Metropolitan Insulation

Don’t make it easy for thieves to access your roof. Remove ladders, bins, or garden furniture.

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.

Sep

2019

Why and how to eliminate thermal bridges from your property

To effectively insulate a property, it’s important to eliminate thermal bridges.

Sometimes referred to as a cold bridge, a thermal bridge is a weak point in a property’s insulation.

Thermal bridges most commonly occur when there is a gap or hole in a building material where heat loss occurs. They also occur at areas near highly conductive materials like wood, metal and steel. Areas susceptible to thermal bridges include joints between the roof, walls and floor, and holes made for running cables and pipes through the building.

Why eliminate thermal bridges?

Benefits of eliminating thermal bridges from your property include:

Decreases heat loss.
Makes the property more energy efficient.
Makes the property more comfortable.
Reduces energy bills.
Reduces risk of condensation, mould and damp problems.

How to eliminate thermal bridges from your property

Design and build with thermal bridging in mind– the most effective way to eliminate thermal bridges from your property is to take care when building or decorating to consider thermal bridges in the design and plan. Of course, this doesn’t help with any existing problems.

Fill cracks and gaps– If you discover any cracks or gaps in your property’s structure, then they should be sealed immediately by fixing or filling them.

Replace old windows and doors– Draughty old windows, doors and frames should be replaced with new and energy efficient UPVC versions.

Wall insulation– In some instances, thermal bridges are caused by less obvious problems than a hole in the wall or ceiling. If elements of your building’s structure are causing repeating thermal bridges, you can rectify them by installing wall insulation. Depending on your property type, either cavity wall insulation, external wall insulation, or internal wall insulation may be suitable.

Foam spray insulation – If thermal bridging is present in your roof, spray foam insulation can effectively seal the roof, preventing air leakages and providing a vapour control layer to control condensation.

For more information about spray foam insulation, or to book a free consultation, give our team here at Metropolitan Insulation a call on 0800 028 4042.

Sep

2019

What are thermal bridges?

Understanding thermal bridges can help you to strengthen your building’s insulation and minimise heat loss.

When insulating your home, you may hear the term thermal bridge, or cold bridge, thrown around a lot.

Thermal bridges are generally considered bad, so it’s important to understand what one is, so that you can minimise the risk of thermal bridges occurring in your home.

A thermal bridge is a weak point in your building’s insulation that causes heat loss. They are usually caused by a gap or hole in building materials, but also occur at areas made from highly conductive materials like wood, metal and steel.

As well as causing heat loss, thermal bridges can also cause condensation, mould and damp problems.

Types of thermal bridge

Construction– Construction thermal bridges are caused by a piece of construction material or a gap that runs through the building’s insulation.

Geometric– Geometric thermal bridges aren’t formed by physical materials or gaps; they can occur even when insulation is continuous. They are caused when the geometry of the thermal envelope causes increased heat loss and can be either two or three-dimensional.

Combined– Often thermal bridges will combine elements of both construction and geometric thermal bridging.

Repeating– This type of thermal bridge repeats at regular intervals throughout the thermal envelope. Examples of areas where repeating thermal bridges may occur include ceiling joists, ground floor joists, and steel wall ties.

Non-repeating– These are usually one-off thermal bridges caused by discontinuities. Examples include gaps around windows and doors or in internal wall or floor junctions.

Spray insulation is an excellent material for improving thermal insulation as it moulds to the shape of your building, effectively filling and sealing any holes or gaps in your building materials.

For more information about spray foam insulation, or to book a free consultation, give our team here at Metropolitan Insulation a call on 0800 028 4042.

Aug

2019

What grant schemes are available in the UK for sound insulation?

If transport noise pollution is disrupting your home life, you may be able to get help with paying for soundproofing with one of these schemes.

Constant exposure to noise pollution can have a negative effect on sleep, health, and wellbeing, it has even been linked to serious health problems like stroke and heart attack.

If you’re suffering from excessive noise pollution at home because of a nearby road or air traffic, then you may be able to receive financial help towards the cost of having sound insulation installed in your home.

