An economical and efficient way to stop suffering in silence this Winter is to insulate your home.
Because Australia is such a hot country in summer, most of us tend to ride out the Winter months by firing up an expensive space heater, or wearing seven layers and sucking it up.
Insulation takes the edge off those colder nights. And it keeps you at a comfortable temperature throughout the year.
But because we have such high temperatures in summer and milder winters, we didn’t think too much about keeping our homes warm in the winter months.
At most risk of illness from cold homes are the elderly, our pets and those struggling to keep up with the rising heating bills.
At the very least, uninsulated homes cause us discomfort and result in higher energy costs.
Cold houses are a result of poor initial construction, lack of insulation, no north-facing windows, and insufficient/inefficient internal heating sources.
Draught sealing is also important, as draughts can account for 15-25% of heat loss from a home in winter.
The ceiling and roof accounts for 25-35% of heat loss in a home, while walls can lose between 15-25% of the heat.
A further 10-20% of heat-loss in the home occurs through the floors (source: SEAV 2002).
Insulation will help you achieve a warmer, drier home.
It creates a barrier between the inside and outside of your home.
Cleverly, insulation keeps the heat inside in winter, and keeps it out in summer.
A well-insulated home offers comfort all year long, while cutting heating and cooling costs by up to 50%.
Types of insulation: Which is best?
An insulation expert can guide you on the best type of insulation you need. Some products work better in certain locations and situations. Talk to us about what is best for your needs.
WOOLCELL
A pump-in material combining natural Australian wool, recycled paper, Borax and Boric acid (healthy salts used in everyday household products). Woolcell is environmentally and user friendly. It provides 100% coverage, is fire retardant and vermin resistant. It reduces mould (perfect for those with asthma and allergies) and has very good acoustic insulation properties.
POLYESTER
This material is the same used in pillows and doonas. User friendly and great for allergy or asthma sufferers, Polyester batts are the popular choice for safety and ease of installation. It is also very effective for floor insulation as it copes well with moisture, odours and cold weather.
FIBREGLASS
These batts offer similar short-term benefits. The materials/chemicals used to make fibreglass batts have improved significantly in the past 5-10 years. Professional installation is the key to any batt solution otherwise the thermal/ performance rating will decrease dramatically.
Where insulation is used
WALLS
ECO Home Insulation has developed and owns the rights to the exclusive INSULBLOC® wall insulation as well as Polyester and Fibreglass Batts and foils. Wall insulation is a standard requirement in all new homes. Without wall insulation you could be losing 15-25% of your heating capacity.
CEILING
Inadequate roof insulation costs you 25-35% of your heating capacity. That translates into up to 7 degrees warmer in winter. Added benefits of roof insulation include lower damp conditions and mould and fire protection.
FLOORS
Without good floor insulation you could be losing 10-20% of your heating capacity. We use thermally-bonded carbon polymers (polyester) to save you money on your energy bills in winter.
ROOF
No roof insulation, and you could be losing 25-35% of your heating capacity. Many homes that have been insulated years ago could benefit from a roof top-up to meet today’s roof insulation standards.
5 ways to complement your home insulation
- Reverse the rotation of your ceiling fans
- Close doors, seal draughts
- Check your window seals
- Use adequate window furnishings (blinds, curtains, tinting)
- Have efficient heating or cooling appliances for those extra hot or cold days
- Look at insulating all aspects of your home
Related resources
- How Insulation can Safely Cocoon your Home this Winter
- 5 Passive Design Considerations to Improve Energy Efficiency
- Underfloor insulation
Have a chat with us today to discuss what insulation solution works best for you – 1300 331 366