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Conventional and natural insulation materials

A well insulated home not only keeps you warmer in winter and cooler in summer, but reduces energy bills - which in turn cuts down carbon emissions, and generally puts less strain on boilers and systems.
Insulation materials work by resisting heat transfer or heat loss, and is measured in the industry by an R-value (the higher the R-value, the greater the insulation). This R-value varies according to material type, density, thickness, and practical factors particular to the installation site.

Conventional Insulation

Conventional insulation materials are made from petrochemicals and include: multi-layered aluminium foil, fibreglass, mineral wool, polystyrene, and polyurethane foam. These are the materials used extensively by the UK insulation industry because they provide a wide range of installation options. Most are inexpensive to buy and install - although reflective aluminium foil is a more expensive product its high efficiency means less material is used.

According to many of the larger installation companies the performance of these highly processed materials is noticeably greater than the natural alternatives available. However, most of these conventional insulation materials contain a wide range of chemical fire retardants, adhesives and other additives.

Natural Insulation

With more and people going green, it’s comforting to know there are alternatives to the highly processed synthetic insulation materials mentioned above. There are today many different types of natural insulation material available, including: sheep’s wool, flax and hemp, cellulose, wood fibre, and expanded clay aggregate.
Unfortunately, natural insulation materials are currently up to four times more expensive than conventional materials, which mean they will either be too costly or too unproductive for the insulation companies working within grant funded schemes.