Insulation
- it comes in two types. The type and amount required
varies with the climate: -
- Bulk insulation - such as glass fibre, rockwool and cellulose
fibre. This insulation has a high resistance to the flow of heat by
conduction; it acts like a blanket thrown over your house. It is useful
when the temperature outside the house is different from the temperature
inside (so, in heated or air-conditioned houses, to keep the heat in
or out, as the case may be). The greater the temperature difference
between inside and outside, the more bulk insulation you need.)
- Reflective foil insulation - a reflective material such as
aluminium foil, laminated to a base such as reinforced building paper.
It's called reflective foil laminate (RFL) and it must be installed
next to an air space to be effective. It resists the flow of heat by
radiation. Installed in the roof, it will keep your house cooler
in summer. It is essential in warm, sunny climates.
In places with cool or cold winters, adding bulk insulation is the second
most cost-effective way (after blocking drafts) to make an existing
house more comfortable. Houses with refrigerated cooling (air-conditioning)
need more insulation than do those without it. Recommended levels of
ceiling and wall insulation, for each Australian town where weather
observations are made, are given in Australian Standard 2627.1. The
Standard can be consulted in State Libraries or purchased from Standards
Australia.
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