Home Insulation

Should you be concerned if you have vermiculate insulation in your roof?

26
Apr
2018

Will The World Be Quieter In the Future?

It might feel like our world is getting noisier. Overcrowding, increases in traffic both in the air and on the ground all combine to make us feel trapped in a world that offers few areas where places of genuine peace and tranquillity are few and far between.

Fortunately for those who appreciate a bit of peace and quiet, sound proofing technology is improving as new and innovative ways to tackle the noise problem become mainstream.

For example one of the biggest noise problems we have is from aircraft. Nearly 9,000 flights a day operate in UK airspace during busy seasons and any homes that lie within these flight paths will experience at least some noise from passing aircraft 24 hours a day.

The good news is that noise may soon become a thing of the past as engineers continue to work to make passenger planes quieter. Even now planes make far less noise than in the past and experiments are ongoing to make them even quieter by reducing the speed and volume of air leaving turbo jets.

If noise from traffic is a problem in your neighbourhood then a new invention that greatly improves the soundproofing quality of windows may soon be available. The window that separates air from sound and then blocks any sound waves will ensure that outdoor noise is virtually eliminated for those who live in busy towns and cities.

So along with household appliance such as vacuum cleaners that have become noticeably quieter in recent years, technology may prove to be the saviour of our peace and quiet.

Posted by admin in Bad Acoustics, Control Sound, How To Soundproof Doors, Metropolitan Insulation, Noisy Neighbours
10
Apr
2018

Do I Need An Insulation Contractor?

Do I Need An Insulation Contractor To Install Insulation In My House?

Insulating your home correctly is one of the best long term investments you can make. Not only will it help save money on heating costs by improving thermal efficiency, it will also help reduce external noise. So with this in mind, do you need a specialist insulation contractor to install your soundproofing or can it simply be left to your builder?

The most important thing to consider when installing soundproofing and insulation is experience. Insulation can certainly be done as part of the building work process and most construction companies will have experience of the task.

Like any other trade, however, specialists will have the edge and in most case more knowledge of the latest and most efficient materials. It might even work out cheaper to use a specialist contractor than using a general contractor when it comes to the work and the long term benefit.

With specialist knowledge you will gain access to a wider choice of insulation materials including the ones that may be the best fit for your property rather than being forced to make your selection from what the general contractor has in stock.

If you would like to find out more about our insulation services, contact us today.

Posted by admin in Home Insulation, Insulate Your Home, Insulating Your Loft, Metropolitan Insulation
10
Mar
2018

Advice On Insulating Barn Conversions

Insulating a barn conversion is no easy task using conventional insulation methods. Not only do you have a large space with high ceilings, but also it is desirable to retain some of the original features to make the property more appealing. With this in mind here is some advice on approaching the insulation of your barn conversion.

Most barns will have wall made of brick or stone without the cavity you get in a conventional house. This presents the first problem. How do you insulate the wall without spoiling it appearance inside and out? To meet building regulations you will need to fit the required level of insulation. This can be done by fitting internal partitions or cladding.

When it comes to the roof things can get a bit trickier. Barn roofs are often removed so that alterations can be made which can be an expensive and time consuming process.

Fortunately polyurethane foam applied via a spray can provide a cost effective and speedier alternative to other methods of insulation. The foam can simply be sprayed onto the underside of roof tiles and this can even be done without the need for a ventilated airspace.

Posted by admin in Construction, Home Insulation, Insulate Your Home, Insulating Your Loft, Metropolitan Insulation, Soundproofing, Soundproofing Apartments
02
Feb
2018

Read This Before Insulating Your Loft

Whether you already have some insulation in your loft or you need to start from scratch, here are some handy hints on the best ways to insulate.

When insulating a loft you will have two options – warm roof or cold roof. The latter might sound odd as we’re insulating right?
The problem with cold roof insulating is, you are only insulating the floor of the loft, which is only insulating the floors below against heat loss. The rest of the loft will be freezing cold in the winter and hot in the summer.

