Installing or adding ceiling insulation to an existing one can make a significant
difference to the comfort and energy performance of the home, but it is vital
that the insulation is put in correctly. Ceiling fires have increased significantly
with the more common use of downlights that penetrate the ceiling. Take care to
maintain minimum clearances around downlights and ensure that transformers are
not underneath the insulation. Wherever possible avoid using recessed light
fittings as they also shed a great deal of heat through the gaps required in
the surrounding ceiling insulation. Recessed lights and their auxiliary
equipment should be installed in a manner designed to prevent the light and
equipment overheating and igniting surrounding combustible materials.
Particular notice should be taken of manufacturers’ installation instructions
for lights that include warnings about covering them with insulation or display
the following symbol meaning ‘Do Not Cover’. Installing ceiling insulation in
blanket format is the more modern method. It creates a very complete thermal
envelope in the ceiling as the insulation is rolled out over the top of the
ceiling joists essentially ‘blanketing’ the whole ceiling.
The insulation comes in roll form rather
than pre-cut segment. With the blanket system it is very important that the
cavity under the blanket is filled in before the blanket is laid. If you are
starting with no insulation, experts recommend installing a lighter layer
between your joists first and then laying another blanket layer completely over
the top. The cavity left by just installing a blanket over the top of the
joists can easily be compromised resulting in significant heat loss. Whilst
more insulation material is used to insulate the ceiling, the grade of material
can be dropped to achieve the same level of performance as segment insulation.
The major disadvantage of blanket insulation is that it can become hazardous to
walk across the ceiling as the joists are no longer visible. Secondly because
the insulation sits on top of the joists, and not hard against the ceiling there
is a pocket of air trapped between the insulation and the ceiling. If this
pocket is compromised, for example when one portion is moved, then thermal
performance drops. What this means in real terms is that it becomes more
important that insulation is fixed up by tradesmen or others working in the
ceiling space when they have finished.
Advantages
of installing a ceiling insulation:
- It
is an economical option.
- Achieves
a higher thermal performance level by thickness than other materials
meaning it can often be fitted into tighter spots than other products.
- Is
easy to work with when installing as it can easily be cut and manipulated
around fixtures in the ceiling such as downlights and fans.
- Bales
can be tightly wrapped and compressed making them easier to move into the
attic space.
Most common types of ceiling insulation
that are installed nowadays are polyester and fiberglass. Full polyester
insulation is becoming more and more popular as an alternative choice to
fiberglass. It is manufactured to the same performance levels as other types of
insulation but has a number of distinct advantages. Fiberglass is very much the
traditional mainstay of insulation. It is a very common product both here and
around the world used in both new and older homes. The product is manufactured
from glass and usually contains around 30% recycled glass.
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