Multifoil insulation can cut home energy bills

Those wanting to upgrade their home this year should look at using the latest green solution of aluminium foil insulation.

That’s the advice of Midlands green energy expert Ron Fox, who said this multifoil technology is designed to reflect rather than absorb up to 97 per cent of radiant heat, so keeping homes warmer in winter and cooler in summer and consequently leading to cheaper energy bills.

“There are many benefits,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd, at Keele University’s Science and Innovation Park, “It is highly efficient for roofs, walls, and floors, acting as a vapour barrier, preventing condensation, mould, and rot in the home.

“It is also lightweight, thin and flexible with up to 16 layers of aluminium foil, so it is easy to install in restricted spaces such as lofts and behind radiators,” said Ron.

He said it is very low maintenance, very durable, and it does not sag or degrade like some fibrous alternatives. It is also resistant to household pests.

“Often made from up to 40 per cent of recycled plastics, it is fully recyclable at the end of its 50-plus year life span,” he concluded.

Why is insulation important? Ron said insulation is used to reduce the rate of heat transfer within your home. By reducing the rate at which thermal energy is transferred it helps to ensure that the house is kept at the temperature which you want it to be all year.

He pointed out that this is crucial as an uninsulated house can lose up to 60 per cent of its heat through the roof, floor and walls, leading to unnecessarily high energy bills.

To understand how insulation works, you have to look at how heat moves around the home, said Ron. There are three different types:

Conduction is simply where heat travels between two solid objects that are touching. Heat will always travel towards the colder temperature, so it travels through the floor and out of the house into the ground below and is lost forever.

Convection is how heat transfers between liquids or gases, such as air. The air will heat up and then rise, pushing the cooler air down for the process to repeat again. Without insulation, all this warmth escapes through your roof and walls, so people end up paying to heat the outside of their home.

Radiation does not transfer between objects or gases/liquids, it travels via infra-red rays that are invisible to the human eye. If you are feeling warm and cosy from that log burner, then that heat is being transferred by radiation which then moves away. Aluminium insulation works by reducing radiation heat transfer, ensuring your home stays warm in the winter and cooler in the summer for longer.

Finally, he said it is important to remember that insulation is a legal requirement when building new homes and renovation projects and must meet certain standards to pass building regulations.

This article raises some important questions, said Ron. Is your home warm enough all year round? Have you got enough insulation in your home? Would you now look at using multifoil insulation? Send your views to Ron Fox at [email protected]

If you are not sure which home insulation solution is right for you and want more advice, contact Ron, of Noreus Ltd, on 0845 474 6641 or here

Caption: Feel warmer with the latest green solution of aluminium foil insulation. Picture: Noreus Ltd.