If you plan to store items in your loft, they will soon turn damp and musty in this environment. So the best solution all round is add warm roof insulation which can be sprayed on by a specialist like us for maximum coverage.

If you already have loft insulation, then there is the possibility that it doesn’t meet the current recommended thickness of 250mm to 270mm. Back in the 1980s the requirement was just 100mm. No wonder it was so cold in houses at that time!

If you are installing cold roof insulation you may need to strip out the existing insulation and replace it with new material to meet the correct thickness. Insulation panels tend to be supplied at standard thicknesses so the work can be done in one go.

If you require advice on insulating your loft, why not give us a call?

Posted by admin in Insulating Your Loft, Metropolitan Insulation
10
Jan
2018

£1m Added To Cost Of Leisure Centre Demolition Due To Asbestos

The BBC website reports this month that the demolition of a leisure centre in Blaenau Gwent has been held up after brown asbestos was found.

The asbestos was found to be present even though the building had been surveyed and the presence of the brown asbestos wasn’t detected. This highlights the continuing risk asbestos poses even though the use of this particular type of asbestos in building was banned way back in 1985.

Demolition work can often reveal hidden asbestos and any disturbance can lead to the risk of exposing workers to harmful fibres which can cause diseases such as asbestosis and lung cancer.

Following the discovery of the asbestos, the BBC website reports that and extra £1 million has been added to the cost of the demolition work. Specialists in asbestos removal will need to be brought in to ensure the asbestos is removed and then disposed of safely which adds a substantial amount to the original cost.

The discovery of asbestos during demolition work can lead to all sorts of legal ramifications, but there is a way to make asbestos safe through encapsulation. IF you want to find out more about our asbestos encapsulation service, get in touch today.

Posted by admin in Asbestos, Asbestos Encapsulation, Metropolitan Insulation
20
Dec
2017

The Hidden Danger Of Asbestos And How To Deal With It

The number of deaths resulting from exposure to asbestos has peaked according to statistics, however there may still be hidden asbestos dangers lurking in homes as well as commercial building and schools.

A type of lung cancer called mesothelioma can result from even low levels of exposure to asbestos fibres and in 2014 2,567 people died as a result of the disease. While most people are aware of the dangers of asbestos it can be unwittingly disturbed during renovation projects leading to fibres finding their way into the surrounding air.

The use of asbestos was banned in the UK in 1999 as a result of the risks, however this doesn’t mean that the risk is eliminated either now or in the future in older properties that have yet to be modernised.

While having asbestos in the home is ok if it is left undisturbed, the risk to health is acute when it is disturbed. The cost of having a professional remove the material safely, however, can be high and there will be significant disruption during removal works.

To avoid this, homeowners can opt for asbestos encapsulation which coats the asbestos preventing fibres from escaping. The process is cheaper and faster than removal and in most cases safer.

Posted by admin in Asbestos, Metropolitan Insulation
10
Dec
2017

Builders – The Cost Effective Way To Deal With Asbestos

Most builders will have come across asbestos at some point for the simple reason that asbestos was still being used in buildings up until the year 2000, which isn’t that long ago.

Asbestos was used widely in the years prior to 2000 mainly for its flexibility and magical ability to resist heat. Just as importantly it was also a cheap material which is why it remains so abundant in buildings all over the country from industrial buildings, to schools and even residential properties where it can be found in places such as behind boilers.

Asbestos continues to present a major hazard to people in the building trade when it is disturbed. The tiny fibres released can get into the lungs when protective equipment isn’t used at cause deadly illnesses such as mesothelioma.

Discovery of asbestos has often presented builders with a problem; do they arrange to have asbestos removed or find ways to contain it?

Removal requires a specialist team of people wearing the correct safety gear to ensure it is removed safely. This can take a lot of time and lots of safety procedures will need to be adhered to,, otherwise there is a risk of prosecution if people are exposed to the dust.

