Frequently asked questions

Our natural and recycled insulation products can be ordered online with the exception of  Steico Rigid Wood Fibre Insulation. Please contact us for details of how to order these products.
Email: enquiries@naturalinsulations.co.uk

Phone: 01768 485050

All Natural Insulations delivery information is available on our Delivery Page however if you have further questions or would like to talk to us about placing an order please phone on us at the office on 01768 485050 and we will be happy to help.

Natural Insulations:

• Are more thermally efficient than mineral fibre
• Use less energy and emit less CO2 in manufacture than mineral fibre (particularly Thermofloc)
• Are safer to handle than mineral fibre
• Have the ability to absorb and desorb moisture without losing their efficiency
• Can store CO2 during growth (hemp)
• Can help UK farmers find a market for their sheep wool (Thermafleece)
• Can be composted or incinerated for energy use at the end of their (long) life
• Thermofloc makes use of recycled newsprint

SupaSoft Insulation, NatraHemp and Steico wood fibre products are suitable insulation for vegans.

SupaSoft Insulation is made from recycled plastic bottles, so SupaSoft doesn’t just save you money and cut carbon emissions but also helps reduce harmful plastic from entering the food chain.

NatraHemp is medium density insulation rich in home-grown hemp fibres. A safe, efficient and durable alternative when plant fibre is the preferred choice.

The binder is required to ensure that the insulation maintains its shape throughout its service life. There are no natural materials available that can do this. Every effort has been taken to ensure that the virgin polyester content of the product is kept to a minimum.

Thermafleece will not contribute towards the developmental stages of fire. Thermafleece sheep’s wool  insulation complies with British Standard BS 5803-4 for flammability and resistance to smouldering.

Thermafleece CosyWool is approximately 10% more thermally efficient than low density glass fibre insulation and Thermafleece UltraWool is more than 20% more efficient

If you want good all round performance and true breathability we would recommend Thermafleece British sheep’s wool insulation.  If your loft is well ventilated and you are looking for a cost effective alternative to traditional insulation we would recommend SupaSoft insulation.

Insulation prevents heat loss which in turn reduces the amount of energy used to heat your home and the amount it costs to heat your home. Insulation does many other things such as preventing your home from getting too hot in the summer and helps reduce the impact of sound. Breathable insulation such as Thermafleece can also help regulate humidity levels within the building fabric.

Yes. Care must be taken to ensure that moisture doesn’t enter and become trapped within the insulation and wall. Please contact us for further advice.

You can insulate internally to prevent heat being lost into adjoining rooms. Insulating internal walls will also reduce the amount of noise moving from one room to another.

Natural fibre insulation uses the breathability and natural insulating properties of natural fibres to create safe effective and sustainable insulation for your building. Natural fibres commonly used for insulation include, sheep’s wool, hemp and wood fibres.

Unlike man-made fibres, natural fibres are breathable meaning they can bind and release moisture and still be dry. This is a very important property when it comes to insulation because heat and moisture are very closely linked. Natural fibre insulation is better at absorbing heat which helps reduce summertime over-heating. They also provide excellent acoustic performance.

Natural fibre insulation that contains a binder such as Thermafleece will last the life of the building.

Natural fibre insulation such as Thermafleece have excellent acoustic properties. The acoustic performance of Thermafleece is on a par with the best rock based insulation quilts.

Natural fibre insulation uses fibres that would otherwise go to waste. Each kg of natural fibre locks up about 2 kg of carbon dioxide which helps remove CO2 from the atmosphere. Furthermore, once installed in your property it will last the life of the building significantly reducing the impacts of replacement and repair.

The density of Thermafleece varies from 18kg/m3 to 32kg/m3 depending on the product. Refer to product fact sheets for details – available to download from our product information pages.

As with all insulation, electrical cables should be sufficiently rated if they are passing within insulation.

Natural fibre insulation can’t be used in the cavities of brick and block or block and block walls. It can be used within timber frame walls or within a frame on the inside of a solid wall.

Noise movement can be a very complex problem to solve. Specialist acoustic consultants can help. Natural fibre insulation such as Thermafleece can be used as part of noise reducing measures in a building.

We sell products rather than specific systems, all of which are fire tested. Because a 1 hour fire rated floor is a system of products, you should consult the floor system supplier.

A number of measures are required to reduce noise from downstairs one of which is to install an absorbent insulation between the joists. Insulation such as Thermafleece can be used as an effective absorbent material. For depths of 100mm or greater Thermafleece CosyWool can be used. For depths of less than 100mm Thermafleece UltraWool will give the best performance.

You should insulate between joists and over joists wherever possible. The layer over the joists should run cross-ways to make sure there are no air gaps run through the insulation from the ceiling level.

Yes. Thermafleece and Steico insulation are suitable in all roof applications. Please contact us for further details or see our roof applications guidance.

The simplest thing to do is not to push the insulation tight against the roofing felt at the eaves level. In addition insert eaves ventilation trays to maintain the ventilation opening.

All the insulation we supply is completely safe to handle. However, we would recommend using protective equipment when working in a loft.

We would recommend installing loft legs over the joists and boarding on top of the loft leg. This ensures that you have an effective depth of insulation. Boarding directly onto joists will significantly reduce the thickness of insulation and therefore the overall performance. Find out more about loft legs

Because we do not install the insulation we are unable to offer a guarantee.

Thermafleece sheep’s wool insulation is multifunctional

• Reduces Heat Loss
• Improves acoustics
• Helps balance moisture and humidity
• Reduces summertime overheating
• Improves indoor air quality
• Impacts sustainability
• Determines fire behaviour
• Influences buildability

Do you want to know how thermafleece sheep’s wool insulation is made?  Take a look at The Campaign for Wool video.  It will show you the thermafleece production process from start to finish.

 

All our insulations can be laid on top of existing insulation, even Thermofloc, which is a loose insulation made from recycled paper.

Yes, something like 5% of heat is lost through your loft hatch, so it should be insulated.

Yes, all our insulations are suitable but with an existing roof you must leave a 50mm air gap between the roof tiles and the back of the insulation.

Thermafleece and SupaSoft  insulations can be cut using a straight edge and a Stanley knife, an insulation cutting knife or simply torn apart.

No, there is too much moisture in the cavity for a natural insulation.

The answer is it depends on your local authority. Each local authority has its own independent scheme (or not as the case may be), and the only way to find out is to ask. You could also follow our link to the Energy Saving Trust (www.est.org.uk) which can can give you an idea of which grants you may be eligible for if you type in your postcode.