Insulation

What Is Insulation?

If you're looking to save on energy bills and reduce carbon emissions, then it's important that your project is as efficiently insulated as possible. 

Insulation refers to a material or a barrier used in buildings and structures to reduce the transfer of heat or sound between different areas or environments. 

Its primary purpose is to maintain a more stable and comfortable temperature inside a building by slowing down the flow of heat energy. 

Insulation materials are typically placed in walls, ceilings, floors, and other parts of a structure to minimise heat loss in cold weather (keeping the interior warmer) and heat gain in hot weather (keeping the interior cooler). 

Effective insulation can improve energy efficiency, reduce heating and cooling costs, and enhance the overall comfort and environmental performance of a building. Common insulation materials include fibreglass, foam board, mineral wool and multifoil among others.

Where Is Insulation Needed The Most?

Insulation is most needed in the following areas of a building:

• Attic: To prevent heat loss or gain through the roof.
• Walls: To reduce heat transfer between inside and outside.
• Roof/Ceiling: To regulate temperature and prevent heat loss.
• Floors: Above unheated spaces to maintain even indoor temperatures.
• Basement/Crawlspaces: To prevent moisture issues and maintain comfort.
• Windows/Doors: To minimise heat transfer.
• Exterior: Ideal for buildings situated in extreme climates. 
• Pipes/Ductwork: To prevent heat loss and maintain efficiency.
• Between Floors: For sound insulation and thermal separation.

Insulation Benefits

Organisations like the Energy Saving Trust encourage the use of insulation due to its many benefits, such as bringing heating bills down and reducing carbon footprint. 

Here are the most apparent benefits of installing insulation: 

• Energy savings
• Improved comfort
• Environmental impact
• Moisture control
• Noise reduction
• Long-term savings
• Health and safety
• Reduced carbon footprint
• Regulatory compliance
• Durability
• Enhanced property value
• Year-round comfort

How To Install Insulation

The method for installing insulation depends on the specific insulation material being used. However, we offer various blogs and resources on how to install insulation, including detailed guides such as "How to Install Celotex." 

These resources provide step-by-step instructions tailored to different insulation materials and applications, helping you with your insulation installation project.

Types of Insulation

Insulation can be used in internal walls, external walls (cavity walls), pitched roofs, floor systems, ceilings and loft spaces. 

We sell a huge range of insulating materials for both residential and commercial insulation. Let's explore a few types that we sell below:

• Thermal Insulation
• Soundproof Insulation
• PIR Insulation
• Insulated Plasterboard
• Mineral Wool Insulation
• Fibreglass Insulation
• Phenolic Insulation
• Multifoil Insulation
• Sheepwool Insulation
• Plywood Insulation
• Polystyrene Insulation

Insulation Boards

Insulation boards are multi-purpose and can be used for a variety of applications.

We sell both PIR insulation and cavity wall insulation boards. PIR insulation is typically applied to applications, whereas cavity wall insulation boards are designed to slot in a wall cavity.

Browse our comprehensive range of insulation boards from industry-leading names such as Celotex, EcoTherm, and Kingspan. 

Insulation Slabs

Not only does slab insulation offer great thermal and acoustic performance, but it also offers excellent fire resistance.

Rockwool is the UK's leading manufacturer of insulation slabs and manufactures insulation slabs which do not ignite or contribute to fire spread.

At Materials Market, we sell Rockwool’s most popular insulation slab to date; the RWA45 Acoustic Insulation Slab. These high-quality acoustic and thermal insulation resin-bonded slabs are unrivalled in their soundproofing and fire resistance properties - as proven by their outstanding Euroclass A1 non-combustible rating. 

In short, insulation slabs promise energy efficiency whilst helping to protect buildings against noise transmission, heat loss and the spread of fire.

Insulation Rolls

Loft roll insulation and acoustic roll insulation are the two most widely used insulation rolls on the market. Insulation rolls, also known as glass mineral wool insulation, are typically used as loft insulation in roof space, although they are suitable for a variety of building applications, including floors, walls, lofts and roofs.

Glass mineral wool insulation rolls are lightweight, easy to handle, and non-combustible, achieving the highest possible level of fire performance with an A1 rating on the Euroclass scale.

At Materials Market, you can take your pick from some of the biggest and most reputable manufacturers of energy efficient Insulation Rolls in the UK, such as Knauf and Superglass. We sell popular loft insulation rolls like Isover Spacesaver 44 loft insulation and Knauf Earthwool Loft Roll 44.

Ensure to use adequate ventilation when installing insulation roll products. 

Thermal Insulation

Thermal insulation reduces a building's carbon footprint and improves its overall thermal envelope.

Industry-leading brands like EcoTherm, Kingspan and Celotex all have excellent thermal insulation properties. 

We sell a wide range of different thermal insulation materials that are fire-resistant, water-resistant, rigid, and long-lasting. 

They come in different forms and different materials – from insulation boards, loft roll insulation, insulation slabs and insulation foil – to ensure you have the best thermal solution for insulating your project.

Acoustic Insulation

Sound insulation reduces the transmission of unwanted noise between internal walls and floors. Our most popular acoustic insulation is Rockwool RAW45 Slabs and Knauf Earthwool Rolls.

Browse through our range of acoustic floor insulation and acoustic wall insulation products today and find a slab/roll that will help you keep noise to a minimum.