About half of your home’s heat is lost through walls, so having cavity wall insulation installed is one of the best ways to reduce energy bills. In addition, it can improve your comfort and help protect your property from moisture.
Cavity wall insulation is injected into the gap between the bricks of your exterior walls. This is done by a professional company using specialist equipment. It is mainly made of material that’s thermally efficient such as polystyrene beads or mineral wool.
Polystyrene beads are popular as they can be pumped in through small holes on the external wall, making them ideal for homes with narrow cavities. The beads are bonded together with adhesive and once hardened are water-resistant. They also don’t harm the outer masonry wythe of the wall.
Choosing the right material for your insulation is very important, as you want to be sure that it will perform as intended. The main reason for this is that you don’t want moisture to get into your house – especially during the colder months when it’s more likely to be trapped inside your walls.
The best option for preventing this is to choose an insulation that’s waterproof and has a moisture barrier. The most popular choice presently is Cemwood CW1000 which is made from a type of mineralised woodchip and is quite a green alternative to other insulation materials. However, it still needs to be fitted with a damp proof course at the time of installation.