To Insulate or not and cost of doing so

[Shannon Nash]

Gudday,

Have a house with insulation and foil underthe colourbond roof, not on the plasterboard in the ceiling.

Is it worth putting batts in the ceiling?

Is $45 for 16batts (9Sq M) R3 and $50 for same quant R3.5 good value (quoted today) for fibreglass batts?

How high in R value should I go?

After best longterm cost etc. Am prepared to pay for whatever is best LT just like for my tools.

Would appreciate thoughts.

Thanks
SN

[Honorary Bloke]

G'day Shannon,

Absolutely! If I understand you correctly, when you are in the attic, the insulation is above your head? Under the roof line? If so, you are keeping some of the heat/cold out of your attic from outdoors, but you are losing the heat/cold in your house out through your attic right thru the plasterboards.

Almost anything you put between the joists over the plasterboards will help. Even old newspapers (just kidding, mate:D ). I can't say if that is a good price based on your market. If your R-values are calculated the same as in the U.S., we try to hit R-6 to R-9 or more in new construction. Older homes are R-2 to R-4. Fiberglas is good. So is blown-in insulation but not for DYI typically. But I would definitely do something.:)

[Ivan in Oz]

What does it cost?

Your comfort if you don't.

I'm Framimg and lining a 4.2M X 5.0M Garage,
it gets Insulated; walls and ceiling.
Looking at some 2ndhand Carpet and rubber underlay.
As I said elsewhere,
It will be my "Clean Room"
I'd like the comfort in both Summer and Winter.

[namtrak]

Use 3.5 in the ceiling. And I think you should be able to pick up a bag for around $35 from memory. I am renovating at the moment and insulating everything. It is a very cost effective way of reducing heating/cooling bills. I am not only insulating the ceiling and walls, but also under the timber floor!

Cheers

[RufflyRustic]

Namtrak, How are you insulating under the timber floors?

Cheers
Wendy

[namtrak]

Basically, I stretch something akin to chicken wire between the joists and sit the insulation on top of that. I'm doing it to the floor we are putting in as part of the renovation, if it proves effective, then I'll look at doing it to the existing floorboards, somehow.

[RufflyRustic]

Sounds good

thanks Namtrak

Cheers
Wendy

[GraemeCook]

Hi Shannon

Most of the benefit cost analysise that I have seen fror Victoria or Tasmania come up with an optimal ceiling insulation of R=3-3.5. But they were based on energy costs of 2+ years ago.

I would suggest that you go for at least R=3.5, or higher if you can get a good deal.

On floor insulation, 19mm of Tas Oak has an R-value of 1.2, whereas 3mm of window glass is R=1.6. I also was amazed when I saw the numbers.

There is a good insulation priority table on www.dawsetway.co.uk (http://www.dawsetway.co.uk), but you must match the rules of thumb to your house.

We put in double glazing two years ago, and beside the energy saving we were surprized by the effect on comfort - drafts in the house virtually disappeared.

Cheers

Graeme

[Termite]

Two years ago I had R4 bats supplied and installed for $6.00/sqMtr, at that price I decided not to do the job myself.

[Gumby]

There's an under floor insulation which passes the 5 star rating stuff. Not sure what it's called but it's like a foil covered sheet which just staples to the joists. It has a saw tooth folding pattern.

sort of like this (it's a rough but it should explain what i mean)

[tcns]

There's an under floor insulation which passes the 5 star rating stuff. Not sure what it's called but it's like a foil covered sheet which just staples to the joists. It has a saw tooth folding pattern.

sort of like this (it's a rough but it should explain what i mean)

Do you what the name is - need to do my timber floors

Tom

[HJ0]

Somethings in life you can do without, insulation isn't one of them after your first full heating bill you will understand:cool: .

In my case it's wood bill, so image my suprise when i saved lots of money doing something so inviromentally( some peoples opinion) unfriendly.:eek:



HJ0 Cheers HJO approx 40% saving, bats perfect...wood nil:)

[Gumby]

Do you what the name is - need to do my timber floors

Tom

this is it....

http://www.solartex.com.au/view_article.asp?id=5&cat=2

there's a lot more on google too. ;)

[Andy78]

Give Robot Trading a call. I picked up some ceiling batts R3.5 recently for about $40 for a pack of 16.

[rod@plasterbrok]

I doubt if you will get R3.5 for $35 anywhere as a reseller they cost us more than that.

$40 for R3.5 would be a fantastic price if it includes GST.

We have R3.3 for $40.70 Including gst or R3.5 for $47 including gst. 16 per bag.

I don't know if its appropriate for me to post these prices here, it is in response to the thread. If anyone is offended, get back to me before the edit option runs out and I will get rid of it.

Thanks

Rod Dyson

[Dan_574]

if you are doing it yourself definately get polyester batts or similar not glass wool they are a bit cheaper but they are EVIL. 2 years ago I did my house I used r3 polyester from insulation wholesalers in braeside 95873154 cheapest I could find at the time. we had moved in before we put them in and boy was it cold once the batts were in great.
I did read that the only heat you loose through unisulated timber floors is radiant heat so if the only form of heating you have is convection then the benefits are minimal, the real saver is when you can block out all the draft, heavy drapes, pelmets etc.

[Carpenter]

I do not know for certain, but I think Aircell insulation would also be a good option for under floors. http://www1.aircell.com.au/. Tha benefits I see is that you can easily cut strips to suit the gap between joists, then simply staple it up there with the pneumatic stapler. There would be no gaps or space for vermin to set up home in, & I think you would get at least R2 performance.