What are the main types of insulation?

This is something that many may forget when it comes to moving homes, or choosing a place to rent.

There are multiple types of insulation that can be found in most homes in the country.

However, some types are more energy efficient than others.

There are five main types of insulation that you should look for and we wanted to talk you through them.

Insulation Board

This is probably the most well-known type and is the one that is seen most often in homes across the country.

It is made out of polystyrene, foam or wood fibre.

This type of insulation is used because it is cost-effective and good for heating larger homes.

It is also easy to work with and there are no dangerous fibres.

Around 250,000 homes in the United Kingdom use this type of insulation.

Insulation Slab

This is another very common type of insulation that is used in the United Kingdom.

This type can be made out of glass wool, rock wool, mineral wool or sheep’s wool.

It is most commonly used to insulate lofts and in rooves.

This is quite an older fashioned type of insulation, but it can be very effective.

It is easy to fit under joists, can be easily packed in and can fit nicely.

Mineral wool insulation is the most prominent type in the country.

Multifoil Insulation

This insulation is used when your home needs a bit of an insulation boost.

It can help keep heating costs down and does not need to be expensive to install.

Multifoil insulation can also be good when you need to save space and don’t have room for masses of insulation.

This type is made from polythylene or multiple layers of foil.

It is good because it is very energy efficiant.

It also has built in vapour control, it’s lightweight and can be taped into place.

It’s a very cost effective option

Acoustic Insulation

This is also made from sheep’s wool, mineral fibre, acoustic resilient layers.

This can be used when rooms need soundproofing and is very effective at doing this.

Using this alongside regular insulaton can keep heat in and keep noise out.

This can also be very cost effective.

Insulated Plasterboard

This is made from Gypsum, PIR or phelonic foam.

It can be very quick to install in wall partions. It is also time-saving.

Insulated plasterboard is also cost-effective because it can come in a range of thicknesses.

This is great because the thicker the better, the more insulated your home is, the cheaper heating costs are.

Why Does Insulation Matter?

Insulation is one of the most efficient ways to save energy at home since it keeps it warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

In fact, the Energy Saving Trust estimates that in one year a typical three-bedroom semi-detached house can save up to £310 on energy bills by installing loft and cavity wall insulation.

How much money you will save by insulating your home will depend on different factors like the type of insulation and the size of your house. Moreover, depending on how old your house is, you will need to incorporate more or fewer insulation measures.

The good thing is that you generally don’t need any planning permission for fitting insulation measures and they will eventually pay back so it is a wise investment.

Usually, modern houses are built to very good insulation standards, but old houses in the UK need a lot of work to be done.

In the last case, there are probably many options to improve the energy efficiency of your house. When too cold, heat can be lost in all directions, so you should think of integral insulation to keep the heat in your house.

You can choose to insulate your roof, floors, walls, windows and doors.

The most important thing is the walls since for a typical house the walls will lose around 30 to 40 per cent of the heat. The roof comes in second place, accounting for approximately 25% of heat loss.

Then comes windows and doors with 20% and finally, the floor.

Where Do We Come In?

Now that you have read about the incredible benefits that proper insulaton has, you may be asking yourselves how we fit into this equation?

We fit into this because we can help provide advice on how to reduce your heating costs.

We can also help source insulation grants, so that you can afford to insulate your home.

All of this is incredibly helpful and can help you to save money in the long run.

To get started, submit your application and a dedicated advisor can help.