Thermal Wall Insulation 

Wall insulation acts as a barrier to heat flow and is needed to keep your home cool in summer and warm in winter. Properly installed insulation can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and heating bills by up to half, as well as improve the overall comfort of your home.

Key tips for installing wall insulation

The main thing to keep in mind when considering installing wall insulation, is that once the walls are lined, the job is done, and you won’t be in a hurry to dismantle the wall to redo the wall insulation. So it’s imperative to ensure that

1. The correct R-value is installed the first time
2. The insulation is installed with a neat finish, with minimum air-gaps.

Consider upgrading your wall insulation to at least one ‘R-value’ higher than the minimal mandatory specifications on your report. The required total R-value for the building fabric of your home will vary depending on your climate zone.

Upgrading from R2.2 to R4.1 external wall insulation

Upgrading to an R4.1 wall insulation batt will improve both the thermal and acoustic performance of your home. These batts are rigid and fit snugly between the wooden joists to achieve an optimal thermal finish. R2.6HD Knauf Earthwool is a high density product with higher acoustic ratings than your typical R2.2 or R2.4 wall batts.

Which insulation brand is best?

Earthwool vs Pink Batts vs Bradford Gold

In the end the most important consideration is what R-value to use, not the brand. Pink Batts, Knauf Earthwool, GreenStuf and Bradford Gold are all good quality brands, each with their own benefits.

The main thing to know is that products with the same R-value all have the same thermal performance if installed as specified. An R2.0 Pink Batt will provide the same thermal resistance as an R2.0 Autex GreenStuf Pad or an R2.0 Bradford Gold Segment.