INSULATION / MY WARM HOME
Insulating your home.
Insulation is a heat retainer not a heat maker.
01
Understand
Know where the home is losing heat before deciding what to insulate.
02
Retain
Slow heat escaping through roofs, walls and floors.
03
Install
Use the right insulation and install it continuously without gaps.
04
Ventilate
Keep moisture and fresh-air management part of the insulation plan.
INSULATION TYPES
Different parts of the home lose heat in different ways.
01
Loft insulation
Insulating at ceiling level can reduce heat escaping into the roof space and is one of the most familiar forms of home insulation.
02
External wall
External wall insulation adds a continuous insulating layer to the outside of suitable walls and is often used on solid-wall properties.
03
Internal wall
Internal wall insulation improves the thermal performance of suitable walls from inside the property and requires careful detailing around junctions.
Internal wall guide coming soon →
04
Underfloor
Floor insulation can reduce heat loss towards the ground or through ventilated floor voids where the construction is suitable.
Underfloor insulation guide coming soon →
HOW INSULATION WORKS
The heat already exists. Insulation helps keep it there.
Trapped air
Many insulation materials work by trapping air and slowing the movement of heat through the building fabric.
Heat transfer
Insulation helps slow heat transfer through conduction, convection and radiation.
Continuous protection
Gaps and missing sections create weak points where heat can bypass the insulation layer.
HEATING VS INSULATION
Producing heat and retaining heat are different jobs.
Your heating system creates warmth. Insulation determines how quickly some of that warmth escapes through the building fabric.
- Heating produces heat. Insulation helps retain it.
- Heating consumes energy. Insulation is a passive measure.
- Heating has an ongoing running cost. Insulation continues working without being switched on.
- Heating responds to demand. Insulation is working day and night.
Reducing heat loss can mean the heating system needs to replace less heat to maintain the same indoor conditions.
BEFORE YOU INSULATE
Four things that matter as much as the insulation itself.
01
The building
Insulation needs to suit the construction. A solid wall should not simply be treated in the same way as a cavity wall.
02
Continuity
The insulation layer should be continuous. Gaps, missed areas and poorly detailed junctions can reduce performance.
03
Installation
Insulation needs to be fitted correctly. Poor fitting or compressing some insulation materials can reduce the air structure needed for them to work properly.
04
Ventilation
Insulation and airtightness can change airflow and moisture behaviour. Ventilation needs to remain part of the retrofit design.
COMMON MISTAKES
Adding insulation without thinking about the whole home.
Gaps & missing sections
Insulating most of an area is not the same as creating a continuous thermal layer. Missed areas can become weak points.
Poor installation
Incorrectly fitted, damaged or unnecessarily compressed insulation may not perform as intended.
Existing moisture problems
Damp or mould should be investigated rather than simply covered over as part of an insulation project.
Blocked ventilation
Extractor fans, vents, air bricks and other required ventilation routes should be considered before insulation or airtightness work begins.
INSULATION & HEAT PUMPS
Reduce the heat demand before asking the heating system to meet it.
Insulation can help any heating system by reducing the amount of heat the building loses.
- Helps retain lower-temperature heat for longer.
- Reducing heat loss can affect the heating capacity the building requires.
- Can improve comfort by reducing cold surfaces and temperature variation.
- Allows the heating system and building fabric to work together more effectively.
In simple terms: insulation improves the conditions in which any heating system has to operate — including heat pumps.
24/7
passive protection — no switch, fuel or daily control required
MY WARM HOME VIEW
Keep the heat you’ve already paid for.
Good insulation does not create warmth. It reduces how quickly the home loses it, helping the building stay comfortable while reducing the amount of heat the heating system needs to replace.
BEFORE YOU INSULATE
Make sure the insulation fits the building.
Consider the construction, existing condition, ventilation and the rest of the retrofit plan before choosing an insulation measure.