Insulation Advice

DID YOU KNOW ?
In a typical UK household, more than half the money spent on fuel bills goes towards providing heating and hot water. As fuel costs rise, having an efficient and cost effective heating system is vital, and it’s one of the main steps you can take to reducing your carbon dioxide emissions.
It’s important to understand your current heating system. Nearly all homes in the UK have either a central heating system – a boiler and radiators - or they use electric storage heaters. Some homes will also make use of individual heaters that are not part of the main central heating system.

DID YOU KNOW ?
Mineral wool insulation products are available in rolls of different widths and thicknesses for quick and simple DIY installation – for example, between the rafters in a roof or joists in a ceiling or floor. It can also be produced as lightweight ‘slabs’ for installing into the cavity walls when building new houses. ‘Loose’ mineral wool can also be used to fill cavity walls and is blown in through a hole drilled in the wall after it is built.
Installing mineral wool insulation is also an effective fire safety measure, as it does not burn easily, so can prevent fire spreading. In fact, rock mineral wool can resist temperatures above 1,000°C.

DID YOU KNOW ?
Insulation, or more correctly thermal insulation, is a general term used to describe products that reduce heat loss or heat gain by providing a barrier between areas that are significantly different in temperature. There are a number of items in the home that benefit from insulation – such as central heating boilers and hot water pipes – however buildings themselves need some extra help to make them more energy efficient. Home insulation therefore reduces the amount of heat that escapes from a building in the winter and protects it from getting too warm in the summer.

DID YOU KNOW ?
Insulation is very clever. Not only does it make your home warmer in winter, it also helps keep it cooler in summer. This is a little bit like a flask which keeps drinks hot or cold by providing an insulating layer between the drink and the outside air.
Air is a poor conductor of heat, so the tiny pockets of air trapped in insulation minimise the amount of heat which can pass between the inside and outside of your house.
... This means that in winter, the heat stays inside a home and in the summer it stays outside!
Different types of insulation materials have different properties, so are suitable for different areas of a building.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
Mineral wool insulation products are available in rolls of different widths and thicknesses for quick and simple DIY installation – for example, between the rafters in a roof or joists in a ceiling or floor. It can also be produced as lightweight ‘slabs’ for installing into the cavity walls when building new houses. ‘Loose’ mineral wool can also be used to fill cavity walls and is blown in through a hole drilled in the wall after it is built.
Installing mineral wool insulation is also an effective fire safety measure, as it does not burn easily, so can prevent fire spreading. In fact, rock mineral wool can resist temperatures above 1,000°C.

DID YOU KNOW ?
Insulation must not be laid over electrical cables. Lift cables above all loft roll and either use cable clips to attach them to roof beams or lay the cable on top of the insulation. To prevent overheating and any fire risk, recessed downlights should be fitted with a downlight cover which allows the insulation to be laid over the top. Here at Warmaroof.co.uk we can help with loft safety inspections which cover many of the above concerns CALL NOW ON 03300 880507

