Summer Home Insulation

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.

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.

Oct

2015

Global Insulation Market Is Set To Reach $67 Billion By 2020

Having the right level of insulation in homes and office can make a huge difference to energy bills and noise levels. As governments around the world press ahead with targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the global insulation market is set to grow to more than $67 billion by 2020 according to a report released by Grand View Research, Inc.

Consumers too are becoming more and more aware of the need to insulate their homes and save energy and this is seen as one of the main drivers of growth in the market. New regulations have also been put in place by governments to ensure that homes are built to higher standards of energy efficiency and older houses are modernised to conform as much as possible to modern standards.

Of course the growth in the insulation market may see the price of materials used rise and this was seen as one of the future challenges in the report. Fibreglass is one of those materials and this accounted for 40% of market revenue. The use of fibreglass in insulation in residential homes and industrial complexes is expected to see growth in use of the material rising 9.1% by 2020.

Jan

2015

5 Steps To Insulating Your Home

Something as straightforward as insulating your loft correctly can save you £250 on heating bills according to the Energy Trust. This significant financial saving is just one reason to check if your loft is insulated or if the insulation you have is effective.

If your loft is insulated as all new build homes are today, then there is no need to worry, but older properties may well need an upgrade in loft insulation to improve energy efficiency. Unless you are confident that you can do the job to the required standard, then it is worth asking a professional to install insulation for you.

If you do decide to go it alone and do it yourself here are 5 steps to remember:

Check that your roof space doesn’t have any damp creeping in before you start your loft insulation project. Damp can lead to rot and applying insulation over this is not a good idea.
Wear protective gear such as overalls, gloves and a dust mask to prevent fibres irritating the skin and your airways. There are alternative insulation materials available such as sheep’s wool and recycled newspapers that may be more suitable if you don’t like the thought of handling mineral wool.
You should make accurate measurements of your joists and the floor of your loft to make sure insulation is cut to the correct size and fits properly.
It is recommended that the depth of insulation for mineral wool insulation is 27cm. This can vary, however, depending on the material you are using.
If you already have some loft insulation, you don’t need to remove it. Just add the new material on the top. Don’t put boards on top of your insulation as this will compress it and reduce its effectiveness.

Aug

2014

Insulating Your Home in the Summer

When thinking of insulation, people tend to think of how it is so important in keeping your house warm in the winter months. But keeping your home cool in summer months is just as important, particularly with the unusually warm temperatures currently being experienced across the UK. There are other things you can do that will contribute to a cooler home. Monitoring your energy usage will not only keep you comfortably cool when there is a heatwave, but it will also save you money. Here are a few simple tips to conserve energy:

Appliances
These mod-cons are also the biggest consumers of your total energy. A few ways to trim the excess usage with your regularly utilised appliances include using the cold water setting on the washing machine. And why not use the sunny days to line-dry the washing outside? Hand washing your dishes as soon as they are used will not only ensure everything is clean when you need it, but it will save you a bundle on your energy bill. Large appliances produce significant heat when in use, so the less you use them the cooler your home will be.

Windows
A very simple way to keep your house cool is to keep blinds and curtains closed in the day time. We all want to let the sunshine flood our homes, but this actually heats up your house. Keeping the sun out avoids the use of fans and air conditioning.

Air Conditioning
It’s more efficient to turn your air con on and off for short intervals rather running it at a steady temperature. In the interim, you can use fans to move the cooler air around the house if you don’t have central heating/cooling. Be sure you maintain your unit for peak efficiency.

Cooking
Your oven has one job-to make your food hot. The same goes for its effect on your home. Using a microwave is more energy efficient than the oven without emitting nearly as much heat.

Metropolitan Insulation Blog