Framing Your Build Phase 2
your new home against heat loss and also the
various unwanted sounds of modern-day life,
such as from road traffic, loud music or a noisy
washing machine. Glass mineral wool insulation,
in particular, offers a number of benefits, being
easy to install, non-combustible and sustainable
(manufactured from recycled glass), in addition
to providing effective heat retention and sound
absorption properties.
Isover manufactures a number of glass
mineral wool insulation products that are well-
suited to a variety of applications, such as its
CWS and Timber Frame Batt and Roll range,
developed specifically for use within external
masonry cavity and timber frame walls. With a
thermal conductivity as low as 0.032 W/mk, its
external wall solutions deliver excellent thermal
performance and can contribute to overall
sound reduction, in addition to offering ease of
installation thanks to their ‘friction fit’ design.
Internal walls and floors are another area where
high-quality acoustic insulation is required, for
sound can easily be transferred from room to
room within a house. For example, noise from a
television or washing machine downstairs could
disturb a young child asleep upstairs. Isover’s
Acoustic Partition Roll (APR 1200) would be
an ideal choice for this application, with its
excellent acoustic properties able to reduce the
passage of unwanted sounds within a home. To
demonstrate, the requirement for internal walls
in new dwellings in England is 40 dB (Rw); using
25mm of Isover APR 1200 in a 70mm metal C
stud partition, lined with a single layer of 12.5mm
Gyproc Wallboard would comfortably meet this
level of sound reduction. You could even further
increase this level of performance, by switching
to 50mm APR 1200 in the stud zone with
15mm Soundbloc on both sides, resulting in an
impressive overall sound reduction of 47 dB (Rw).
With limited space a common issue within
our homes, an increasing number of people
are choosing to build a third floor within the
pitched roof of their new home, maximising
on living space while not increasing
the overall building footprint. If
you decide to do the same, it is
important that you consider the
specialist insulation required.
Without installing appropriate
insulation,
a pitched
roof can
have a
negative impact
on a property’s overall
efficiency, with heat able to easily escape
through the roof. External noise, from road or airtraffic, can also be an issue, affecting the comfort
of those occupying the space.
Some manufacturers have developed insulation
products specifically for use in pitched roof
applications, such as Isover’s Metac. In addition
to its excellent thermal performance, with a
thermal conductivity of 0.034 W/mk, Metac is
proven to reduce externally-generated airborne
sound by up to 49 dB (Rw), as well as being
quick and simple to install, easily friction-fitted
between the rafters, with no slumping or air gaps.
Insulation is a fundamental part of a home.
To create a warm, calm and comfortable
environment, it is important that you carefully
consider insulation at the design and specification
stage of your self-build project. By liaising with
a reputable manufacturer, such as Isover, self-
builders can have access to a range of specialised
insulation products, with both excellent thermal
and acoustic properties, in addition to technical
support to help meet, if not exceed, the various
Building Regulations.http://www.isover.co.uk
http://www.isoveracousticsolutions.co.uk
@isoverUK