Installing Wall Insulation Batts In New Builds

Installing wall insulation batts in new homes is a relatively simple process. The installers are usually called in immediately before the plastering is due to commence. This is to ensure that the insulation is not left exposed for extended periods of times. The installers arrive with the bags of wall insulation, usually on the back of a ute or a small truck. They will also bring a knife, a step ladder and an installer’s “stick”, which is basically a long stick resembling a broom handle with a nail poking out at the end. They might also have with them a pair of gloves, a face mask and safety glasses.

Reflective Foil Wrap

By this time the house has probably been wrapped with reflective foil which serves a few purposes. For one, it protects the building structure from the elements before the external cladding has been applied and then acts as an extra layer of protection against draughts, dust and rain when the house has been finished. But the main purpose of the reflective foil wraps is to reduce heat gains during the summer months.

Without the reflective foil, the sun would beat mercilessly down on the house, increasing the need for cooling systems to run in order to maintain a comfortable temperature. The foil wrap reflects the radiant heat of the sun, instead of absorbing it.

Professional Installs

Back to the installers… They unload the bags from their vehicle, which often come in bales. That is, several bags wrapped together in plastic. These can be quite difficult to move around, considering their sheer size and weight. In fact, one bale of Earthwool can weigh more than 70 kilograms, so dragging or carrying the bale is out of the question. Using the right technique, however, enables the installers to move them around relatively easily.

They lift the bale up together so that it is standing upright. Then one of them stands behind the bale and using their body weight, pushes it forward. As the bale starts rolling, the installer walks after it, pushing as he goes to keep up the momentum. This typically works very well, unless of course the ground is particularly uneven. They might find then that it’s best to split open the bale and drag the bags inside individually.

Installing Wall Batts is Easy

The installers then simply split open one bag at a time and start fitting the Earthwool wall insulation batts between the studs. There are often two rows of “pockets” in the walls that need to be fitted with insulation and quite often each of these is a bit too long or short for the batts to fit perfectly. If they are too long, the batt is pushed up to the top end with the help of the installer’s stick, leaving a small gap at around waist level. Similarly, a batt is inserted at the bottom end of the lower row, leaving a gap in the pocket around waist level. After a few of these full batts have been put in place, the installers will slice up a few small pieces of insulation and fill the gaps that are remaining. When the walls have all been lined with insulation, the installers collect their rubbish and any remaining scraps and move on to their next job.