Insulation Fire Rated

As well as sealing all gaps and cracks in the roof to make the property warmer and more energy-efficient

Dec

2023

4 Ways to Make Your Roof More Weatherproof

Weatherproof your roof to protect your home’s structure and keep dampness at bay.

Your roof is your home’s first line of defence against the elements. Wind, rain, ice and snow will all batter your roof over the years, so it’s important to take measures to ensure that your roof is as weatherproof as possible.

Taking precautions with your roof will help it to effectively protect your home from the weather and save you money and hassle in the long run.

Here are four ways to get started with weatherproofing your roof.

Maintain gutters

One of the commonest causes of roof leaks and damage is blocked or broken guttering. Your gutters protect your roof by directing water away from it. If your gutter becomes blocked or broken, then it will need immediate attention to stop water from overflowing onto your roof. Regularly inspecting, clearing and cleaning your gutters helps to prevent problems occurring.

Lead flashing

Roof flashing is sheet metal applied to your roof’s joints and edges to seal it and prevent water from leaking in. Flashing plays a very important part in protecting your roof from the rain so it’s important to ensure that it is applied in all the right places and remains in good condition. Flashing comes in a variety of materials including copper, steel and aluminium, but lead flashing is the most durable and long-lasting option.

Repair and maintain tiles

Any cracks or holes in your roof will allow water to seep in, potentially causing expensive damage to your belongings and your property’s structure. Ensure that any cracked or missing tiles are repaired or replaced quickly to avoid further damage occurring. If you feel like damp is regularly making its way into your roof, you may benefit from applying a tile sealer to reinforce your roof and protect from hairline cracks.

Spray foam

Applying spray foam to the underside of your roof is extremely effective at sealing and reinforcing your roof to prevent the ingress of rain, snow and dirt. As well as weatherproofing your roof, spray foam also acts as an excellent thermal insulator, keeping your home warmer and lowering your energy bills.

For more information about our spray foam or to request a free consultation, give our team here at Metropolitan Insulation a call on 0333 006 9933.

Dec

2020

Why it is important to insulate your house

Insulating your house is of paramount importance for various reasons. It not only contributes to energy efficiency and cost savings but also enhances comfort, reduces environmental impact, and improves overall well-being. Insulation acts as a barrier against heat transfer, preventing the loss of warmth during colder months and minimizing heat gain during hotter months. Here are some key reasons why it is important to insulate your house:

Energy efficiency: Insulation plays a crucial role in maintaining a consistent and comfortable indoor temperature. By reducing heat transfer through walls, floors, and roofs, insulation helps to minimize the need for heating and cooling systems, thereby lowering energy consumption and utility bills. A well-insulated house can significantly improve energy efficiency, leading to substantial cost savings over time.
Comfort: Insulation creates a thermal barrier that helps to regulate indoor temperatures and reduce drafts. It keeps your home warm in winter and cool in summer, ensuring a comfortable living environment for you and your family. Insulation also helps to minimise noise transmission, providing a quieter and more peaceful indoor atmosphere.
Environmental impact: Insulating your house is an effective way to reduce your carbon footprint. By reducing energy consumption, insulation helps to lower greenhouse gas emissions associated with heating and cooling systems. It contributes to sustainable living by conserving resources and promoting environmental responsibility.
Moisture control: Insulation acts as a moisture barrier, preventing condensation and dampness from entering your home. It helps to control humidity levels, reducing the risk of mold growth, mildew, and associated health issues. Proper insulation safeguards the structural integrity of your house by protecting against moisture-related damage.
Health benefits: Insulation not only improves physical comfort but also promotes better indoor air quality. By minimizing drafts and air leakage, insulation helps to prevent the infiltration of pollutants, allergens, and outdoor contaminants. This is especially beneficial for individuals with respiratory conditions or allergies, as insulation contributes to a healthier living environment.
Property value: Insulating your house enhances its market value and desirability. Energy-efficient homes with proper insulation are increasingly sought after by homebuyers due to the long-term cost savings and environmental benefits they offer. Insulation is considered a valuable investment that can pay off in terms of increased property resale value.

In conclusion, insulating your house is a vital step towards energy efficiency, comfort, and environmental sustainability. It provides numerous benefits, including reduced energy consumption, cost savings, improved comfort, moisture control, enhanced indoor air quality, and increased property value. By insulating your house, you contribute to a greener future while enjoying a more comfortable and healthier living environment.

