Using Foam Board Insulation

When it comes to thinking of types of insulation probably the first thing that comes to mind is the typical mineral wool style insulation that you normally find in the loft. This insulation type is now the most common standard when it comes to fitting insulation into the home, in fact so common that it is not only installed professionally under the various grant schemes that are available but is also available in most DIY shops in large rolls.

Mineral wool insulation is cheap and common, but it does have its drawbacks. For a start the recommended depth to meet current insulation standards in the loft is around 300 millimetres or close to 12 inches in depth. In a loft the joists are normally around 100 millimetres in height so applying this much insulation will mean that the mineral wool will far exceed the joists. This will make it practically impossible to board out and to use the loft for storage. In fact for safety purposes if a professional company undertakes the installation they will normally apply safety notices inside the loft explaining that it is now unsafe to access without a crawl board since it will not be possible to tell where the joists are under all that insulation. This could lead the unwary to fall through the ceiling below.

A further drawback is that over time the mineral wool will rot. Normally mineral wool comes with a predicted 25 year life span, although this is just a guide line as the fabric gets dirty, dusty, damp and damaged and starts to lose its optimum thermal properties. The large amount of mineral wool installed is to help make up for these losses over the lifetime.

So in short it is not ideal, but there are other options. There is a foam board insulation, or to give the proper name Polyisocyanurate. This is also known as PIR, polyiso or ISO, or collectively by particular generic brand names in the market place such as Kingspan and Celotex.

This is a material that is produced as corrosion resistant foam and used as a rigid board. These boards can also be lined with aluminium to help improve the thermal efficiency of the board even more. This material is produced in thicknesses of 50-100 millimetres which does replicate the same thermal efficiency as the recommended depths for mineral wool. As a result the material is easy to fit, store and install and can be applied into most insulation requirements including walls and easily fits into the joists in lofts. Thus allowing the loft to be boarded and used for storage. In addition to thermal benefits the insulation can reduce noise and vibration, especially when used as wall insulation in modern building construction.

The reduced size of the insulation depth needed and the fact that PIR boarding doesn’t degrade over time makes this a valuable insulation material for the future. The major drawback is that it is expensive compared to the mineral wool insulation. In an age of cost savings and reductions it is more common to use mineral wool in both new building and in retro fitting. If space is a key issue to you then it is in your interest to consider Polyisocyanurate or PIR. It is a versatile material which should help to save you money in the long term!

Written by Symon Silvester

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Solid Wall Insulation – Ins & Outs

There is a lot of media attention around Cavity Walls and the benefits of having Cavity Wall Insulation injected into the cavity gap in a property. It is regarded as one of the biggest energy saving areas that can be undertaken on a property and is the focus of many subsidised schemes and grants around the country.

That’s all fine for Cavity Walls, but what if you have solid walls? Are you excluded from having any form of insulation on your property? Well, the answer is no. There are types of wall insulation available to people who have a Solid Wall property.

First off, what is a Solid Wall? There are many types of solid wall out there. Solid Wall can be brick, concrete or stone, or just any material where the entire wall is solid with no gaps in the structure. If you aren’t sure if you have Solid Walls we would always advise you to get professional advice to confirm if it is or is not.

There are two types of standard Solid Wall insulation available and these are Internal and External Wall insulations. If you are undertaking this type of insulation you will have to seek the relevant permissions and you should ensure that the works, if permitted, are done to the most recent building regulations approval.

Internal insualtion involves battening out the internal walls to a minimum depth of 50 millimetres or two inches. Within this battening there will an insulation lining placed, normally some form of waterproofing, to stop the transmission of moisture from the outer solid brick to the insulation. There are many types of insulation from rubberised foam boards to fibrous insulation. Once everything is in place and correct then plasterboards are fitted to the battening and the room is available to be used again.

So what’s the benefit of Internal Solid Wall insulation? Well, obviously, primarily the insulation will help to prevent energy loss through the walls, helping to cut utility bills, save money and keep the property warmer for longer. This might be the only type of wall insulation open to you in a conservation area.

The downside is that you will have lost some internal wall space from all the external walls in the property. You will also have to be careful with the hanging of pictures and internal decorations, to make sure they are securely attached to the battening, not loose on the plasterboard.

This process is very similar to the Internal Wall Insulation, involving fitting a frame to the exterior of the property and placing insulation inside. There are various different types of both external insulation and technique, but the end result is that the original outside is covered with insulation and there a new outer weatherproof skin, which normally simulates either brickwork or pebbledash.

The External Insulation won’t continue right to the ground, there is a gap between the floor and the start of the insulation, sometimes several inches, to prevent covering the damp course, or obstructing drainage. Because there is now an external frame over the property, the windows will tend to look ‘set back’ compared to normal windows, but that is normal for External Wall Insulation. There may also be some remedial roof work needed, including guttering and services movement, to ensure the External Wall Insulation is correctly installed.

The benefits are identical to the internal insulation. It provides thermal efficiency savings throughout the property. Again building regulations approval and, probably, planning permission will be required before this can be agreed. The level of work involved should really only be undertaken by those professionally qualified to do so. They will be able to ensure the work is completed to the correct standard and issue warranties and guarantees!

Overall, the negative with Solid Wall Insulation is that it just isn’t as simple or inexpensive as Cavity Wall Insulation to install. Some schemes may offer subsidies or grants towards Solid Wall Insulation but it is labour intensive and it will by necessity cost more. Costs may come down slightly over time but it is never going to reach the levels of the current values of Cavity Wall Insulation, plus you will have permanent Internal or External changes to the property.

If you are keen to spend the money to save money on an ongoing basis then Solid Wall Insulation is an excellent idea. However, you will need to commit time and research into making sure that it is right for you. In the long term you will save money and energy in a similar way to having Cavity Walls and that can’t be bad!

Written By Symon Silvester, MD of SAS EPC Limited

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