Don’t view yourself as an insulation expert?

We get it. With all the options open to you, choosing the one that is right for you and your property can be a daunting task. This is why we have created this quick guide, to give you an insight into loft insulation and how to make the right choices when it comes to insulation and what is right for you and your property.

Insulation choices –
The first major choice is what type of insulation is the best for you and your property.

So, what are the most common types of insulation you will see for a loft?

Multifoil insulation
This is relatively new insulation to the market (compared to traditional types of insulation anyway!) It offers multiple benefits such as being easy to install, high thermal performances, providing a radiant barrier and vapour control layer in 1 product, fully flexible, suitable for retrofit or newbuild and can be used in all application types (wall, floor and roofs).

Not all building merchants will stock multifoil insulation, so you might need to wait a couple of days for delivery. As well as that, some people say that sunglasses are needed if you are installing on a sunny day!

PIR Board

This is currently one of the most popular type of insulation, mainly due to the fact it’s been around for so long and is widely available from most building merchants or DIY stores. However, just because its popular doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for you. Yes, PIR board has good thermal values and does its job. But it’s extremely messy to install, you have to cut it to size to fit your project which leaves you with lots of waste product and just generally takes a long time to get installation correct.

Mineral wool/fibre glass

This is another typical insulation that you see used a lot in lofts due to the fact it’s dirt cheap and non-combustible. This is about it for the pros of using this type of insulation.

If you’ve been into your loft with this type of insulation, you will definitely know about it. It’s itchy and gets everywhere with very little effort! To get decent thermal performance, you need a lot of insulation which can quickly eat into your loft space. On top of this, if the insulation gets wet or compressed, you will need to replace it.


So now you have a basic understanding of the typical insulation types that you see in lofts and hopefully be able to make an informed choice when it comes to insulating your home.

So, we’ve looked at insulation types, but you may still be wondering just why should you insulate your loft.

Well, there are a few good reasons to insulate your property. The first one being saving money on your energy bills. A poorly insulated home loses up to 25% of the heat produced by your boiler. So, you are effectively paying to heat the air outside your home.

Insulating your home can also help reduce your carbon footprint which in turn helps the environment.

(figures sourced from the Energy Saving Trust)

If you want to know more about insulation or have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with our technical team via [email protected] or 01636 639900.

Interested in the SuperFOIL products? Take a look at our product pages for further information on our wide range of products