2. WHAT TYPE OF INSULATION SHOULD I USE?
When determining the type of Insulation you require, you should take into account four different factors:

• Where is the insulation being installed? i.e. Floor, Wall or Ceiling.
• What is the intended purpose of the Insulation? e.g. Thermal, Acoustic
• What is the local climate?
• How much energy do I use for heating and cooling?

When these factors are all considered, they will aid in the determination of the appropriate R-value you require. Enviroflex consultants are available to provide free consultations on the most cost effective insulation for your house.

3. WHEN SHOULD I INSULATE MY HOUSE?
If you are in the process of building a new house, thermal insulation will be specified on your 5 Star Energy Report. Consideration should be given to acoustic insulation. If under floor insulation is required then it should be installed immediately prior to the floor being laid: Walls insulation should be installed immediately prior to plaster being hung: Flat ceilings would also require installation of insulation immediately prior to the plaster being hung, whereas with a normal pitched roof the insulation should be the last thing installed prior to the final builder’s clean.

If you want insulation in an existing house, then the best time to insulate your house is now! Installing insulation will aid in keeping the temperature of your house more comfortable.

4. IS IT TRUE THAT INSULATING MY HOUSE WILL LOWER MY ENERGY COSTS?
Yes, if you have no insulation in your house you will need to run your air-conditioner in summer & heater in winter to maintain a comfortable temperature inside your house. However, installing insulation will help maintain a more comfortable temperature the therefore you will not require the use of air- conditioning or heating as much.

Mary from Lower Plenty, Victoria says:
“I need to keep the house warm for my 6 month old baby, I used to run the heater 12-14 hours, and I now only use it 3 hours per day. I will repay the investment in 12 months from Energy Savings”.

5. IS IT POSSIBLE FOR ME TO INSTALL THE INSULATION MYSELF?
Yes, you are able to install insulation yourself. Installing insulation is quite hot physical work and you should keep in mind that temperatures in roof cavities can be extremely hot.  Electrical regulations should be consulted for application near wiring and downlights.

6. WHAT IS AN R-VALUE?
Simply put, an R-Value is the measure of resistance of heat flow through any given material.  The higher the R-Value the greater the resistance, and therefore the better it will insulate.

7. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT 5 STAR ENERGY RATED HOUSES, WHAT ARE THESE?
To achieve a 5 star energy rated house, a computer program called First Rate is used to input data on the house in question. Things such as Insulation, Window locations, wall types, flooring types, House design etc. are entered and the program produces an energy rating. After the initial rating, the plan can then be optimized to allow it to reach 5 Star.  Enviroflex have 3 qualified Energy raters on staff who can help with any queries.

8. CAN I INSTALL INSULATION INTO MY EXISTING CAVITY WALLS? Yes, Enviroflex have a pump in system which allows retrofitting to most cavity walls. Wall insulation works by filling the gaps between the two walls of a house, without having to remove the wall lining. Retrofitting wall insulation will help create a more even temperature in your home, help prevent condensation on walls and ceiling and can also help reduce the amount of heat building up inside your home during the summer months.                                                                                                       

9. I STILL HAVE FURTHER QUESTIONS ON INSULATION, HOW CAN I GET THESE ANSWERED?
Call, Email or Fax your questions to Enviroflex and one of our experienced insulation experts will be more than happy to answer all your questions