What should I use for wall insulation and how do I fit it.

What should I use for wall insulation and how do I fit it: In the cold, frosty months of winter as well as the chilly evenings of fall and early springtime, it is essential to keep your house thoroughly insulated so that you can remain comfortable, happy and productive even in disagreeable weather. Instead of burrowing under blankets 24/7 and wasting time grumbling about how uncomfortably cold it is, installing adequate insulation in your house is a better option.

One of the major ways by which heat is lost from your house and cold is let in is through the walls. In fact, about one-third of your house's warmth is lost through the walls. When your walls are not insulated, you really can not expect your home to be cosy and warm in the winter, unless you waste a large amount of energy and money in purchasing expensive heating resources.

Now that you understand the importance of installing insulation in the walls of your home, the next things that you need to include knowledge about what type of materials are best for wall insulation, in terms of affordability as well as functionality, and how you can fit the insulation in the most cost effective manner. The first step is to check what type of walls your house has. If they are cavity walls, which consist of 2 solid walls with a gap between them, fitting the insulation will be considerably easier and less expensive. A rule of thumb to keep in mind is that cavity walls can generally be identified by the regular pattern in which the bricks have been placed. The reason these are easier to insulate is because you simply have to place the insulating material between the two sides.

Solid walls, however, are trickier to work with. These walls can usually be identified by the alternating pattern of their bricks, and they consist of just one solid brick wall with no gaps between it. In this case, you have the option of insulating either the inside or outside (or both) or demolishing the wall and having it rebuilt as a cavity wall. The latter is, of course, the most expensive option which requires professional help, although it does pay off in the end.

If you simply wish to insulate solid walls--or even cavity walls, for that matter-- from the sides rather than internally, you can fit the insulation on your own. To do this, begin by checking the condition of the wall and performing any remedial work. Then decide how to deal with any gaps or voids in the wall that could let the cold in. This includes even the tiniest of cracks or holes in the wall.

After this, remove the light switches, plug sockets, etc. from the wall. Then carry out any preparation work to the wall. With certain materials such as rigid foam boards, the insulation material can be directly fixed to the wall with screws or glue. Another option is to batten on the wall. This involves fixing battens to the wall to give a more even fixing for your insulation.

Whenever you are working with insulation materials, be sure to wear protective gloves and goggles, as certain materials can cause severe rashes on the skin.

As for internal wall insulation, whether you have cavity walls or solid, it is best to get the job done by a professional so as not to take any risks with your home. These types of fittings generally require a fair bit of remodelling of the wall, which simply isn't practical to attempt on your own. Keep in mind that while external insulation of walls does provide some heat trapping abilities to your home, and will help keep everything a little bit more comfortable and warm in the freezing winter days, it is not the most efficient way to control the temperature in your home. The reason for this is that it is more prone to become damp, damaged and ineffective, requiring more maintenance on a regular basis. This is why many people go for internal wall insulation in spite of the extra hassle.

Now, let's go over some of the well-known insulation materials that are used for both internal and external wall insulation.

The options for wall insulation materials include rigid foam boards such as RMax, mineral wools such as Roxul,  Thermafiber and fibreglass material such like Owens Corning, John's Manville, CertainTeed etc which are the most common.

Mineral wool and fibreglass are two of the most popular options, so you may want to consider the advantages and disadvantages of these two materials. Mineral wool is generally pricier and difficult to work with, but is more effective and long lasting and has several additional benefits. Fibreglass is cheaper and easily available but is not as durable nor as effective at insulating as compared to mineral wool.

The material that you use for insulating your walls depends on your personal requirements and circumstances in terms of what you can afford, as well as what you want out of your insulation material.

If you are interested in the additional benefits that mineral wool can provide, such as moisture resistance, sound proofing, fire resistance, etc. then you may be okay with paying a larger amount for your insulation.

If you do not care for any of these features, but simply want a simple insulation material that does just one job, then you may prefer going for the cheaper option, i.e. fibreglass or perhaps even foam boards.

And there you have it! With that, you are now thoroughly enlightened about all of the best types of materials you can use in order to insulate your walls, as well as how you can for the insulation externally all by yourself.

Without further ado, it is time for you to go ahead and start prepping your walls for insulation. Don't let another chilly day pass in discomfort--instead, get that amazing insulation and enjoy each day to the fullest.