The solution to this is encapsulation which coats the asbestos and protects it from damage. It also happens to be a cheaper alternative to removal.

Posted by admin in Asbestos Encapsulation, Insulate Your Home, Soundproofing
15
Nov
2017

Why Consider Asbestos Encapsulation?

The dangers of asbestos are well known, yet there are still many buildings in the UK that have some of this potentially deadly material which lies hidden in roof spaces in particular. Worse still, the material is often found in schools and other public buildings, particularly those built between the 1950s to 1980s.

While asbestos that remains undamaged and in good condition is often left in place, there is always the outside risk that it could be disturbed and emit particles that can cause all sorts of lung diseases from lung cancer to asbestosis, diffuse pleural thickening, and mesothelioma. This is why it was made illegal to use the material in construction in 1999.

If asbestos is present in a building, its removal is governed by strict regulations due to the considerable health risks. If these guidelines are not adhered to and lives are put at risk, this can result in hefty penalties including jail terms for those involved.

One way to avoid damage to asbestos and the associated risks is to use a process called encapsulation, which as the name suggests involves coating the asbestos. This prevents any disturbance which might damage the asbestos.

It is also cost effective in reducing the amount of down time and the associated costs of safe removal of the material.

Posted by admin in Asbestos Encapsulation, Commercial Property, Metropolitan Insulation, Sound Absorption, Soundproofing, Soundproofing Apartments, Soundproofing Commercial Property, Soundproofing for musicians, Soundproofing Party Walls, Suspended Ceiling Soundproofing, Thermal Insulation
10
Nov
2017

Asbestos Encapsulation Methods

If you have a building which contains asbestos and you want to deal with the problem before any damage occurs which might result in fibres escaping into the air, then one method is to use encapsulation.

Encapsulation acts as a seal to prevent asbestos fibres escaping and can be a cost effective and safer alternative to removing the material altogether.

The encapsulation process involves applying a thick material which resembles paint being sprayed onto the asbestos, which then dries and hardens over the material to prevent any of the harmful fibres escaping.

There are two types of encapsulation, one called ‘bridging’ and the other ‘penetrating’. Bridging acts as a protective coating over the asbestos while penetrating as the name suggests, penetrates into the material before hardening and sealing it.

Encapsulant must be sprayed onto the asbestos with a low pressure spray and care must be taken to remove any damaged or loose asbestos before the chemical is applied. As the process involves working with asbestos, there is still the danger that the person applying the encapsulant material can be exposed to fibres, so it is essential to wear protective clothing including a suit and a respirator.

If you wish to find out more about encapsulation contact one of our experts today.

Posted by admin in Asbestos Encapsulation, Metropolitan Insulation, Soundproofing, Thermal Insulation
20
Oct
2017

What The World’s Noisiest Cities Tell Us About Excessive Noise

Depending on which study you find, the noisiest cities in the world tend to be found in cities that are densely populated with high volumes of traffic with poor planning which exacerbates the effects of noise on their populations.

The worst city in the world for noise pollution is Guangzhou in China and the effects on residents are really quite frightening. The average hearing loss in proportion to age in the city stands at nearly 17 years. In Delhi where noise pollution levels are not too far behind the hearing loss is 20 years.

In Western Europe, however, the effects of noise on the local population is in some cases considerably less at 10 years in proportion to age. Vienna tops the list in Europe followed by Zurich and Hamburg.

However Barcelona and Paris have the misfortune of appearing in the worlds top 10 worst cities for noise pollution at 7th and 9th respectively.

While studies have focused on actual hearing loss, the more subtle underlying effects are still a fertile area of study where links to dementia, cardiovascular disease and depression are only just coming to light.

Of course the best way to deal with noise if you live in a city is to insulate your property to keep it out. If you want to find out more about sound insulation for your home of business then contact us today.

Posted by admin in Excessive Noise, Metropolitan Insulation, Soundproofing