Today we discuss on Spray foam insulation vs traditional. Here we go again, another debate on what the most suitable product for your home is. With all these mixed reviews on the internet, it’s easy to be confused about whether spray foam insulation is better than traditional insulation.
Don’t worry! – We have noticed all the confusion and have decided to make your life easier. So, sit back, scroll and read about the differences, how they are installed, the pros, the cons, and the costs.
What is Spray Foam Insulation?
“Spray foam insulation is a type of insulation materials that help to seal loft, walls, floors” and can be applied to fill the voids in-ceiling and thus acts as an air barrier material. Spray foam is a revolutionary insulation option that has taken the UK by storm within the past several years. Spray Foam Insulation has become increasingly popular due to its unique characteristics.
Once spray foam is applied It never sags, or cracks, unlike any other traditional insulation methods. Open cell foam can be expanded up to 100 times its original size and fills cracks, gaps and never loses its shape compared to other traditional insulation types.
Spray foam insulation has been known for increasing the comfort and energy efficiency of your home. Hence why existing homeowners are moving to Spray foam insulation as it is a far more superior product and also lowers their energy bills and save money. This also gives a clear picture that Spray foam insulation is widely accepted compared to the Traditional insulation methods.
The Spray Foam insulation is also refined completely to ensure that your home meets the building codes for the day and performs for the entire life.
Here is a list of the traditional insulation types and more information on them for you so you can decide how they compare up against the superior spray foam insulation:
- Fiberglass Insulation
- Cellulose Insulation
- Celotex Insulation
- Rockwool Insulation
What is Fibreglass insulation?
So, starting off with one of the most common traditional insulation types, Fibreglass is a popular traditional insulation option on the market. Developed in the 1930s, the candy floss-like insulation is the go-to insulation method to date. This is no surprise as fiberglass is one of the cheapest insulation methods, whilst providing similar qualities as to the pricier alternatives. Fiberglass comes in two options, blankets and loose-fill, this insulation has been populating homes around the UK for centuries.
Pros of Fiberglass Insulation
- Fiberglass is an inexpensive insulation choice
- Fibreglass does not shrink
- This is an inflammable insulation type
- Is environmentally friendly, using recycled glass
- It has a U-value of 0.3
Cons of Fiberglass Insulation:
We must remember fiberglass has been around since the 1930s and is still such a popular choice. There must be a reason for this. Simple! It is such a remarkable product. Well, you would think. However, every insulation has its downfalls. Some are greater than others.
- Blankets of fiberglass struggle to cover all gaps and crannies
- Fiberglass contains harmful glass particles that can cause respiratory irritation
What is Cellulose insulation?
Cellulose insulation is also another traditional insulation. It consists of cellulose cells that have natural insulating power. It is made of shredded paper plus a fire-retardant chemical known as a borate. The paper is broken down into cellular fibres which provides insulation.This insulation is installed into your loft using an insulation blower and the fibreglass fibres flow through a long hose and are blown / sprayed into your loft space. The blown cellulose is prone to create dust that is blown into the holes or inadequate seals around fixtures. This is a health hazard.
Pros of Cellulose Insulation:
- Cellulose insulation is environmentally friendly
- This type of insulation provides more performance value than Fibreglass
- It is Fire and mould Retardant
Cons of Cellulose Insulation:
- Cellulose insulation can be very messy upon application
- This insulation method needs a lot of space for installation
- There are moisture issues in Cellulose insulation
What is Celotex Insulation?
Celotex is a hard insulation product that can be made by gluing the laminated aluminum foil facings together. Celotex insulation boards have an improved thermal performance other than the other traditional insulation products and this also makes it a desirable product.
These insulation products are very lightweight and this also makes them easy to move and apply.
Pros of Celotex Insulation :
- Celotex Insulation is good for thermal performance
- This insulation type is the preferred choice of PIR insulation
- These products don’t absorb water
- Celotex products have Low emissivity properties
- The Celotex products doesn’t sag, absorb moisture, or get permeated by air
Cons of Celotex Insulation:
- Doesn’t fill all the gaps
- Isn’t airtight
- Cold air infiltration
- Can fall out
- Not flexible
What is Rockwool Insulation?
Rockwool insulation which is also known as the “Mineral wool” is one of the traditional insulation types. It comes in easy-to-install batts similar to Fibreglass but instead of being composed of fluffy fibers of glass, Rockwool is composed of ….. of course Rocks! The rocks are heated to 3000 degrees in a furnace until it melts into liquid, and the magma is exposed to a high-pressure jet of air and then spun into long fiber strands at high speed.
Pros of rockwool insulation:
- Rockwool insulation is Fire resistant
- Mineral wool insulation is Water repellent
- This insulation have excellent thermal insulating properties
- The Rockwool insulation is breathable
Cons of rockwool insulation:
- Rockwool can be irritating to the skin and the lungs if breathed in.
- Rockwool is a Health hazard as it is made of rocks and dust
- Mineral wool insulation or Rockwool will start to sink, compress and sag as it ages
- This type of insulation will not dry easily if it becomes damp or wet.
How is Spray Foam Insulation installed compared to Traditional types?
