WHAT IS INSULATION | azelia-insulation

What is Insulation?

Before we get into the insulation info, there are 3 words you need to understand first.

Conduction, Convection and Radiation

Conduction is the way heat moves through materials, such as when a metal spoon placed in a hot cup of coffee. It conducts heat through its handle to your hand.

Convection is the way heat circulates through liquids and gases, and is why lighter, warmer air rises, and cooler, denser air sinks in your home.

Radiant heat travels in a straight line and heats anything solid in its path that absorbs its energy.

There are 2 main types of insulation that both have different roles:

Bulk insulation and Reflective insulation

Bulk insulation works with tiny trapped air pockets within the structure of the insulation, this prevents or reduces the transfer of heat through conduction and convection.

Reflective insulation mainly resists radiant heat flow due to its high reflectivity and low emissivity (ability to re-radiate heat). It relies on the presence of an air layer of at least 25mm next to the shiny surface. The thermal resistance of reflective insulation varies with the direction of heat flow through it.

R Rating

Insulation material’s resistance to conductive heat flow is measured or rated in terms of its thermal resistance or R-rating -- the higher the R-rating, the greater the insulating effectiveness. This works to a point depending on what climate you fall into.

The R-rating typically depends on the type of insulation, its thickness, and its density that you choose. To determine how much insulation you need for your climate, consult our insulation assessor for the correct insulation for your home.

Did you know a typical uninsulated home or a poorly insulated home can lose up to 35% heat loss in the ceiling, up to 25% in the walls, up to 15% in the floors, up to 35% in the windows and up to 25% from air leakage!

For an existing home, the first place to address is the ceiling. Check to see if you have existing insulation, in some cases you might not have enough or has been inadequately insulated.

We have the solutions to remedy this or replace if needed. We strongly advise an assessment would be required to determine the best and economical outcome for your home.