Injected Insulation

Mineral is regarded as one of the best materials when it comes to fire resistance.

Mar

2020

7 reasons why you should choose spray foam insulation

But what other advantages does using this kind of insulation provide?

1. Dynamic insulation

One of the great advantages of spray foam is that it expands on contact to dynamically seal all spaces, no matter how awkward. This means it gives a total seal with no gaps that traditional insulation can leave behind.

2. Great energy savings

Most homeowners would love to save some money on their energy bills each month. Using spray foam insulation helps here as it reduces your energy usage and the money you spend on it by regulating the temperature in your home.

3. Space saving solution

You would be surprised at how much space you can save using this insulation. When added to your roofline, you can get up to 10 inches more loft storage or even convert the space into another room.

4. Stops air filtration

If you have spaces where cold air is coming in and warm air is escaping, then this is poor for your overall insulation. Spray foam is great for reducing air filtration and helping your home to stay warmer.

5. Healthier living

Many people who suffer from illnesses like asthma often feel better after this insulation is installed. As spray foam gives a complete seal to the property, it stops airborne pollutants from causing issues.

6. It is tough

When you insulate your home, you want to use something that will last a long time. Spray foam insulation is a great option as it is tough and durable.

7. It is good for the planet

As well as helping to cut down on your bills, spray foam loft insulation will also help to save the planet. As you will use less energy, you will have less impact on the earth around you.

Let Metropolitan Insulation help today

If you like the sound of what spray foam insulation can offer, call us today. We are spray foam experts in the installation of this insulation for all kinds of property. If you want to save energy, money and space, get in touch with us now.

Call us now 0800 028 4042

Feb

2019

3 Simple Sound Insulation Ideas

These simple sound proofing ideas will be ideal for most properties and in some cases even for historic listed buildings if you don’t wish to go through the planning permission process.

Acoustic blinds or curtains
If your building is poorly insulated against noise from outside, then acoustic blinds or curtains can go some way to reducing the amount of noise entering rooms. It is important to remember however that insulating your room this way will be good at reducing echoes in a room but only when they are closed which is ok at night but you will need other sound proofing measures for daytime.

Synthetic grass
Fake synthetic grass is popular with gardeners that like the low maintenance aspect of it but it is also being put to use as a form of insulation. Whether it is laid on floors or walls it has proven to be a good soundproofing material if you like your spaces green and natural looking.

Acoustic panels
The beauty of acoustic panels is they are effective at insulating sound coming through walls and they can be decorative. But if your property is listed you may still need planning permission to install them.

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

Nov

2018

Tips to Consider When Choosing Insulation

Once you have decided you need insulation for your home or other type of property the next step is to consider which type of insulation is best.

There is certainly no shortage of choice in stores and online making it difficult to decide which way to go. Some types of insulation will be better at absorbing sound while other types offer better thermal properties.

So, if you are having problems deciding on the best material here are some handy tips to help you.

Cost
The cost of insulation will vary widely. Some materials may seem cheap but as we will explore in the next point, the cheapest insulation isn’t always the easiest to install.

Ease of fitting
Insulation can come in a variety of different forms. Most commonly you can buy it in a role but it is also manufactured as solid boards and can come in spray form too. Some types such as spray foam will require specialist equipment and breathing apparatus to install and is usually applied by a professional.

Environmental impact
Often overlooked the environmental impact is an important consideration when choosing insulation. While you will save energy installing insulation it is worth finding out what the impact is to the immediate environment as well as externally.

Nov

2018

The Relationship Between Climate and Insulation

Most of us know that insulation is an important part of any building we occupy and increasingly so now that we are being forced to consider how much energy and consequently money we are wasting.

Money is also a factor in the type of insulation people choose for their homes. Often there are attempts to go it alone and do a DIY job to save even more. After all there are plenty of helpful videos available on Internet or advice from friends to teach you. What often cannot easily be gained from watching other people’s experiences is the insulating materials and methods you’ll need for different types of climate.

Climate is one of the key considerations when choosing insulations and depending on where you live in the UK some insulation types can be better than others. If you live in western parts of the UK the climate is often wet and windy for a large part of the year as this part of the country takes the brunt of weather coming from the stormy Atlantic. That said, temperatures don’t usually fluctuate too rapidly.

The east side of the UK can get very cold with temperatures fluctuating wildy at times as the cold North sea often exerts its influence. Weather in the east is also drier than the west.

In the South East, the weather is particularly dry through summer and also warmer with hotter summers.

So if you live in a colder climate keeping out cold will be the priority whereas in the warmer parts of the country keeping out heat while also protecting against the cold will be the priority.

Oct

2018

How Long Can You Expect Your Insulation To Last?

Most people will ask about how long things like roof tiles and flooring will last but few people consider insulation. One thing is certain, no matter what insulation you use, it won’t last forever and certain types of insulation are known to last longer than others. So let’s look at the different types of insulation commonly used and compare their lifespans and durability.

