Ceiling insulation in a nutshell


"Ceiling insulation makes your house warmer in winter and cooler in summer"

Two common types of ceiling insulation are:

1. Bulk insulation

Bulk insulation mainly resists the transfer of conducted and convection heat, relying on pockets of trapped air within its structure. Its thermal resistance is essentially the same regardless of the direction of heat flow through it. Bulk insulation is made from materials such as glasswool, wool, cellulose fibre, polyester and polystyrene. Bulk insulation products are rated with an an R-value. R values usually range from 1 to 6. The higher the R value, the more effective the insulation

2. Reflective insulation

Reflective insulation is a radiant barrier made from highly reflective material that reflects radiant heat rather than absorbing it. A common material is Reflective Foil Laminate (RFL) sarking which is aluminium foil laminated with glasswool reinforcement. Reflective insulation doesn't reduce heat conduction as does bulk thermal insulation materials. RFL does not have an R-value.

Recommended reading

Insulation - Your Home Technical Manual 4.7 by Caitlin McGee, Max Mosher and Dick Clarke
Australia - Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts: 2008
http://www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/pubs/fs47.pdf




Standards

Find Australian Standards on:
'Thermal insulation of buildings' and 'Thermal insulating materials'

GO!