Insulation Do’s and Don’ts

A Few Useful Tips on Insulating your Home

If you are planning on insulting your home, you must be aware that, although more than useful, insulation can be somewhat tricky to choose and install, why it does not hurt to get proper guidance. Fortunately, you can get a lot of information via internet, but please note that often the insulation material you choose and the installation process will depend on many factors such as the state and age of the building, the climate, the area being insulated, the accessibility of the space, so always take available tips as general guidelines and try to adjust them to the specific characteristics of the project you are planning to implement. The previously said also goes for the following few insulation does and don’ts you should try to follow in order of avoiding some serious problems later on and finally doing the job right.

Insulation Do’s

Let’s start with some insulation do’s i.e. some useful tips that, if applied correctly, can go a long way.

• First of all, always have a plan. It is vital that you carefully plan your steps ahead and anticipate potential issues and problems in the early stage of your insulation project. We advise you make a short inspection of your home (by yourself or you can hire a professional) and determine which areas need to be insulated. Then, try to determine whether the existing insulation needs to be replaced or just upgraded (since this can lower your costs). Finally, make a list of vulnerable areas and try to determine which measures would suit your home best.

• If you have decided to purchase the insulation material yourself, without consulting a professional, try to do some research yourself. Try to check which insulation product is most suitable for the purpose you are purchasing it for, especially pay attention to its fire and moisture resistance, thermal insulation values, the level of soundproofing, potential safety issues etc. This will help you avoid purchasing a material that will not be able to withstand the factors it is subject to. Also, when making the final choice, make sure to purchase materials and products that have a proper guarantee and certification, issued by competent bodies in the UK.

• Another valuable insulation do refers to hiring professional contractor. Namely, note that some insulation materials require special installation equipment and special skills and knowledge, why it would be wise to get professional assistance. This goes for not only the installation process but also the necessary preparation work and safety measures. Although this will increase the overall costs of your insulation project, the good thing is that the job can be done in the matter of days (if not hours) while it will take you much more time and you still won’t be sure that the job is properly done. When choosing the professional contractor, make sure that you only go for certified and registered installers (for more information on registration and certification, you can visit certification bodies websites such as the BBAor Ciga.

• Another important insulation do is to always make sure that the insulation installed complies with the applicable Building regulations. If you need assistance, you can ask your contractor who should have all the relevant information or just check with your local building control. This is of extreme importance, since you do not want to end up with an expensive project that is not compliance with the regulations and thus will not receive necessary permits and licences.

• Finally, since insulating your home from head to toe can be very expensive, we advise you check whether you can apply for some public grants or whether you are eligible for some favourable loan. One potential solution is the UK Government Green Deal which is offering some subsidies for some insulation measures such as double glazing, installing new heating systems or solid wall insulation.

Insulation Don’ts

Now that you have been advised on what you should do in order of ending up with a successfully implemented insulation project, it is time to move on to some insulation don’ts.

• Firstly, although some alternative insulation materials can do the trick and be less expensive (such as cork or denim insulation) please note that these materials are not applicable in all cases. Sometimes the insulation material will have to fulfil additional conditions regarding the material’s fire or moisture performance, sound insulation or robustness and durability, why it is always wise to determine whether the chosen material will not jeopardize the stability and safety of the building in any way.

• As upper mentioned, some insulation materials are best installed by professionals. This especially goes for blown-in insulation or spray-foam insulation, so please don’t try to do the job yourself, especially if there is any old insulation that needs to be removed (since there is a chance you will encounter asbestos which is extremely dangerous).

• Our final insulation don’t refers to loft insulation. Namely, lofts can be very dangerous spaces since they are usually hardly accessible, dark and unstable. If this is the case with your loft space, please to not try to install insulation before you have taken all the necessary safety measures. Make sure that you can safely walk across the loft, that there is enough light and no pointy items that can cause serious injuries. You can take care of this insulation don’t by either hiring professional help or by inspecting and securing your loft prior to commencing the insulation project.

Need advice on insulation systems or a quote for suitable insulation products? Send your enquiries or comments to info@insulationshop.co.