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Moisture movement and ventilation In traditionally built properties with solid walls, it is recommended to use breathable (also known as vapour permeable) solid wall insulation materials as these allow continuous movement of air (vapour) and this helps reduce the possibility of moisture build up.
... If you are planning on installing non-breathable (also known as vapour impermeable) solid wall insulation materials in a traditionally built property then we recommend you ask the installer what consideration needs to be given, if anything, to avoid the build-up of moisture in your home.
Remember to check with your installer that the installation is covered by the SWIGA guarantee which gives 25 years cover for defective materials, design or workmanship or by other appropriate guarantees such as Kinnell ECO Guarantee (which covers most of natural building technologies). Also check with your installer that the products/materials are BBA certified.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
EXTERNAL WALL INSULATION can be applied without disruption to the household does not reduce the floor area of your home renews the appearance of outer walls... improves weatherproofing and sound resistance. fills cracks and gaps in the brickwork, which will reduce draughts increases the life of your walls by protecting the brickwork reduces condensation on internal walls and can help prevent damp (but will not solve rising or penetration damp) is best installed at the same time as external refurbishment work to reduce the cost may need planning permission - check with your local council requires good access to the outer walls is not recommended if the outer walls are structurally unsound and cannot be repaired.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
INTERNAL WALL INSULATION is generally cheaper to install than external wall insulation will slightly reduce the floor area of any rooms in which it is applied (the thickness of the insulation is around 100mm)... is disruptive, but can be done room by room requires skirting boards, door frames and external fittings to be removed and reattached can make it hard to fix heavy items to inside walls – although special fixings are available needs any problems with penetrating or rising damp to be fixed first.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
Internal or external insulation? Internal wall insulation is done by fitting rigid insulation boards to the wall, or by building a stud wall filled in with insulation material such as mineral wool fibre.
... External wall insulation involves fixing a layer of insulation material to the wall, then covering it with a special type of render (plasterwork) or cladding. The finish can be smooth, textured, painted, tiled, panelled, pebble-dashed, or finished with brick slips.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both.
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DID YOU KNOW ? Insulating your solid walls could cut your heating costs considerably, because solid walls let through twice as much heat as cavity walls do. The good news is they can be insulated. Solid brick wallIf your home was built before 1919, its external walls are probably solid rather than cavity walls. Cavity walls are made of two layers with a small gap or ‘cavity’ between them. Solid walls have no gap, so they let more heat through.
Another way to tell is by measur...ing the width of the wall. Look at an external wall window or door and if the brick wall is less than 260mm, then it is likely a solid wall, while if it is greater, it is probably a cavity wall. Find out about insulating your cavity wall.
If you live in a house that has a non-traditional construction such as a concrete, steel or timber-framed building, insulating will be different.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
How much could I save? Insulating your hot water cylinder is one of the easiest ways to save energy and, therefore, money.
... If you already have a jacket fitted around your tank, check the thickness. It should be at least 80mm thick; if it isn’t, consider buying a new one.
Topping up your hot water tank insulation from 25mm to 80mm thick, using a British Standard jacket, could save you around £20 a year, which is more than the cost of the jacket.
By slipping pipe insulation around your exposed hot water pipes you’ll keep your hot water hotter for longer.
Fitting insulation to pipes is easy if the pipes are accessible; if your pipes are hard to reach, you may need to engage a professional.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
Radiator reflector panels If you’re trying to save money on your heating bills and reduce your energy consumption, radiator reflector panels are an attractive low-cost option.
... Fixed behind your radiators, they reflect heat from the radiator back into the room, instead of letting the heat out through an external wall. They can produce the most benefit when installed on uninsulated solid walls.
Remember, you only need to put reflector panels behind radiators on external walls.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
Lagging water tanks and pipes and insulating behind radiators reduces the amount of heat lost, so you spend less money heating water up, and hot water stays hotter for longer. Insulating a hot water tank A hot water cylinder jacket costs about £15, and fitting it is a straightforward job if you follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
... Pipe insulation consists of a foam tube that covers the exposed pipes between your hot water cylinder and boiler, reducing the amount of heat lost and, therefore, keeping your water hotter for longer.
It's usually as simple as choosing the correct size from a DIY store and then slipping it around the pipes.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
Ventilation Air needs to flow in and out of your house so it stays fresh, dry and healthy. Make sure you don’t block or seal any intentional ventilation, such as the following:
... Extractor fans – take out damp air quickly in rooms where lots of moisture is produced (kitchens, bathrooms and utility rooms). Under-floor grilles or airbricks – help keep wooden beams and floors dry. Wall vents – let small amounts of fresh air into rooms. Trickle vents – modern windows often have small vents above them to let fresh air trickle in.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
Draught proofing pipework You can fill small gaps around pipework with silicone fillers, similar to the fillers used for skirting boards and floorboards. Fill larger gaps with expanding polyurethane foam. This is sprayed into the gap, expands as it dries, and sets hard.

DID YOU KNOW ?
Draught proofing loft hatches Hot air rises and gets lost into the cold space in your loft or attic, so it’s worth blocking off draughts around your loft hatch. Use strip insulation, as you would on a door.

DID YOU KNOW ?
Draught proofing floorboards and skirtings
You can block cracks by squirting filler into the gaps. Floorboards and skirting boards often contract, expand or move slightly with everyday use, so you should use a filler that can tolerate movement – these are usually silicone-based. Look for the following:
... Flexible fillers. Decorator’s caulk. Mastic-type products. Fillers come in different colours, and for indoor and outdoor use. They block gaps permanently so be careful when you apply them – wipe off any excess with a damp cloth before it dries. Fillers may break down over time, but can easily be reapplied.
Check whether you also need to insulate between the skirting board and the floor.
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DID YOU KNOW ?
Draught proofing chimneys and fireplaces If you don’t use your fireplace, your chimney is probably a source of unnecessary draughts. There are two main ways to draught-proof a chimney:
... Fit a cap over the chimney pot – this might be better done by a professional; or buy a chimney draught excluder – devices that help stop draughts and heat loss through the chimney, usually fitted within the chimney or around the fireplace. Remember to remove the draught-proofing if you decide to light a fire!
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