A well-insulated home can go a long way in improving the thermal comfort for its occupants by regulating heat loss or gain more efficiently. The majority of heat loss takes place through the roof. A well-insulated home is cooler in summer and warmer in winter. As a result, there is less reliance on the use of artificial heating and cooling systems, making ones living experience healthier, cheaper and more eco-friendly. There are various products available, some of which offer additional sound and fire insulation. There are four main forms of insulation available:
- Pre-cut Batts or Insulation Blankets: there is a wide range available which are typically supplied in roll form and then cut to size.
- Lose Fill Insulation: this is pumped or spread over the roof area to take the form of roof cavities or spaces.
- Rigid Insulation: is supplied in pre-cut boards which are placed next to one another over the roof area.
- Reflective Foil Insulation: has an aluminium surface which reflects and retards heat transmission. This is system is more effective in summer than winter.
What you should know:
- Insulation requirements depends the house design, solar orientation, climate and budget
- Insulation effectiveness is rated by its R- value. The greater the R-value, the better performance from the product in retaining heat in winter and expelling heat in summer
- Ideal R-values will differ from one climatic region to the next
- Critical to maximum performance of products is the quality of installation. There must be no gaps!
- Suppliers of thermal insulation products generally offer their own installation service
- The payback period is approximately 4 years depending on what type of insulation is installed