Wall insulation

Without insulation, a home loses about 20% of its heat through the exterior walls. Wall insulation ensures that heat remains in the home. Insulation can also help against moisture problems and noise pollution.

Single-stone or single-stone walls consist of a layer of stones. A cavity wall consists of two layers, with air or insulation between them.

Homes without (cavity) wall insulation are often difficult to get up to temperature during the cold seasons. Wall insulation can make a big difference: better comfort and lower costs. There are roughly three ways to insulate walls: cavity insulation (1), insulation on the inside (2) and facade insulation on the outside (3).

1- Cavity wall insulation

Especially in houses built between 1920 and 1979, it can be interesting to install insulation in the cavity, the empty space between the inner and outer walls. With cavity wall insulation, the insulation material (such as PUR foam, plastic granules or glass wool flakes) is blown or sprayed from outside into the cavity through narrow drill holes. Houses from before 1920 usually do not have a cavity, but a solid stone wall. In old houses with a cavity, it is sometimes very narrow or too polluted and insulation with false walls or insulation on the outside is a better option.

2-Insulation with false walls

There are different types of insulation materials suitable for insulating walls on the inside. The most commonly used are rock wool, glass wool, wood fiber board or PIR board. The first three also insulate well against sound, but take up a little more space. PIR plates are generally thinner, leaving more interior space. The insulation is finished with, for example, plasterboard and plasterwork.

3-Exterior wall insulation or facade insulation

A wall can also be insulated from the outside. The outer wall is then provided with an insulation layer and a finishing layer. Because the appearance of the building changes, a permit is required. Extra attention is needed for connections to roofs and other buildings and for the finishing of windows and doors. The costs for facade insulation are therefore relatively high. It can be interesting if neighboring houses are also insulated immediately.

Insulation of partition walls

In large buildings, the entire space does not always have to offer comfort. Insulation of partition walls can then be very effective. Only the space where people live or work is heated and insulated. Noise pollution is also reduced in this way. Glass wool, rock wool and wood fiber are very suitable for insulating partition walls. These materials also insulate well against sound and are easy to process.

Bathroom insulation

![diy-images/bathroom insulation.png](/uploads/diy-images/bathroom insulation.png) Less condensation forms in a well-insulated bathroom. This is because the temperature difference between the wall surface and the moist air in the room does not become too great. Condensation still forms while showering, but much less than when the walls of the bathroom remain cold. With good ventilation, less moisture accumulates in the home and the chance of mold formation decreases. There are special insulation boards for bathrooms that can be tiled directly.

An insulation value of Rd 4.4 is the standard for the facade of new construction. In existing homes it is often difficult and expensive to go this far. Then cavity wall insulation is a good and relatively affordable start. Additional insulation with a false wall or against the outside of the wall can be added later. For example during a renovation.

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