If your home has solid stone or brick walls, then you might be wondering how to install internal wall insulation. Solid stone or brick walls are notoriously bad insulators, and it’s estimated that as much as 50 per cent of a building’s heat can be lost through the walls without effective insulation.
Having internal solid wall insulation installed can help your home to conserve heat, keeping your house warm during winter while lowering your energy bills and helping the environment.
If you’re interested in learning how internal solid wall insulation can be installed in your home, the experts at Danford, Brewer & Ives are here to explain.
What Is Internal Wall Insulation?
Internal wall insulation is a type of insulation installed on the interior walls of a building. The main goal of internal wall insulation is to provide an effective insulating barrier that stops heat inside the building from escaping.
Modern homes are commonly built with internal wall insulation as standard, as they’re constructed with cavity walls that create an insulating barrier. However, older homes – particularly buildings dating back to the 1920s and earlier – were often built with only a single, solid wall.
A building with a solid brick or stone wall is going to be incredibly poor at insulating, as heat is easily lost when cold pockets form in the masonry. Having internal solid wall insulation installed is the best way to modernise these older homes, to keep them warm, to save energy and to lower bills.
There are several ways this can be achieved, but the most popular form of solid wall insulation is to have a second layer of wall installed on the inside of the home against the solid brick or stone. This second layer essentially creates a cavity space, which can be filled with insulating materials.
How Do I Install Internal Wall Insulation?
There are different methods of internal solid wall insulation, and the best method depends on a number of factors. This includes the age of your home, the stability of the existing walls, the internal space available, and the budget you have for materials.
For this reason, we always recommend speaking to a professional, as installing internal solid wall insulation is a large and often complex project to undertake. For the majority of older homes, the best option will be to add a second layer of wall, usually constructed from materials such as plyboard or chipboard. This space between the solid wall and the newly added layer of the internal wall needs to be filled with insulating materials; again, the materials can vary. More often than not, foam is the insulator of choice.
In order for the insulation to work, it needs to be installed to a depth of at least 60mm. This is the minimum depth we recommend and, if possible, the solid wall insulation should be installed to create an insulating barrier that’s 100mm in thickness.
Of course, the thicker the internal wall is, the more effective it will be at insulating, but you also need to consider that thicker walls are more costly and take up more space inside the home.
Do I Need a Professional to Install Internal Solid Wall Insulation?
Installing internal solid wall insulation is a large project that requires skill and expertise. A professional can help to highlight the most effective areas where insulation can be installed, allowing your home to be better insulated while saving you money by avoiding unnecessary work on ineffective areas of the property.
Because this can be a disruptive job, professionals also ensure that the work is done smoothly, quickly and to a high standard. There are multiple insulation options that can be considered by homeowners looking to better insulate their property. For example, a professional may suggest that traditional solid wall insulation could be combined with damp proofing work to create the best possible barrier against both moisture and heat loss.
Contact Danford, Brewer & Ives to Find Out More About Internal Solid Wall Insulation
Installing internal solid wall insulation can help you to keep your home warm in winter, save money on energy costs and protect the environment. Due to the complexity of installation and the different options available to homeowners, we always recommend having internal solid wall insulation work carried out by a professional.
For more information and advice on internal solid wall insulation, please contact our friendly team on 01765 804050 or fill in our online contact form. Our experienced specialists will be on hand, ready to offer expert advice tailored to your needs or to arrange a thorough survey of your home.