Insulation is essential in order to keep your house warm in Winter and cool in Summer, and to ensure that you aren’t paying unnecessarily high energy bills. You need to make your home work efficiently and to conserve energy as much as possible.

So what material should you use for insulation? The two main options are Rock Wool and Polyester. The right choice could be down to a variety of factors including the type of property, the area you’re looking to insulate and the budget you’re able to allocate to it.

 

Rockwool: The Facts 

This can also be known as mineral wool or stone wool. This is due to the fact that it is actually made from very small pieces of stone, which have been ground up processed accordingly.

Many people like to use rockwool for their insulation as it is generally viewed as more environmentally friendly due to the fact that it is made from entirely natural products. It is well known as an excellent insulator – of both heat and sound.

Rockwool has a high R rating, as well as a very high melting point and is thought to be less flammable than its polyester counterpart.

However, rockwool is generally a more expensive option than using manmade fibres. It can also retain moisture which often leads to longer term issues such as damp or mould growth.

 

Polyester: The Facts

As insulation, polyester is generally seen as a man made fibre which comes in the form of batts and blankets. It is known as a non toxic material and does not have any harmful chemicals, therefore is safe to use in homes and commercial properties.

One of the benefits of polyester is that it tends to hold its form for a much longer period of time than rockwool which can sag after several years. It is also a cheaper options and technological advances mean that it can be incredibly efficient as insulation.

However, polyester does have a lower R rating than rockwool and can be flammable so care must be taken if seeking to install this as insulation in your home.