Spray Foam Insulation Installation and cost Explained:
Spray foam insulation is installed by a unique ‘spraying’ technique and can only be done by professionals. Since Spray foam insulation requires a lot of professional skills, you have to get it installed by accredited insulation contractors. Spray Foam Insulation compared to Traditional is much easier to apply and much more hassle-free for the installers.
The installers on our network are experienced and trained in spray foam insulation and work safety, always wearing protective equipment whilst installing the material. All contractors apply the foam directly from their purpose-built vans and are equipped to create complete air seals on the property.
COST OF SPRAY FOAM INSULATION TO BE INSTALLED
Spray foam insulation compared to Traditional methods are more costly also spray foam insulation is not the cheaper form of insulation, but it is a much superior form of insulation available in the market today.
To calculate how much Spray Foam Insulation UK Cost per square meter depends on 4 main factors:
- The size of the project
- Thickness required
- The labor needed
- Type of spray foam insulation (Open Cell or Closed Cell)
Fiberglass insulation installation and cost explained:
As you may know, fiberglass comes in two forms; blankets and loose-fill. Why? This is as depending on where the insulation is going (between timbers, underfloor, loft floor) the installers will choose the most suitable one. Loose-fill is applied to the floor of a loft, so this would be installed using a hose. Picture a firefighter carrying a hose and that is exactly what it would look like.
Installers will spray enter your home with a huge house and spray the confetti-like fiberglass across the loft floor. Fiberglass blanket is installed differently. The candy floss-like insulation is rolled out and cut to the size of your timbers and stuffed in.
COST OF FIBREGLASS TO BE INSTALLED
Fiberglass batts are the most inexpensive ways to insulate your home. Large and rolled batts of fiberglass are fitted to fill the large voids and stop air from going through the exterior walls.
The average cost of Fiberglass per square foot is between 0.50GBP – 0.93GBP.
Cellulose Insulation installation and cost explained:
Both Spray Foam Insulation and Cellulose are sprayed in, but since the material is different, the outcome will be different when spray foam is applied, it starts as a liquid but expands into foam after some seconds. If you are looking for environmentally friendly insulation for your house, then cellulose insulation will be a great option for you.
Cellulose insulation is made from old newspapers and other waste papers. The Cellulose insulation can also be applied to lofts, walls, and underfloor to provide a thick layer of insulation. One of the advantages of using Cellulose insulation is that it can be installed over the existing insulation which helps in saving your money and time.
Dense pack Cellulose and Wet spray cellulose are the two types of Cellulose insulation commonly used. Dense pack cellulose is used to insulate the wall cavities and other enclosed spaces whereas Wet spray insulation is used to insulate the open areas in new construction. The Dense pack of cellulose completely fills the space with the maximum amount of insulation.
COST OF CELLULOSE TO BE INSTALLED
The average cost of cellulose Insulation starts from 0.65GBP per square foot .
Celotex Insulation installation and cost explained:
Celotex insulation helps in achieving the designed u values with the possible thickness.For insulating floors,walls and beams we can use Celotex which provides high performance.
This insulation method is more versatile ,high performance and provides a great solution for all internal wall insulations.If you are planning to insulate masonry wall with no wall cavities, this insulation type will be the right fit for you.This type of insulation will reduce the risk of thermal bridges
Celotex insulation is a high performance and rigid PIR board with low thermal conductivity and it makes them one of the best performing insulation materials in the market.
COST OF CELOTEX TO BE INSTALLED
- The price of Celotex insulation depends upon the size and the type of Celotex material
- Conservatively 20% is waste
- Potential of having to hire a skip
- TRADESMAN Labour Price which varies
- For example the average cost of Celotex 100mm insulation board with 2400mm x 1200mm is 33GBP
Rockwool Insulation Installation and cost explained:
Rockwool or Mineral wool insulation can be installed wherever you install Fiberglass or any other type of insulation. This insulation type can be done on attics, crawl spaces, walls, floors, or ceiling insulation but it would be better if we use this insulation in the interior rooms in the house so that you can avoid noise disturbances. The Rockwool insulation is fire resistant and is ideal to use as a firestop between the floors of a house.
Mineral wool is firm and dense and its friction fits into the stud space, also Mineral wool has a shape. Mineral wool insulation always fits in the wall cavity without any gaps, spaces, etc.
Insulation batts can be cut with a knife or handsaw to fit into the place. You can cut Mineral wool into any size depending upon your requirement. If it gets wet, water rolls off without entering and soaking the insulation fibers. The Mineral wool insulation fibers are so tightly compacted that there will be no chance of shifting the position. Remember that Rockwool will come without any foil barrier or craft paper.
COST OF ROCKWOOL TO BE INSTALLED
Rockwool insulation costs more than Fibreglass, Fiberglass insulation R-15 costs around 0.39GBP per square inch whereas Rockwool insulation rated R-15 costs 0.48GBP per square foot.
How Can We Help You?
As the UK’s No.1 Spray Foam Quote Comparison Site, we understand it’s not an easy process to find the right contractor for your project and you can easily be paying over the odds!
No matter what kind of insulation or project you need to do, spray foam quotes compare to make it fast and simple to help you connect with the most suitable contractor.
We also know that price is important to you, after all, that’s why you’re comparing. But everyone has different needs, so we aim to help you find the right quote.
