Do different types of insulation reduce your energy bill?

Answer 1

Hi! Different types? Fibreglass is best for your loft (at least 10inches), 25% of your heat is escaping through there! Avoid paper insulation or polystyrene as they are highly flammable, and polybeads actually eat through your wiring over time. Re your cavities(walls) you're losing 35% of your heat through there. Shocking. Un-doubleglazed windows only loose 10% believe it or not, so insulation really is important. Anyhoo, polybeads, I believe, have a higher u-value so should save you slightly more money. But, rockwool/mineral wool is inert, lets your property breathe, does not let damp travel through from outside(no capiliary action) etc and has been around for decades and is a very safe bet. Before you do anything though, get in touch with your local authority and your energy providers to see if there's any money flying around to help you afford it. There are some schemes which make it about half price for you which is pretty much the same amount of money you'll save off your fuel bills in the first year! Enjoy :) ---- A radiant barrier product can help to save you up to 17% on your utility bill if your energy usage is based on average heating and cooling. Points from a radiant barrier study performed by the Tennessee Valley Authority help to point out the utility bill savings you can expect: * All the radiant barrier configurations tested yielded sizable percent savings (17%, based on Energy Star Evaluation) and statistically significant reductions in summer attic heat transfer compared to the non-radiant barrier test case. Also, as the ambient temperature increased, the savings also increased.

* The radiant barrier placed on top of the attic floor insulation was the best summer performer. It consistently showed heat flux reductions compared to the non-radiant barrier test case of about 40% percent for almost all ambient temperatures and even showed savings (17% percent) during mild temperature and night summer conditions.

* All the radiant barrier configurations provided statistically significant reductions in winter attic heat fluxes in many, but not all, situations. The percent savings during night hours and during below 35 degree conditions, when heating loads were the highest, were usually sizable (from 6 to 23 percent) and the differences between the radiant barrier configurations and the non-radiant barrier test case were often statistically significant during these conditions.

Hope this helps - RadiantGUARD