Aug

2020

Loft Conversion – Is it worth the investment?

Certain features such as garages or porches have solid research behind them indicating the overall value they add to a home, but it can be difficult to assess less common features, such as a loft conversion, when deciding whether they’re worth the investment. As a homeowner, it can be easy to decide whether a renovation is worth it because personal value for the project comes into play. However, as an estate agent or landlord, you must consider how much value the project will ultimately add to your property and whether the cost is worth the investment. Take a look at whether a loft conversion is worth it in the long run.

Is a loft conversion worth the investment?

Renovating a loft can quickly add up to a major expense for your latest investment, which may lead you to question whether it’s worth it. If a loft conversion is done well — and especially if you are converting it into a bedroom or bathroom — it could provide a 50% to 75% return on investment (ROI). Not terrible when compared to low-ROI projects like adding a pool. Adding an ensuite bedroom and bathroom does cost about twice as much as simply enclosing the space into a room that could be used as a home office or storage space, but you are essentially adding a room count to your investment. Your two-bedroom, one-bath home can now be considered a three-bedroom, two-bath, adding a lot of value to its sale potential or rental desirability.

It is important to consult not only a licensed architect and contractor to create a functional space but also your local realtor to determine whether the market demand is there. Keep in mind that loft conversions are usually, but not always, smaller spaces, so demand in urban settings will probably be higher since space is already at a premium. A loft conversion is likely only worth the investment if done appropriately, but ultimately, you will need to do market research to ensure your investment is worth the returns.

Feb

2020

Can you replace the tiles on a foam insulated roof?

Spray foam insulation bonds the tiles on your roof together, but replacing a damaged tile is still simple enough when you know how.

When spray foam is applied to the underside of a property’s roof it bonds the roofing materials to each other and to the structural timber, holding everything securely in place.

As well as sealing all gaps and cracks in the roof to make the property warmer and more energy-efficient, spray foam can also help to protect and support your roof’s structure and increase its lifespan.

Whilst spray foam will make your roof stronger and more durable, it won’t make it invincible and it is still possible that tiles on your roof may become damaged.

If a tile on your foam insulated roof cracks or breaks then don’t worry, replacing it may be simpler than you think.

Removing a tile on a spray foam insulated roof

If a tile on your roof becomes broken, then it’s important to get it repaired as quickly as possible to prevent water leaking into your property and causing expensive damage.

To remove one or more tiles from a spray foam insulated roof you are likely to need to remove the insulation first.

You may wish to begin by using a saw or utility knife to cut away the majority of the foam that you need to remove. With the bulk of the foam gone, you should be able to scrub away the rest with a strong wire brush or sponge. It may help to apply a small amount of acetone before you scrub the foam to help to loosen the bond.

Once the foam has been removed, the broken tile can be replaced, and the spray foam will need to be restored to ensure that the insulation keeps working efficiently.

For further help or advice with repairing damaged tiles on a spray foam insulated roof, get in touch with our team of experts here at Metropolitan Insulation by calling us on 0800 028 4042.

Dec

2019

How to handle noisy neighbours

Excessive noise pollution from neighbours is not only annoying, with time it can also begin to negatively impact your health and wellbeing.

Even your dream home can turn into a nightmare if the wrong people move in next door. Whether it’s all-night parties, arguments, barking dogs or musical instruments, here are your options for dealing with noisy neighbours.

Communicate calmly

In most cases, people don’t even realise that their actions are disturbing those around them. The very first thing to do if your neighbours’ noise is disturbing you is to pop round and have a word with them face to face.

Make sure that you’re polite, amiable and calm and provide examples of times when their noise has disturbed you and how it has affected you or your family. Try to avoid letting the conversation turn confrontational.

Report noise to the council or a private landlord

If you have tried speaking to your neighbour about their noise to no avail, you may wish to report their behaviour to their landlord or to the council.

Before doing so it can be useful to keep a noise diary of all disturbances so that you have specific examples to talk about. The council has a duty to investigate activity that can be classed as a ‘statutory nuisance’, such as excessive noise.

If the property is privately rented, then your neighbour may be breaching a clause in their tenancy agreement.

Bear in mind that reporting your neighbours can raise tensions and it’s always best to try to resolve the problem between the two of you first if possible.

Mediation

Mediation is a process where parties meet up, usually in a neutral environment, and communicate to resolve a disagreement. Mediation is controlled by a trained independent third party and you may be required to pay for the service.

