home, including inside walls, may ensure that your home is both energy-efficient and comfortable. Insulating your home properly will also lower your heating expenditures, so it's a win-win situation all around. Here is a step-by-step guide to insulating various portions of your home, as well as the products we recommend for the job.
What types of insulation are there?
There are many different types of insulation available on the market today, but only domestic insulation should be considered by homeowners. Industrial-grade or high-level acoustic insulation would be prohibitively expensive in a three-bed semi. Insulation board, roll insulation, batt insulation (also known as insulation slab), multifoil insulation, acoustic insulation, and insulated plasterboard are all examples of residential insulation. We'll go over the different categories and their primary characteristics below.
When It Comes to Insulating My Roof and Rafters, What Should I Think About?
If your roof and rafters are not properly insulated, they are costing you a lot of money in the form of energy bills for every minute you use the heating system. Because heat will escape through the roof and rafters, this is not an ideal position for preventing heat loss and saving money. And because hot air rises, and with an uninsulated roof, all of the heat will eventually escape through the roof, a significant temperature difference will be formed. Insulating the roof and rafters is not an expensive or difficult task. There are a variety of insulating solutions to choose from.
Celotex insulation is one of the roof insulation options available. This is especially important on pitched roofs, where much heat is lost due to the void. This space can be made habitable by insulating along the plane of the roof pitch with Celotex insulation; to create a warm roof structure, Celotex insulation can be used as insulating sarking over the roof structure. It eliminates thermal bridges at the rafters, and the foil facings, when used in conjunction with taped joints, provide an effective barrier to moisture vapor and air leakage. The Celotex TB4000 is a multi-purpose insulation board designed to provide straightforward solutions for overcoming localized thermal bridges. Celotex TB4000 is made from rigid polyisocyanurate (PIR) and a combination of blowing agents with zero ozone depletion potential (zero ODP) and low global warming potential (GWP). When you choose Celotex TB4000, you are specifically aiming insulation for thermal bridge elimination; it is available in varying thicknesses other than the commonly used standard size, is easily cut and shaped for fitting purposes, includes low emissivity foil facings for improved thermal insulation performance within cavity air spaces, and the most important benefit of all- it is a method for long-term provision of reliable energy savings for structures.
Celotex GA4000 Insulation Boards, which are also general purpose and can be used for roofs, are another option. This type of insulation, like the Celotex TB4000, is made of rigid polyisocyanurate (PIR) and has the same set of benefits. Celotex GA4000 differs in that it is available in sizes ranging from 50mm to 100mm, whilst Celotex TB4000 is available in thicknesses ranging from 12-40mm, making it the thinnest PIR insulation available, with a standard board size of 1200mm x 2400mm. Celotex XR4000 insulation can be employed in structures that require even more thickness.
A single continuous coating of Celotex insulation on the rafters can thus reduce the risk of condensation while also avoiding the need for a rafter ventilation system. When headroom and rafter depth are limited, Celotex Insulation can be installed between and over the rafters.
The Rockwool Flexi-Slab, on the other hand, is a multi- and dual-purpose thermal and acoustic insulation material with a noticeable flexible edge at one of its ends. The Rockwool Flexi-flexible slab's edge enables for a perfect fit that is consistently maintained between the product and its supporting framework for easy installation and maximum performance. The advantages of utilizing Rockwool Flexi-slab are that, first and foremost, its design, which includes the Patented 'Flexi' edge, provides an accurate fit to all widths, allowing it to be utilized for rafters on a pitched roof where fitting is critical. Moving on, it is particularly well suited for roofing because it will not sag even if the studs shrink. It is also suitable for use with all standard metal and timber frame spacing. It is a noncombustible material that has excellent thermal, acoustic, and fire properties.
Because it has flexible edges on all four sides of the slab, the Knauf flex-slab is the quickest and most convenient way to handle and install roof insulation for any type of roof. The Knauf flex-slab is constructed with ECOSE Technology and recycled materials. It also received an A+ generic BRE Green Guide rating.
Ecotherm can also be used to insulate the roof and rafters. Ecotherm is a rigid insulation board that meets the required thermal criteria in pitched and flat roofs quickly and easily. Ecotherm Eco-Versal allows you to insulate the roof space without changing the thickness of the construction or your method; this is because it only requires about half the thickness of traditional insulation materials to provide the same level of thermal performance, allowing you to maximize space. No pipe or tank lagging is required when using Ecotherm Eco-Versal to create a warm roof at the rafters' level. Insulation can be applied to the rafters from above, below, or in between them.
Kingspan TP10 is a high-performance, rigid thermostat and fiber-free insulation option with low emissivity composite foil facing on both surfaces. It is also intended to insulate warm roof spaces against unventilated or ventilated pitched roofs. It is commonly used as rafter level insulation in pitched tiled or slated roof spaces. Kingspan TP10 is readily available in various size options and is also manufactured to order. Kingspan TP10 boards can be used for rafter insulation, as well as pitched roof sarking.
Plasterboard is commonly used with insulation and a layer of insulating foam adhered to the back side. Insulated plasterboard is sometimes used in combination with a vapour barrier. Plasterboard is a fantastic choice for roof insulation since it is fiber-free and provides strong thermal insulation. It's best to put the majority of the insulation between the rafters, with an extra layer under the rafters, for insulating purposes. Plasterboard is an excellent choice for this simple insulation solution because it can be attached to a wide range of rigid insulation solutions. Celotex PL4000, Ecotherm Ecoliner, Kingspan K18, and Kingspan Kooltherm are other examples. Other well-known brands, like Gyproc, make insulated plasterboards dubbed Gyproc Thermal Basic, Gyproc Thermal Plus, and Gyproc Thermal Super. Each sort of board has a varied performance, for example. The Gyproc Thermal Basic board has EPS insulation on the back, the Gyproc Thermal Plus board has XPS insulation on the back, and the Gyproc Thermal Superboard has Phenolic insulation on the back.
