Insulating Your Loft

Unfortunately, over recent years, the value of metals like lead have dramatically risen, making properties with lead roofing a target for thieves.

Jan

2019

Asbestos in a Commercial Property? Here’s What You Need To Know

If you own a commercial property have you ever thought that about asbestos? While asbestos hasn’t been used in construction since way back in 1999 it remains present in many buildings dating back before this period. The penalties for those maintaining a building and ignoring the risks of asbestos exposure are severe as well as the potential consequences for those exposed to fibres so it is worth understanding what needs to be done if there is the risk of asbestos exposure present in your commercial property.

Much of the legislation on asbestos refers to Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 (CAR 2012) and Asbestos Regulations 2006 (CAR 2006). If you are the landlord and owner of the building, responsibility for dealing with risks posed by asbestos will be in your hands and anyone occupying the building as a commercial tenant must also comply with any action that needs to be taken.

Asbestos becomes dangerous when it is disturbed and dangerous fibres are released. These fibres enter the lungs and cause various cancers and other illnesses. Proper assessment of a building suspected of containing asbestos should include an inspection to see if the material is present, the creation of records and an assessment the condition of the asbestos. Anyone carrying out works must also be notified of its presence.

Removing asbestos is a difficult and expensive tasks due to the risks involved. A cheaper and easier way to deal with asbestos is via encapsulation which essentially seals in the material so that it doesn’t pose a risk.

Oct

2018

How Long Can You Expect Your Insulation To Last?

Most people will ask about how long things like roof tiles and flooring will last but few people consider insulation. One thing is certain, no matter what insulation you use, it won’t last forever and certain types of insulation are known to last longer than others. So let’s look at the different types of insulation commonly used and compare their lifespans and durability.

Spray foam insulation
Spray foam insulation has increased in popularity due to its excellent durability and ease of application. It is also much better at resisting mold growth and sealing any air leaks than alternative forms of insulation. You can also look forward to low maintenance over its lifetime. The only drawback is that its lifespan is around 80 years but this is a minor one unless you expect to still be around 80 years from so you can still technically say it will last you more than a lifetime.

Fiberglass Insulation
Fibreglass is the type of insulation you will find in most homes. The material is also extremely durable and provides an excellent defence against humidity. It is also cheaper than most alternatives which is why you will still find this type of insulation in most homes. This type of insulation is expected to last 100 years but wear and tear can take its toll and reduce lifespan if it isn’t inspected regularly.

Recycled Paper Insulation
Recycled paper is another excellent choice and the main thing it has going for it is its limited impact on the environment. This type of insulation can last for 100 years although it is less commonly used than other materials such as fibre glass and spray foam.

Sep

2018

The Challenges Of Insulating A Barn Conversion

Barn conversions can make the most attractive homes but they can also be challenging projects not only from a build point of view but also when it comes to thermal efficiency.

Nowadays thermal efficiency is a much more important consideration than it has been in the past. Property owners must now include Energy Performance Certificates when advertising a property for rent or sale and this obviously influences the decision to rent or buy a property. Few people are going to pay their hard earned cash to live in a poorly insulated property or one that scores poorly on its EPC.

So one of the main challenges when converting a barn is making sure it is conforms to modern building and energy efficiency standards. Insulating high vaulted ceilings can be difficult as attractive as they are, but there is a way to cut the cost and achieve those all important efficiency scores. That is to use spray foam insulation.

This can be applied quickly and easily and dramatically cuts down the time it takes to apply insulation so that your barn conversion ticks all the boxes for your prospective buyers. If you require more information on insulating your property give us a call today.

Sep

2018

Spray Foam Insulation or Rigid Foam Insulation – Which is Best?

Spray foam and rigid foam both have their advantages and disadvantages depending on the insulating project. In this article we group together some of these to help you with your decision.

Which is the easiest to install
9 times out of 10 spray foam is going to be the easiest form of insulation to install as long as you use a professional company to do the work for you. You won’t have to do any measuring with spray foam and it will naturally pour into cracks and seal everything so there are no leaks and gaps.

With rigid foam insulation you may have to rip out existing insulation and measure out the material to ensure it covers everything. Rigid foam isn’t going to expand leaving more potential for draughts.

Which is more efficient?
Both have similarly high R values and in theory there may be no difference in the level of insulation. However, if there are any gaps left while installing it can dramatically reduce the thermal efficiency and this is more likely with rigid foam insulation.

Which is cheaper?
If we take rigid foam and spray foam in isolation the former is likely to be cheaper but what this doesn’t consider is the extra work that may be required to install it. Using spray foam is a lot faster and will involve less disruption.

Aug

2018

Can Fitting Insulation Reduce Noise As Well?

When most people fit insulation they do so to keep homes and other buildings warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Another benefit however is the additional soundproofing you can gain from certain types of insulating material.

The benefits are particularly felt if you live in the city where there will be a constant barrage of noise from traffic and so on. For example, a well-designed and insulated modern apartment building with will see a significant reduction in noise over older buildings that may not be insulated to the latest standards set in building regulations today.

There are of course different types of insulation and effective sound insulation that actually absorbs sound requires more specific materials and modifications fit for this purpose. Fitting thermal insulation alone will not eliminate problem noise and there are some types of insulation that don’t reduce noise at all such as reflective insulation which tends to be installed in attics underneath the roof.

