Choosing the Right Wall Insulation

Insulating your walls is one of the best ways to help you reduce your energy consumption, and help you save money on your power bill. Installing high quality insulation in both your external and internal walls can make a significant difference in the livability of your home, not only by helping regulate heat, but also by providing acoustic benefits. 

Types of insulation for your walls

There are several types of insulation that can be used in the walls, each with its own advantages.

• Insulation batts are the most popular choice for both internal and external walls because they are easy to install and offer an effective solution to reducing heat transfer. 
• High performance foam boards such as Kingspan Kooltherm K12 offer high insulating and compressive strength for relatively little thickness. 
• Reflective foil insulation can be used in external walls to help reflect radiant heat from the sun away from your home. This type of insulation is really effective at keeping your home cool in hot weather. Reflective insulation often needs to be installed in combination with insulation batts to achieve a suitable R-value.

At Pricewise Insulation, we offer a large range of insulation products from some of the most reputed brands in Australia such as Knauf, James Hardie, Kingspan and Bradford Insulation .

What R-value do I need for my walls?

Perhaps the most important quality of any insulation product is its R-value. The higher the R-value, the more effective a product is at resisting heat flow. So products with a high R-value will help you regulate the temperature inside your home more efficiently, leading to increased energy savings.

At Pricewise Insulation, we always recommend that you upgrade to the highest R-value you can afford because it is a wise investment for the future. Wall insulation can only be installed while building or renovating, so it’s important to do it well when you can. Don’t forget to insulate your internal walls too.

Depending on where you live, for wall insulation we recommend you don’t go below the R-values listed below: 

• In Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, we recommend a minimum of R2.5
• In Perth, Brisbane and northern NSW, we recommend a minimum of R2.0

What is the best wall insulation material?

The most common materials that wall insulation batts are made from are glasswool, rockwool and polyester. They are all effective at reducing heat transfer, but their properties vary slightly. The best insulation material for you will depend on the properties you want your insulation to have.

• Glasswool is made from recycled glass materials and is very effective. It is easy to install and transport due to its high compression properties.
• Earthwool is a type of glasswool manufactured by Knauf. It has none of the itchiness normally associated with glasswool, making it soft to touch and easy to handle. It is manufactured using ECOSE technology, which uses no harsh chemicals or artificial dyes.
• Polyester products have no breathable fibres and aren’t itchy to touch. They are a great choice for people with asthma or other dust allergies. 
• Rockwool is made from crushed rocks and is known for its impressive fire ratings. It is non-combustible, doesn’t produce toxic smoke and helps stop the spread of flames.