Read this guide to home insulation. With increasing prices and basic necessities becoming unaffordable, everyone is looking for a way to reduce their expenses and save money in South Africa. We use heating systems to survive the harsh winters and in this economy with the increasing energy prices, we are left with a large amount on our monthly electricity bill.
But if we start to think green and turn towards insulation, we could make a comfortable living environment for ourselves and also save some money on the side.
WHY INSULATE YOUR HOME? GUIDE TO HOME INSULATION
During the winter months, ceiling insulation helps keep heat trapped inside your house, making your heating system work more efficiently. 25% of heat can be lost through the roof and 35% through the walls.
Like I mentioned above, if all this heat was retained in the house throughout the winter, then think of the money you could save on energy costs by not using your heater all day long. This money could be spent elsewhere, perhaps on a holiday or renovation around the house.
INSULATION ACOUSTIC PROPERTIES
An additional advantage of insulation is noise reduction. If your residence is located in a noisy area and you just cannot maintain a calm and soothing environment around the house, then its acoustic properties will appeal to you most. A well-insulated house can significantly reduce noise pollution and will also be easy to sell if you ever decide to in the future.
WHERE TO INSULATE
For your insulation to work at its full potential you need to insulate all the right places. Failure to do so will compromise results. Insulation is installed according to your climatic region. Colder climates in South Africa like Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town need a thicker insulating material than warmer climates like Durban.
What you need to try and do, is insulate your entire house and seal off areas where air leaks in and out. The ceiling, floors, windows and doors all need to be checked. For windows, you can upgrade to double glazed or even triple glazed. Alternatively, you can look at investing in thicker curtains.
WHAT ARE THE BEST INSULATORS?
There are various different insulation products available on the market. Some more advanced than the others. If you do happen to use old material then you will be disappointed by its results. Since it will fail to trap the heat within the house. Insulation needs to be done properly installed by professionals. Using the right materials too.
COMMONLY USED RESIDENTIAL INSULATION PRODUCTS IN SOUTH AFRICA
- Think pink aerolite – Fiberglass Insulation
- Knauf – Earthwool With Ecose Technology
- Fabufill – Polyester Insulation
- Isotherm – Recycled PET bottle insulation
The kind of insulation you decide is up to you. Some insulators are more expensive and others are easy to install. If you should decide to install it yourself then isotherm is your winner. It is easier to install and user-friendly too. It also comes pre-cut to your beam width for easy application. Also, you need not wear safety gear while working with it.
GUIDE TO HOME INSULATION CONCLUSION
To get the best results out of your insulator. Allow it to live up to its potential. You should hire a professional to do the installation. They can make sure that insulation is installed properly.
To get your money’s worth, give the installation process the time it needs. Also, you need to get just the right amount of insulation installed for it to work properly.
Before you start the process of installation, find out the time it will take. Some installations could take a couple of hours whereas others require to be done over a course of four weeks. You need to be aware of the time it will take beforehand. Retrofit installations in factories always take the longest and are most time-consuming.
The process of insulating is a great way to think green. As well as save money. It makes for much more comfortable living conditions. Around the house and with the additional benefits. Of cheaper electricity bills and reduced noise pollution. To top it all off, you are doing your part for the environment too so think green with insulation.