Insulation that reduces noise comes in the form of material that is able to form a barrier between the source of noise and the interior living space. The vibrations that cause noise are absorbed by the insulating material and this creates the extra benefit of having insulation installed.

To gain the full benefits of sound insulation it is often necessary to insulate all areas where sound can be easily transmitted through walls ceilings and so on.

Aug

2018

What’s the Difference Between Airborne Sound and Impact Sound?

There is more than one type of sound and to properly insulate your property you will need to insulate against both impact sound and airborne sound. Here’s a brief guide to these sound types and how effective insulation can help you control their impact.

Airborne sound can come from a wide variety of sources bot inside and outside your property and as the term suggests the sound will feel as if it is in the air around you. Some typical examples of things that create airborne sound include noise from traffic, music, TV vacuum cleaning to name but a few.

Being exposed to these noises for any length of time can impact on your quality of life depending on the level of noise they generate and for how long.

Impact sound on the other hand is generated when people are walking up stairs, on floors above in apartments, or appliances such as washing machines, drills, hammers and so on. This type of noise can be particularly irritating even if the disturbances are usually short term in domestic environments.

Sometimes noise can fall into both airborne and impact sound categories when sound vibrates from a surfaces.

The key to reducing airborne sound is to eliminate gaps that will allow sound to travel between spaces. Impact noise can be reduced by something as simple as fitting carpets that are significantly better at absorbing impact sound from footsteps than wood floors.

Jul

2018

Is Spray Foam Insulation Right For Your Home?

There is no doubt that insulation improves your home both from the point of view of its value and the comfort of those who are going to be living in it. Naturally if you have decided on insulating your home, then you will want to choose the right type of insulation and spray foam is definitely something to consider.

There are of course plenty of options when it comes to insulation but with spray foam you gain a number of advantages.

Not only is it quick and involves less disruption while the work is being done, it can also improve the quality of insulation over comparable materials. Spray foam is one of the best insulating materials you can get and it is also light weight and easy to work with.

Also using a spray foam means the foam will expand into all the small gaps you may have in areas such as your loft. So rather than have little holes that other types of insulation fails to cover, the foam will completely fill the space even down to tiny cracks and prevent heat from escaping.

When 30% of a home’s energy can end up lost through the roof walls, windows and so on, spray foam insulation can prevent these leaks and ensure a house is not only warm in the winter but also cool in the summer.

Jun

2018

Could Your Fireplace Be The Source Of Your Noise Issues?

If you are noticing that noise from your neighbours is worse during the evenings when they are watching TV then the culprit could be thin walls around your fireplace.

This was the case recently when we were asked how to advise on this issue.

TV’s are often placed above TVs in terraced housing with the chimney breast providing an ideal area to hang a tv from the wall. Of course this wasn’t the case in the old days when people simply sat their TVs on a stand which was usually a few feet away from the wall.

To exacerbate the problem, some older terraced housing may have alcoves which were once popular places to display ornaments and so on. These areas will not have the extra layer of brock you see around the chimney breast therefore sound can more easily find its way through.

So often the way to reduce noise levels is simply to add soundproofing to the areas where the wall is at its thinnest to improve insulation against your neighbour’s noisy TV and any other noise that may be coming through the wall.

For more advice on sound insulation and sound proofing in your home, contact us today.

May

2018

When Does Asbestos Become Dangerous To Health?

Asbestos is a fairly inconspicuous material that often lies hidden within the structure of an old building and even if the material is disturbed you’re probably not going to see what does the damage with the naked eye. It’s important then to understand when and how asbestos becomes dangerous.

As you have probably gathered asbestos is dangerous when it is disturbed in some way and the dangerous dust and fibres are then allowed to escape into the air. If you’re close by then there is a risk that you breathe in the fibres which then pass either into your lungs or possibly your digestive tract as well.

Once these fibres enter into the lungs they can embed themselves into the lungs causing scarring which hardens the tissue and makes it difficult to breathe when the lungs are unable to expand and contract properly. Other potential dangers include rare types of cancer that are triggered by the presence of asbestos fibres in lung tissue.

The results are invariably fatal which is why asbestos has been banned in construction since 2000.

If you are concerned about asbestos in your building, we offer an encapsulation service which takes away the risk of asbestos being inadvertently broken up and leading to dangerous health consequences.

May

2018

Concerned About Asbestos Exposure?

Advice On How To Keep Yourself Safe

Most people are aware of the dangers of Asbestos exposure but few people know what to do when faced with the risk of contamination from asbestos fibres when it discovered. With this in mind, here are some tips on how to limit your exposure and keep yourself safe.

Be aware of what is dangerous and what isn’t

Asbestos is a dangerous material but only when it is disturbed and broken up. Asbestos can be presnt in the structure of a building for years without anyone knowing it is there or suffering any ill effects. It is only during refurbishment or other work is done that the asbestos is discovered. The kneejerk reaction for some people is to try and remove the material but that only increases the dangers. This leaves two safe options, get experts to remove it (expensive) or use a process called encapsulation which will add a protective layer around the asbestos so that it doesn’t present a danger.

Places where you are likely to find asbestos

Of course the best way to stay from asbestos is not to do any major refurbishment or building work on a property built prior to 2000 when the material was banned from use in construction. This isn’t always possible so if you are in any doubt contact someone who knows how and wher to find the material to check whether or not any is present in your property.

Metropolitan Insulation Blog