Spray foam insulation
Spray foam insulation has increased in popularity due to its excellent durability and ease of application. It is also much better at resisting mold growth and sealing any air leaks than alternative forms of insulation. You can also look forward to low maintenance over its lifetime. The only drawback is that its lifespan is around 80 years but this is a minor one unless you expect to still be around 80 years from so you can still technically say it will last you more than a lifetime.

Fiberglass Insulation
Fibreglass is the type of insulation you will find in most homes. The material is also extremely durable and provides an excellent defence against humidity. It is also cheaper than most alternatives which is why you will still find this type of insulation in most homes. This type of insulation is expected to last 100 years but wear and tear can take its toll and reduce lifespan if it isn’t inspected regularly.

Recycled Paper Insulation
Recycled paper is another excellent choice and the main thing it has going for it is its limited impact on the environment. This type of insulation can last for 100 years although it is less commonly used than other materials such as fibre glass and spray foam.

Oct

2018

3 Signs Your Home Isn’t Insulated Properly

Insulating your home is more important today than it has ever been. In the past the only consideration was for the comfort of the occupants but now a home must reach a certain standard for energy efficiency to be let to tenants or receive a fine. So it pays to be aware of these 3 signs of an uninsulated home.

Draughty rooms
Draughts can come from all sorts of places in the home but the most common sources of drafts are windows and around gaps in doors. Replacing windows and doors is the best way to resolve this issue.

Walls, ceilings and floors feel cold to the touch
If lofts are not insulated properly you may be able to tell by touching walls and ceilings and checking to see if they feel cold. If upstairs bedrooms feel cold it could be a sign that radiators are not working as well as they should or the insulation above needs replacing.

Hot in the summer cold in the winter
One of the biggest giveaways of a poorly insulated room is marked fluctuations in temperature. An extreme example is when you have an unheated uninsulated conservatory that is virtually unusable in the winter and on hot summer days. While rooms within the house are unlikely to be as bad as this, you will still notice that temperatures in the room are not as comfortable as other rooms.

Sep

2018

The Challenges Of Insulating A Barn Conversion

Barn conversions can make the most attractive homes but they can also be challenging projects not only from a build point of view but also when it comes to thermal efficiency.

Nowadays thermal efficiency is a much more important consideration than it has been in the past. Property owners must now include Energy Performance Certificates when advertising a property for rent or sale and this obviously influences the decision to rent or buy a property. Few people are going to pay their hard earned cash to live in a poorly insulated property or one that scores poorly on its EPC.

So one of the main challenges when converting a barn is making sure it is conforms to modern building and energy efficiency standards. Insulating high vaulted ceilings can be difficult as attractive as they are, but there is a way to cut the cost and achieve those all important efficiency scores. That is to use spray foam insulation.

This can be applied quickly and easily and dramatically cuts down the time it takes to apply insulation so that your barn conversion ticks all the boxes for your prospective buyers. If you require more information on insulating your property give us a call today.

Sep

2018

Spray Foam Insulation or Rigid Foam Insulation – Which is Best?

Spray foam and rigid foam both have their advantages and disadvantages depending on the insulating project. In this article we group together some of these to help you with your decision.

Which is the easiest to install
9 times out of 10 spray foam is going to be the easiest form of insulation to install as long as you use a professional company to do the work for you. You won’t have to do any measuring with spray foam and it will naturally pour into cracks and seal everything so there are no leaks and gaps.

With rigid foam insulation you may have to rip out existing insulation and measure out the material to ensure it covers everything. Rigid foam isn’t going to expand leaving more potential for draughts.

Which is more efficient?
Both have similarly high R values and in theory there may be no difference in the level of insulation. However, if there are any gaps left while installing it can dramatically reduce the thermal efficiency and this is more likely with rigid foam insulation.

Which is cheaper?
If we take rigid foam and spray foam in isolation the former is likely to be cheaper but what this doesn’t consider is the extra work that may be required to install it. Using spray foam is a lot faster and will involve less disruption.

May

2018

When Does Asbestos Become Dangerous To Health?

Asbestos is a fairly inconspicuous material that often lies hidden within the structure of an old building and even if the material is disturbed you’re probably not going to see what does the damage with the naked eye. It’s important then to understand when and how asbestos becomes dangerous.

As you have probably gathered asbestos is dangerous when it is disturbed in some way and the dangerous dust and fibres are then allowed to escape into the air. If you’re close by then there is a risk that you breathe in the fibres which then pass either into your lungs or possibly your digestive tract as well.

Once these fibres enter into the lungs they can embed themselves into the lungs causing scarring which hardens the tissue and makes it difficult to breathe when the lungs are unable to expand and contract properly. Other potential dangers include rare types of cancer that are triggered by the presence of asbestos fibres in lung tissue.

The results are invariably fatal which is why asbestos has been banned in construction since 2000.

If you are concerned about asbestos in your building, we offer an encapsulation service which takes away the risk of asbestos being inadvertently broken up and leading to dangerous health consequences.

Metropolitan Insulation Blog