Here at Eco Spray Foam Systems Ltd we firmly believe that Icynene spray foam is the best form of insulation available to the everyday consumer, and quite simply one of the best investments you can make for your home. When Icynene spray foam is used in loft insulation or cavity wall insulation it can save you up to 50% on your energy bills and provides numerous benefits to your home. During winter it will keep the cold out while in the summer months it will help to keep your home cool. The airtight qualities of spray foam will keep your property nice and dry while protecting it from condensation and wind damage. Of course it is also a great way to soundproof your home, greatly reducing everyday street noise from coming in while also preventing inside noise from getting out. Best of all, it lasts for years on end; it doesn’t sag like fibreglass but stays in place, airtight and set to the contours of the surface it is set on. While spray foam is clearly a great addition to any property, you may be wondering if there are any other simple and effective ways to insulate one’s home. Indeed there are; here are a few things you can do that, when combined with spray foam insulation, will save you huge amounts of money on your energy bill and keep your home nice and warm at all times.
Double glazing is one of the most obvious ways to insulate a home. Good double glazing can reduce the cold air that comes in through windows by half. However, this is not exactly the most wallet-friendly option. If you are looking for a more affordable alternative then you can always layer your window panes with transparent film which, if applied correctly, will act as a barrier to the cold nearly as effectively as double glazing, and without the expensive price tag.
Reduce heat loss by checking for gaps in walls and doorways as these can let in draughts while sucking out precious heat. Radiators are the main source of heat in most rooms but the heat they emit can be diminished if you are not careful. Stick sheets of tin foil to your walls in the areas directly behind radiators. This will stop the heat from soaking into the walls and instead reflect it back into the room. Also take care to move any furniture that is particularly close to the radiator as it may be restricting heat dispersal throughout the room
Older homes are usually the toughest to heat up. Certain rooms in an older homes will often contain unused fireplaces which may look nice but have a rather negative effect on insulation. Warm air can easily escape up and out through the chimney due to the fact that heat naturally rises, and an unblocked chimney will also let in cold air, causing quite a draught. To prevent this it is important to block up any unused chimneys with a chimney balloon - a specially designed device that you insert into your chimney and then inflate. This will act as a barrier keeping cold air out and warm air in, while allowing a small amount of ventilation to pass through.
As you can see, the key to effectively insulating a building is being able to control both air flow and heat dispersal. So many households use excessive amounts of central heating only to see the majority of it wasted due to poor judgement. Simply by investing in some spray foam loft insulation and following the guidelines mentioned above you can significantly improve your home's ability to trap warm air and in turn substantially decreasing your reliance on central heating.
Visit the ECO Spray-Foam Systems Ltd website for more information on The Key to Insulating One's Home