The Benefits of Insulating Your Home

How Insulation Works

All materials allow a measure of heat to pass through them. Some, such as metal, glass or air, allow heat to pass through more easily. Others, including animal fur or wool, thick clothing and still air, are much more resistant to heat flow, and are referred to as insulators.
The term ‘insulation’ refers to materials which provide substantial resistance to heat flow. When these materials are installed in the ceiling, walls, and floors of a building, heat flow into and out of the building is reduced, and the need for heating and cooling is minimised.
Although ceilings and walls may be insulated, heat loss will still occur in winter if there are large areas of unprotected glass or through fixed wall vents and gaps and cracks around external doors and windows. Appropriate internal window coverings (e.g. lined drapes with pelmets) and draught proofing are vital to complement insulation.
Insulation should always be coupled with appropriate shading of windows and adequate ventilation in summer. Without shading, heat entering the home through the windows will be trapped inside by the insulation and cause discomfort.

Improved Health

An energy efficient home is more comfortable to live in. Its warmer and drier year round and that has a major impact on the health of the people who live there.

Houses that are draughty, cold and damp can make us sick and also lead to long term health problems.  Do you know the temperature of the rooms in your house.  The World Health Organisation has a suggested minimum of 18°C for living areas.  Approximately 900,000 homes in New Zealand do not have proper insulation or heating which will cause damp and mildew.  Are you one of then?

Healthy homes and healthy children.

We have high rates of respiratory illness, especially amongst children in New Zealand.
Our percentages of children with asthma are some of the highest throughout the world.  14% of children between 2 and 14 years old, and 11% of all New Zealanders aged 15 years or older, have been diagnosed or had symptoms consistent with asthma.

Energy Savings

A typical household of four people spends around $2,800 a year on energy, not including transport ~ Statistics New Zealand, Household Economic Survey: Year ended 30 June 2007. Up to 40% of this energy is used to heat up or cool down your house. Insulating can cut the cost of this heating and cooling by up to 40 % depending on such factors as climate, type and size of home. Even if you insulate just your ceiling you can save 20-30% on heating and cooling bills. This is because heating and air conditioning units don’t have to run as hard or as long to achieve the desired temperature in the building.
Based on the figures above, achieving a 40% reduction in heating/ cooling costs equates to $448 in energy savings per annum.

Sustainable and Eco Friendly

Homeseal Insulation where possible endeavors to use New Zealand made insulation brands like Pink Batts and Autex Greenstuf. This not only supports New Zealand businesses, but also reduces the carbon miles of the product making the product more energy efficient in transport.

Pink Batts is manufactured from 80% recycled glass sourced from New Zealand. This means that Pink Batts insulation is reducing the amount of waste glass going into landfills. Pink Batts recycle the equivalent to a window the size of at least 60 rugby fields every year. Many of Pink Batts products also carry the Environment Choice New Zealand accreditation for their manufacturing process, energy usage, ozone impact and product characteristics.

A high percentage of the polyester fibre in GreenStuf insulation products is made from recycled PET plastic, including plastic bottles and bags. GreenStuf products are themselves fully recyclable at the end of their lives. GreenStuf products are manufactured using a low-energy production process, putting them among the most environmentally-friendly insulation solutions on the market.

Increased Comfort Year Round

The reduction in heat movement results in a home that is warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Insulation also provides a drier environment by preventing condensation. Condensation occurs on the inside surface of a roof or ceiling at any time when the temperature of the surface is at or below the dew-point of the air in contact with it. Insulation raises the temperature on the insulated surface above the dew-point temperature, thus inhibiting condensation. Insulation can also help reduce mould growing on the inside of your walls and ceilings.