For effective energy efficiency, insulation is one of the most important aspects of any home construction or renovation project. The inclusion of insulation to the roof space and walls during construction is standard practice for most projects, but insulating the subfloor area is often overlooked for both new homes, renovated homes, and DIY projects. And this can lead to cold, draughty, and uncomfortable spaces.
In short, insulation creates a barrier to heat gain and loss in ceilings, roofs, floors, and walls. It is a cost-effective and practical way to keep your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. It can also help reduce condensation, which decreases the chances of dampness, which can cause mould to form.
Benefits of home insulation
Some of the many benefits of insulation in your home are:
- Keeps your house cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
- Reduces your energy consumption.
- Cuts your heating and cooling bill.
- Provides comfort all year round.
Subfloors are often overlooked for insulation
Many modern Australian homes are built on concrete slabs, meaning they do not require subfloor insulation. But some new homes and many older homes feature a suspended floor with subfloor space beneath.
Without insulation beneath the floorboards, thermal bridging will create a direct link to the external temperature beneath the floor and outside the home. This can lead to discomfort for the occupants, and require excess heating or cooling energy within the home.
While carpets and rugs provide some insulation, they do a poor job. And if these are your only forms of floor insulation, you will still need to heat your draughty home in winter, and cool it in summer.
The best time to install subfloor insulation is during construction or renovation, but it can also be done at any time by a professional installer or competent DIY homeowners.
While not an obvious feature of a new or renovated home, underfloor insulation can still make a noticeable difference. And by specifying subfloor insulation, architects, designers and builders can add a little luxury, comfort and energy savings for their clients.
Why choose underfloor insulation?
Timber floors installed on beams and joists, particularly those resting on stumps, lose a lot of heat through their floor, inflating heating bills and wasting energy. The further the floor is away from the ground, the more heat it will lose, as the coldest air around your house is found under it. So putting an insulating barrier between that and the floor surface can save you thousands in heating costs.
By installing a product like EXPOL underfloor insulation, you’ll not only prevent any cold air from leaking through cracks and gaps, but you will also muffle noise, and prevent indoor heat from leaking out through the floor.
If it’s done right, you will likely only ever have to insulate your floor once during its lifetime, making it a very cost-effective home modification that adds value to your home.
What are the benefits of underfloor insulation products like EXPOL?
Insulation helps keep the internal temperature of a home stable by maintaining the flooring at the internal ambient temperature, rather than letting it be influenced by the temperature outside your home. There are five key benefits to underfloor insulation are.
Thermal efficiency
You will be able to retain desirable temperatures all year round organically, without the excessive need for the costly use of heaters and coolers.
Reduction in use of artificial air
It is better for your family’s health if you introduce less artificial air into your home. If you’re able to maintain comfortable temperatures naturally, you will use heaters and coolers less.
Smaller energy bills
Obviously if you use your heating and cooling appliances less, your energy bills will decrease. This will translate into more money in your pocket and assist in recouping the cost of installing your underfloor insulation.
Contribute to a better planet
Using less gas and electricity means you’ll also help preserve our planet’s natural resources. By fitting underfloor insulation products such as EXPOL and lessening how much you use your artificial heating and cooling devices, you will be contributing to a more sustainable planet.
Preventing cold air from entering through the floor
Cracks and holes in floorboards allow air to creep in through the floor, making a home colder in winter. Installing underfloor insulation creates a layer between external temperatures and your floorboards, which prevents air from creeping in through the floors.
Trusted for more than 20 years, EXPOL underfloor insulation is easy to install, available in four convenient joist widths (560mm, 470mm, 410mm, 360mm), and a popular option for DIY underfloor insulation projects.