Noise pollution from Highways England roads

If the rumbling sound of traffic from a Highways England road is affecting you at home, you may be eligible to apply for sound insulation.

The Highways England noise insulation schemeis available to properties that lie within a Highways England “Noise Important Area” that contains fewer than 10 properties.

“Noise Important Areas” are the areas that experiences the highest levels of noise from Highways England roads.

If you meet the scheme’s criteria then your property will be assessed and Highways England contractors will carry out the soundproofing work for you, it is not a grant scheme.

Noise pollution from airports

Most airports have noise limits and restrictions on flight paths, to minimise noise and disruption to residents living nearby. Despite these restrictions, noise from aircraft can still be very disrupting and even damaging to the health of those living nearby.

Because of this, UK airports run grant schemes to help those affected by noise pollution to soundproof their homes.

The airport in question will usually have a boundary in place that identifies the properties that are eligible.

Contact your local airport by telephone or check their website to find out details about their scheme and whether you are eligible to help with soundproofing.

For more information about the soundproofing and sound insulationproducts we provide here at Metropolitan Insulation, give our team a call on 0800 028 4042.

Jul

2019

The effect of noise pollution on health and wellbeing

Noise pollution above a certain level is not only disruptive and irritating, it can also be very damaging to health and wellbeing.

We’ve all experienced annoyance due to loud or persistent noises before. But did you know that noise exposure also causes physiological effects within our bodies?

Physiological effects of noise pollution

When noise exceeds a certain level, it can cause constriction of blood vessels and tightening of muscles, this then increases heart rate and blood pressure.

In fact, a study by Dr Yutong Samuel Cai, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, found that long-term exposure to traffic noise affects our blood biochemistry, over and above the effects of exhaust fumes.

Over time and with prolonged exposure to the noise, these affects can leave us vulnerable to some serious health conditions.

Research has linked long-term exposure to high levels of noise pollution with a variety of serious health problems including:

High blood pressure
Cardiovascular disease
Heart attack
Stroke
Type 2 Diabetes
Coronary heart disease

According to the World Health Organisation at least 1m healthy life-years are lost every year in western European countries because of environmental noise.

Short-term effects of noise pollution

As well as long-term health problems, in the short-term, exposure to noise pollution can leave us feeling stressed and disrupt our sleep.

Getting enough good quality sleep is extremely important to health and wellbeing, and disrupted sleep can cause symptoms like fatigue, inability to concentrate, and low performance levels.

In children, this can also reduce their cognitive performance and ability to learn.

Soundproofing your home

If you live in a high noise area, soundproofing your home can help to protect you and your family from the damaging effects of noise pollution.

Here at Metropolitan Insulation we provide a wide range of soundproofing solutionsfor requirements and budgets of all shapes and sizes.

For further help and advice finding a suitable and effective sound proofing solution, get in touch with our team of experts by calling us on 0800 028 4042.

Jul

2019

5 common sources of external noise pollution

Noise pollution occurs when sounds exceed a certain level and become annoying and harmful to health.

Noise pollution is a common problem in today’s busy, built-up, technology-driven society, particularly within big cities.

Noise pollution created by external sources outside of our homes can be particularly difficult to deal with as we have no control over it, leaving us feeling helpless.

As well as being very annoying, studies have found that being exposed to constant noise pollution can be damaging to health too.

Here are five of the commonest sources of external noise pollution here in the UK.

Airports and flight paths– Living close to an airport can expose you to significant harmful noise pollution. Studies have found that the constant loud noise created by aeroplanes taking off and landing can be very damaging to health. There are noise limits and restrictions on night flights in place at many UK airports to protect those living close by from noise pollution.

Busy roads – According to the European Environment Agency,road traffic is the biggest source of noise pollution in Europe, accounting for about 70% of all noise pollution. In the UK there is no legal limit to road noise. Living close to a busy road can mean being subjected to the hum and noise caused by vehicles all day and all night long with no respite.

Industrial sources– Living close by to industrial businesses or factories can mean being subjected to the sounds of a variety of bangs, crashes, clanks, vehicles, and electrical whirring and buzzing.

