Insulation

by
Giuseppe Gillespie

19/11/2022

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Insulation

Insulation, in the context of heating your home, is the act of layering material inside of walls and flooring or using certain materials in construction in order to retain heat and keep out external air.

Insulating the walls and flooring of your home helps keep heat out during Summer and in during Winter. This helps cut down on heating costs by reducing the usage and reliance of central heating.

Natural insulating materials require less energy cost to produce than synthetic materials. Natural insulators include: Sheep’s wool (also removes impurities from the air), hemp, cellulose, cork, wood fiber, clay, vermiculite, etc. For a breakdown of the benefits of using natural insulating material over synthetic, see this article from Energuide.

Also when purchasing insulation material, look for a high R-value; this indicates the material’s thermal resistance and a higher R-value means a higher insulating efficiency.

Glazed Windows

Upgrading your windows to double- or triple-glazing can lower power bills by over 20%^[1], reduce external noise, retain heat in colder climates and keep cool in hot climates.

Insulation Grants

Also check with your local authority for grants for insulating your home. Many local authorities offer an amount per m² of insulation you plan to install.

See the different types of home energy grants available in Ireland here.

References

[1]: bradnams_admin, “5 benefits of double glazing windows: Bradnam’s Windows & Doors,” Bradnams, 22-Aug-2022. [Online]. Available: https://www.bradnams.com.au/benefits-of-double-glazing-windows/ [Accessed: 19-Nov-2022].

About the Author

Giuseppe Gillespie is an infrequent Irish writer often forced to write about himself in the 3rd person as he is not famous enough to merit someone else doing it for him. He has informed me (who is definitely not him) that he hopes this could change in future, as well as his fondness for ending things with a preposition, notwithstanding. For more see: gillespie-writing.com