Go to court

Taking your neighbour to court should only be used as a very last resort. The process can be time-consuming, costly and very messy.

Install sound insulation on your home

It may not be that your neighbours are excessively noisy, it could just be that you have paper thin walls. If you can hear every cough and sneeze from next door, then the chances are that they can hear you too. If you plan on staying in the same house for the foreseeable future then installing sound insulation in your home could be a good investment for the future.

Oct

2019

What makes an eco-friendly roof?

Make one or more of these eco-friendly improvements to your roof to cut your carbon footprint and begin living more sustainably at home.

Not only will these eco-friendly roof updates look after our planet, they’ll help to look after your pennies too.

Insulate

Did you know that around 25% of heat is lost through an uninsulated roof?

Insulating your home is the best home improvement you can make for the environment. The less heat you’re losing, the less energy it will take to warm your home and the smaller your carbon footprint will be.

You and your family will feel the benefit too, as you’ll have a warmer and more comfortable home.

Spray foam is a highly effective roof insulation material as it bonds to the structure of your roof, filling and sealing gaps and cracks to get rid of all air leakage and strengthen your roof’s structure.

Find out more about our spray foam insulationservices here at Metropolitan Insulation by giving our team a call on 0800 028 4042.

Solar panels

Installing solar panels on your roof can be expensive but will dramatically reduce your energy bills in the long run as well as helping to look after the environment.

According to The Renewable Energy Hub, installing solar panels onto your home’s roof can cut your carbon footprint by up to 80% in just one year!

Natural materials

When choosing a roofing material, opt for durable, long-lasting and recyclable materials to reduce your carbon footprint.

Roofing shingles made from recyclable materials and reclaimed slate roof tiles are among some of the most environmentally friendly options.

Slate is an excellent option as it is 100% natural and requires very little energy to extract and process. It is also highly durable, weatherproof, and lasts for many years, making it cost-effective as well as environmentally-friendly.

Oct

2019

Home improvements to help fight climate change

Fighting climate change starts at home. Make one or more of these eco-friendly home improvements to reduce your carbon footprint.

According to the Committee on Climate Change’s report ‘UK housing: Fit for the future?’ domestic energy use accounts for 14% of the UK’s total carbon emissions.

As well as helping to fight climate change, living more sustainably and reducing your energy consumption can also help you to save money.

Insulate

Over half of domestic energy is used to heat our homes so it’s very important to insulate your home to minimise heat loss. Heat escapes through your home’s walls, roof, floors, windows and doors. Insulating one or more of these areas can help to reduce the amount of energy your home uses, cutting your carbon footprint as well as your energy bills.

Here at Metropolitan Insulation ourspray foam insulationbonds to the structure of your roof, filling and sealing all gaps and cracks to get rid of all air leakages and strengthen your roof’s structure. To find out more, give our team a call on 0800 028 4042.

Low-carbon heating systems

Many homes still use very old and inefficient gas or oil boilers and heating systems. Updating your boiler to a new and efficient model or a renewable energy heating system can significantly reduce your home’s carbon emissions

Solar panels

Installing solar panels on your roof can be very expensive, but the savings you will make on your energy bills should mean that the investment pays for itself over time. The renewable energy you generate can then be used for heating, hot water and electricity in your home.

Energy efficient home appliances

If you’re renovating your kitchen or utility room always shop around for energy efficient appliances. Check the energy ratings label on an appliance before buying, those with A+ ratings are more environmentally friendly and will cost less to run.

Dec

2018

Is Your Insulation Fire Rated?

You may be starting a new insulation project or considering replacing the insulation you have as the cold winter months set in but have you thought about the fire resistance of the material you’re using? Before fitting insulation, it is important to consider how it might behave in a fire to ensure you are making the best choice and don’t end up with a material that catches fire easily or readily emits toxic smoke. With this in mind here are the most common insulation types together with information on how resistant they are to fire.

Rockwool
Mineral is regarded as one of the best materials when it comes to fire resistance. It is able to withstand heat more than 700 ºF above that of the average home fire.

Spray Foam
Many people assume spray foam to be flammable but it actually contains fire retardants. The material also fills air gaps more effectively than other insulation types cutting off the air that is a major ingredient allowing fires to spread.

Foam Board
Foam board might be cheap and readily available but it certainly isn’t a good performer when it is subjected to heat from fires. Add to this the toxic fumes you get when it burns and you may need to reconsider installing it

Metropolitan Insulation Blog