Internal wall insulation is a system of insulation applied to a home’s internal wall surfaces. The result is warmer, more comfortable rooms and reduced heating bills.

Internal wall insulation is particularly suitable for homes with solid walls that have no cavity that can be filled with insulation.

There are two main types of internal wall insulation: rigid insulation boards or stud wall insulation. Both have the same end result of much improved energy efficiency and therefore warmer, cosier rooms as well as reduced heating bills, but there one or two considerations to bear in mind when deciding which is the better method for your property.

• More about rigid insulation boards
• More about stud wall insulation

Internal wall insulation is an excellent option for improving the thermal efficiency in your property if you are undertaking renovation or decoration of your rooms as both methods of internal wall insulation are finished with a professional layer of plasterwork creating perfect wall surfaces for you to decorate as desired.

Installing internal wall insulation can be disruptive, although this is minimised

• Benefits
• Installation process

Our fully trained surveyors will discuss with you whether rigid insulation board or stud wall insulation is the best way of internally insulating your walls. They have the same result of increased thermal efficiency for your rooms, but different key points to bear in mind.

Key points:

• Insulation boards are a better insulator than stud wall insulators meaning the thickness of the insulation board required is less, therefore you retain as much of the floor space as possible.
• Insulation boards are not strong enough to hold heavy fittings, therefore long/extended fixings will be required to pass through the boards and into the original wall material.

Technical information

Internally insulating your rooms using rigid insulation boards technique involves fitting plasterboard backed with insulation onto the inside of walls. Typically the insulation will be made of either expanded or extruded polystyrene (EPS or XPS), polyurethane or phenolic foam.

The  insulation  should  be  at  least  60mm  deep  to  meet  recommended standards, and can be anything up to 100mmm deep.

Before installation, it’s crucial to prepare the wall that’s to be insulated; its surface needs to be even. Where existing plaster has been removed and the brickwork is uneven, the wall must be levelled using a layer of plaster or render. 

Once the wall is even, the insulation boards can be fixed straight to it using continuous ribbons of plaster or  adhesive.  Additional  fixings are used  to  hold  the  boards  firm,  and  the  joints  between  each board are sealed to prevent air leaking out through the solid wall.

More about stud wall insulation

Our fully trained surveyors will discuss with you whether rigid insulation board or stud wall insulation is the best way of internally insulating your walls. They have the same result of increased thermal efficiency for your rooms, but different key points to bear in mind

With  this  technique,  a  metal,  wooden  or  composite  studwork  frame  is attached to the wall and filled in with mineral wool fibre. It is then be plastered over, ready for redecoration.

Key points for stud wall insulation:

• Mineral  wool  insulation,  which  is  also  used  to  insulate  lofts,  is  a  less powerful  insulator  than  rigid  insulation  boards, therefore a greater thickness of insulation is required reducing your floor space slightly more than the rigid board system does.
• A stud  wall  is  strong  enough  to  hold  heavy  fittings
• Pull out tests indicate that stud wall system will perform equally as the wall it covers

Benefits of internal wall insulation

• Improved insulation levels lead to a reduction in heat loss and therefore to a reduced energy demand for heating in the winter months
• Higher levels of insulation help to reduce building overheating in the summer months, thereby reducing the energy demand for cooling
• Reduced energy demands result in lower CO2 emissions
• The elimination of internal condensation issues
• Improved acoustic properties for noise reduction from the outside world
• Offers a ‘blank canvass’ for redecoration

The process

Domestic and General understand that homes are busy places and need to remain functional during any type of work happening. That’s why we recommend a room-by-room approach which means only one room will be unusable at a time. We also train our teams to ensure that the process is as efficient as possible whilst remaining committed to the highest of professional standards.

Our stage-by-stage guide shows just what you can expect from initial enquiry right through to completed works.

1. One of our surveyors will visit your property so that a thorough survey can be undertaken in order to prepare an accurate and appropriate specification for your property.
2. The surveyor will need to make a number of checks before measuring the walls in preparation for the insulation to be installed. The checks include determining what will  need to be removed and reinstated such as plug sockets, light switches, door frames, window sills and home furnishing.
3. The surveyor will also look at the overall suitability of your rooms for internal wall insulation and discuss the various types that are available. The surveyor will provide you with a quote for carrying out the work as well as inform you of any non-repayable grants that you may be entitled to.
4. A convenient time for the work to take place will be agreed with you.
5. The walls to be insulated and the surrounding area must be completely cleared including any fixings for pictures. Internal wall insulation is fixed to the walls.
6.  Plasterboard is then installed and skimmed to give a ‘new wall’ finish.
7. Any fixtures removed at the beginning of the process are reinstated, which may involve carpenters, plumber and electricians being drafted in.
8. The walls are ready to be decorated to your tastes
9. You can now sit back in your newly insulated and decorated rooms and enjoy a warmer, more comfortable, energy efficient home