Noisy neighbours– Neighbours that constantly play loud music can quickly turn into a constant source of stress and annoyance. As well as noise from domestic neighbours, people living close to busy pubs and bars may also experience high levels of noise pollution from music and anti-social behaviour.

Construction work – Although most construction projects are only temporary, more long-term construction sites can cause people living nearby a real headache. Councils can serve notices to those carrying out construction work to reduce noise nuisance for those living and working nearby.

If external noise pollution is disrupting your home life, you could benefit from soundproofing your property.

Here at Metropolitan Insulation we provide a wide range of different soundproofing productsand solutions to suit any requirements. Get in touch with our team of experts for further help and advice by calling us on 0800 028 4042.

Jun

2019

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 0800 028 4042.

May

2019

Tips for protecting your roof from pests and vermin

Attic spaces are warm, sheltered, and infrequently disturbed, making them the ideal environment for pests and vermin.

If pests enter your home through your roof, they can multiply and cause significant damage to your roof’s internal structure and items being stored in the loft before you even realise that they’re there.

If you notice any of the following signs that you may have a problem with pests, it’s important to investigate and act swiftly to minimise damage.

Signs that you may have a problem with pests

Droppings
Bad smells
Damage to the roof’s structure
Bite marks or damage to belongings in the loft
Noise

Preventing pests from entering your roof

Birds– Birds roosting or nesting in, on, or around your roof, eaves or chimney can cause a lot of mess with their droppings.

Gel-repellents and spike strips can be applied to the roof to deter pigeons from landing on it.

Rats – If rats enter your home through your roof, they can spread disease, leave droppings, and cause damage to items stored in the loft and to your roof’s structure.

To make it more difficult for rats to gain access to your roof, remove any creeping plants from the walls and cut back any tree branches that overhang your roof. Any gaps or holes in or around your roof should be covered with wire mesh or filled with expanding foam.

Insects– Insects like bees, wasps, moths, and beetles can all find their way into your loft and cause significant damage.

To keep insects out of your roof you need to fill or repair all cracks and holes that they could gain entry through.

Protecting your roof from pests using spray foam

A simple way of sealing your roof to prevent pests and vermin from entering is to have spray foamapplied to the underside of your roof. Spray foam bonds slates and tiles to each other and to your roof’s structural timber to effectively seal all routes of entry.

As well as protecting from pests and strengthening your roof, spray foam is also an excellent source of insulation and soundproofing.

To find out more about spray foam insulation or to arrange a free consultation, give our team here at Metropolitan Insulation a call on 0800 028 4042.

Apr

2019

Common places to find asbestos in commercial buildings

If you own a commercial property that was built before the year 2000 then there could be asbestos lurking inside.

Up until 1999 asbestos was a common building material that was used for a variety of purposes in construction. After it was found to be linked to a number of serious health conditions it was banned from use and legislation was put in place to regulate its management.

The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 state that it is the dutyholder’s responsibility to determine whether asbestos is present in a building and then ensure that it is managed safely.

As the owner of a commercial property, you should ensure that a survey is carried out to assess whether there is any asbestos present in your building.

Where could asbestos be lurking?

Key areas of your commercial property that may contain asbestos include:

Sprayed interior coatings
Water tank
Insulation
Partition walls
Ceiling tiles
Vinyl floor tiles
Textured decorative coatings
Roof, gutters and downpipes

Asbestos insulating board is a fireproof material that was commonly used in ceiling tiles, partition walls, fireproof doors, and lift shafts. To the untrained eye, it is difficult to tell an asbestos board apart from a non-asbestos one.

There is also a risk that the exterior of your building could feature asbestos cement. Asbestos cement is simply normal cement with asbestos mixed in. It was often used in the construction of roofs, downpipes, gutters, soffits and flues.

What to do if asbestos is found in your commercial property

If a survey does find asbestos present in your building, then you will be required to take measures to manage the risk to protect yourself and the building’s tenants.

The correct action to take will depend on the location of the asbestos and its extent and condition. Options for management may include monitoring, maintenance, removal or encapsulation.

To find out about how our spray foam can be used to encapsulate asbestos in commercial properties,give us a call on 0800 028 4042.

Metropolitan Insulation Blog