Thermal Insulation

This is why it was made illegal to use the material in construction in 1999.

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.

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.

Nov

2017

Why Consider Asbestos Encapsulation?

The dangers of asbestos are well known, yet there are still many buildings in the UK that have some of this potentially deadly material which lies hidden in roof spaces in particular. Worse still, the material is often found in schools and other public buildings, particularly those built between the 1950s to 1980s.

While asbestos that remains undamaged and in good condition is often left in place, there is always the outside risk that it could be disturbed and emit particles that can cause all sorts of lung diseases from lung cancer to asbestosis, diffuse pleural thickening, and mesothelioma. This is why it was made illegal to use the material in construction in 1999.

If asbestos is present in a building, its removal is governed by strict regulations due to the considerable health risks. If these guidelines are not adhered to and lives are put at risk, this can result in hefty penalties including jail terms for those involved.

One way to avoid damage to asbestos and the associated risks is to use a process called encapsulation, which as the name suggests involves coating the asbestos. This prevents any disturbance which might damage the asbestos.

It is also cost effective in reducing the amount of down time and the associated costs of safe removal of the material.

Nov

2017

Asbestos Encapsulation Methods

If you have a building which contains asbestos and you want to deal with the problem before any damage occurs which might result in fibres escaping into the air, then one method is to use encapsulation.

Encapsulation acts as a seal to prevent asbestos fibres escaping and can be a cost effective and safer alternative to removing the material altogether.

The encapsulation process involves applying a thick material which resembles paint being sprayed onto the asbestos, which then dries and hardens over the material to prevent any of the harmful fibres escaping.

There are two types of encapsulation, one called ‘bridging’ and the other ‘penetrating’. Bridging acts as a protective coating over the asbestos while penetrating as the name suggests, penetrates into the material before hardening and sealing it.

Encapsulant must be sprayed onto the asbestos with a low pressure spray and care must be taken to remove any damaged or loose asbestos before the chemical is applied. As the process involves working with asbestos, there is still the danger that the person applying the encapsulant material can be exposed to fibres, so it is essential to wear protective clothing including a suit and a respirator.

If you wish to find out more about encapsulation contact one of our experts today.

Jun

2017

How Is Excessive Noise Bad For Your Health?

We’re all exposed to noisy environments from time to time, be it in the workplace or even at home.

Unfortunately, evidence has shown that too much of it can be bad for your health but how is this so? Let’s explain further how noise impacts on your health and wellbeing.

Let’s take the example of someone who works in a city centre office in an old building without adequate sound proofing installed. This person will be exposed to traffic noise as well as noise from phones and other staff members. The general hustle and bustle associated with city life will also add to this cocktail of noise the person will be exposed to on a daily basis.

In modern office buildings, architects should automatically factor in the level of noise a building’s occupants will be exposed to and install adequate sound insulation to reduce noise from internal and external environments.

If noise isn’t considered then that city centre office can soon become a health hazard, particularly to someone sensitive to its effects. It may surprise you to learn that exposure to noise of just 65Db on a daily basis can be enough to have harmful effects on your health.

The importance of sound insulation is now much higher on the agenda when architects are designing buildings because of the effects excessive noise can have on health and well-being. The level at which sound becomes potentially bad for your health is 65Db.

To put this measurement in perspective, 65Db is the level of noise you get from someone having a conversation or a phone ringing.

Exposure to this level of noise in people sensitive to it will raise levels of adrenaline which over time will have an effect on general health and wellbeing.

Apr

2017

Thinking Of Redecorating?

Now Might Be A Good Time To Soundproof Your Walls

At this time of year thoughts often turn to redecorating projects. This may include painting walls or hanging wallpaper but before pressing ahead with any of these projects it may be worth considering sound proofing your walls, particularly if noise is a problem in your property.

Besides cutting down noise from neighbours or noise from roads outside your property, soundproofing your walls can also bring the added benefit of better insulation. Soundproofing will help reduce heat loss and reduce your fuel bills significantly particularly on older properties.

Alongside the more obvious benefits of soundproofing your walls, there are also the unseen benefits such as stress reduction. Excessive, irritating noise can be a cause of all sorts of health issues linked to stress such high blood pressure and anxiety.

If your property is old and has solid walls then cavity wall insulation won’t be an option as it is in newer properties. The cost of insulating walls internally will be higher than cavity wall insulation but the savings on fuel bills and the better quality of life you will gain from the peace and quiet will more than cover the investment over time.

