Building Insulation

Insulation is a barrier that’s placed in the walls, ceilings, and floors of homes to prevent both thermal loss or gain. Insulation can be manufactured from many different materials including fibreglass, mineral wool, cellulose, natural fibers, and many more.

Building insulation is important because it prevents the warm air from inside a building losing its energy to the ambient air outside. Conversely where an air conditioning system may chill the air inside a building in warmer climates, it prevents the cool air from inside the building warming up from the ambient air outside.

Without effective insulation, heating or cooling energy will leak through walls, ceilings, and floors and end up outside and prevent a building ever getting as hot or cold as it could. By installing effective insulation, the energy consumption of a building can be substantially reduced and subsequently reduce associated Carbon emissions.

How Building Insulation Works

Our diagram below showcases how Building Insulation works:

Approximate Annual Savings For Your Home

1/ The below is a summary of Energy Saving Trust Data

The majority of energy lost from an uninsulated building is through the walls and loft.

Around 25% of the energy that is lost is through the roof with 35% lost through the walls and another 10%
lost through windows.

By having as little as 10cm (4”) of fibreglass insulation fitted in the loft a potential reduction in energy loss of up to 75% in that area of the building could be realised. As up to a quarter of the energy lost from an uninsulated building escapes through the roof due to the fact that heat rises it is recommended to install a thickness of 270mm where possible as the best way of stopping this energy from escaping.

Under floor insulation is another good way of preventing heat loss through the floor. This method is especially appropriate for older buildings as many older properties have ‘suspended floors’, where there is a gap underneath the floorboards.