Soundproofing London

The price of a new roof will vary depending on several factors including the size of your roof and the materials used.

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.

Jun

2019

What is nail sickness and how is it fixed?

If you’re regularly having problems with loose or missing roof tiles, it could be a sign that your roof is suffering with nail sickness.

Nail sickness is a term used to describe the natural deterioration of the nails that hold your roof tiles in place. Over a long period, it is natural for nails to corrode and rust. Unfortunately, if all your roof tiles were attached at the same time you will find that all the nails begin to deteriorate at a similar time too.

Nail sickness is more common in older properties with very old nails, particularly because the nails used in older buildings were generally of a poorer quality than those used today.

If you suspect that your roof may be suffering with nail sickness, it’s important to call in an expert immediately and not leave the problem to worsen. Falling and missing roof tiles are not only a safety hazard, they could also cause significant damage to your property by letting in rain, which will cause damp and structural damage over time.

Repairing a nail sick roof

A professional roofing contractor will be able to inspect the condition of your roof and advise you on the extent of the damage. In some cases, it may only be a small section of the roof that is affected, in which case repairs can be carried out to this section only. Generally, though, nail sickness will affect the entire roof, in which case you have a couple of options for fixing the problem.

Strip and re-slate the roof–Your first option is to have your entire roof replaced by stripping and re-slating it. The price of a new roof will vary depending on several factors including the size of your roof and the materials used, but it is generally an extensive job which can be very expensive.

Apply spray foam to the underside of the roof– An affordable alternative to re-roofing is to have spray foam applied to the underside of your roof. Spray foam will bond your roof tiles to each other and to your roof’s structural timber to cure nail sickness. It also provides your roof with excellent weather-resistance and thermal insulation.

For more information about our spray foamor to book a free consultation, give our team a call on 0800 028 4042.

Jun

2019

What is nail sickness and how is it fixed?

If you’re regularly having problems with loose or missing roof tiles, it could be a sign that your roof is suffering with nail sickness.

Nail sickness is more common in older properties with very old nails, particularly because the nails used in older buildings were generally of a poorer quality than those used today.

Repairing a nail sick roof

For more information about our spray foamor to book a free consultation, give our team a call on 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.

Metropolitan Insulation Blog