Apr

2017

Another Commercial Success – The Radisson Blu

Metropolitan Insulation recently completed sound insulation services at The Radisson Blu Edwardian Hampshire Hotel:

Apr

2017

Common Soundproofing Myths

Like most other things in life that require a significant investment of cash to achieve, there are plenty of myths about how to save money on soundproofing. However, as we will show, most of them will only be partially effective at best.

Use egg cartons
One of the most common myths about soundproofing is that you can collect a load of egg cartons and use them to soundproof your walls. Using egg cartons for soundproofing will not only look unappealing they are likely to be completely ineffective because they won’t stop the transfer of energy through solid walls, which is what causes noise in the first place.

Hang some thick curtains
Having thick curtains will reduce sound coming through your windows as will double glazing but it won’t stop sound coming through walls and ceilings. To soundproof an interior, you will need to install soundproofing to all these areas.

Use mattresses
You often hear about cash strapped rock bands setting up their own recording studios using mattresses to sound proof walls. These can be partially effective in absorbing sound because they create that natural barrier and mass between sounds being emitted and walls. This kind of setup is only really a temporary fix as it unlikely you will get mattresses to shut out sound coming from all parts of the room.

Mar

2017

New Generation Of ‘Super Materials’…

…Have The Properties To Bend Sound Waves

There is a sense that we have only just begun to scratch the surface of 3D printing technology and it will no doubt end up being another giant leap forward in technology. One exciting area currently attracting a lot of interest in the press is the production of super materials that are able to bend sound waves and create audio hotspots.

This technology will not only help you get on better with your neighbours it could also revolutionise the sound insulation industry. 3D printing will play an important role in producing bricks the size of fingers that are then formed into a sheet which can control sound in a variety of different ways such as letting in sound at certain times of the day and keeping it out when the occupants of a building need a bit of peace and quiet.

The new super material referred to as meta-material which is finely engineered and produced using 3D printer technology. The material is designed for various purposes using a computer and this is then fed into the printer.

Each brick or slab that is produced by the printer has a labyrinth structure which forces sound waves to slow down as they enter.

Engineers have even produced plastic tubes using meta material which can be used to block out noise simply by pressing a button.

Mar

2017

UK ‘must insulate millions of homes’

More than one home every minute will need to be refurbished in the UK between now and 2050, experts say.

The authors of a report to Parliament say 25 million existing homes will not meet the insulation standards required by mid-century.

The UK needs to cut carbon emissions by 80% by then – and a third of those emissions come from heating draughty buildings.

The government said it would devise policies as soon as possible.

But critics say ministers have been far too slow to impose a national programme of home renovation which would save on bills and improve people’s health, comfort and happiness. It would also create thousands of jobs.

Successive governments have been criticised for failing to tackle the UK’s poor housing stock – some of the worst in Europe.

Local authorities have limited cash to insulate council homes, and landlords and owner-occupiers have proved reluctant to invest large sums in disruptive improvements that will save on bills, but take many years to pay off.

The report from a group of leading construction firms – the Green Building Council – says four out of five homes that will be occupied in 2050 have already been built.

That means 25 million homes need refurbishing to the highest standards by 2050 – at a rate of 1.4 homes every minute.

Who pays?
The authors say this huge challenge also offers an unmissable opportunity under the government’s infrastructure agenda. The fiddly business of insulating roofs, walls and floors creates more jobs and has more benefits than any existing infrastructure priority, they maintain.

The question is how to pay. The government’s Green Deal scheme for owner-occupiers collapsed amid a welter of criticism that interest rates for insulation were too high, and that the insulation itself was too much hassle.

It says the construction industry needs certainty about what it is expected to deliver, and measurement to discover what is already being built. This should stimulate innovation, it says.

Julie Hirigoyen, head of the GBC, told BBC News there was a great prize to be grasped in upgrading building stock: “People will have warmer homes and lower bills; they will live longer, happier lives; we will be able to address climate change and carbon emissions.

“We will also be creating many thousands of jobs and exporting our best skills in innovation.

“Driving up demand for retro-fitting homes is essential for any policy to be a success – the Green Deal told us just offering financial incentives isn’t necessarily the only solution. We need to make it all easy, attractive and affordable.

“The good thing is that the business community is really starting to recognise the opportunity.”

VISIT THE BBC FOR MORE INFORMATION

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