Australia must insulate to beat Sweden

March 28, 2025June 10, 2021 by oddball_admin

A stunning statistic shows Australia’s death rate from cold weather is higher than that of Sweden’s – but we can insulate against it.

The Healthy Homes for Renters campaign found every year 10,000 people die in Australia of causes attributable to the cold.

In Sweden, cold weather caused an estimated 3.9% of deaths, whereas in Australia it caused 6.5% (that’s one in 15 deaths), according to the Lancet medical journal.

Many Aussie homes are “just glorified tents” and we expose ourselves to far colder temperatures than the Scandinavians do.

Benefits Of An Insulated Home In Winter

It creates a protective barrier

You are kept warm in winter. Insulation blocks the cool air in winter, while keeping the warm air inside.

You save money on energy costs

Insulation works together with your heating appliances by taking the load off them, vastly reducing the length of running time required to heat your home. The impact on your power bills is dramatic.

It’s good for the environment

Consuming a lower amount of energy means a smaller carbon footprint. Environmentally-safe insulation materials are made from recycling of other components.

Reduces damp and mould

Some premium products will lower condensation in your home. This creates healthier air and greater protection from the illness and allergies caused by damp and mould.

It improves your quality of life

Your home becomes more comfortable, more bearable and more inviting.

Your Energy Rating improves

Homes built pre-2000 usually need insulation repair, top-up or removal and reinstallation. Homeowners with poorly installed insulation, often using inferior products, are getting no benefits at all.

Adding Insulation To An Existing Home

Business development manager at 4 Seasons Home Insulation, Ross Kestle told The Fifth Estate the cost of retrofitting most existing homes with full insulation ranged from $9000-$15000, including ceiling, wall and floor insulation and draught elimination.

“First priority is always the roof, then the walls, then the draughts, then the underfloor,” Mr Kestle said.

Wall and floor insulation is as effective at improving thermal rating as ceiling, but Mr Kestle said roof insulation can be done in smaller homes for as little as $2000 and provides heat retention in the winter.

Click here to read the full article on The Fifth Estate.
Call us today and make your home winter-ready with 4 Seasons Home Insulation.

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Energy Saving Tips For Your Home

March 28, 2025February 5, 2019 by oddball_admin

There are some simple yet effective ways to insulate your home, which can significantly reduce heat gain during summer and heat loss during winter. And this leads to big savings on your energy bills.

Heating and cooling account for up to 50% of a typical home’s energy use(1). Without adequate insulation you can lose up to 35% of heat during winter and an equal amount of cooling during summer. Not only does this lead to higher energy bills, but you spend your time in a house that is a lot less comfortable to live in throughout the year.

Start with the roof..

Up to 35% of your energy loss happens through a poorly insulated roof. Insulating your loft, attic or roof is a simple and effective way to reduce heat loss and reduce your heating bills.

Get a professional to do the job

Unfortunately, if you don’t insulate the entire roof or attic properly, it might all be for nothing. Heat can pass through gaps in the insulation, timber joists, gables, chimneys, large gaps around exhaust fans, downlights and other areas making it largely ineffective

The roof area also needs to be inspected for potential leakages and moisture build-up.

Don’t forget the walls

Almost a third of all the heat transference in an uninsulated home escapes through the walls. By properly insulating cavity walls, you will save energy and cut costs off your energy bills.

And that leaves the floor!

People often focus on the walls and roof for insulation and rightly so, but the floor is also important. Particularly in the cooler months as you want to eliminate drafts. Underfloor insulation will impede temperature change, meaning it will be easier to maintain your desired ambient temperature.

Why conserve energy at all?

Energy conservation is beneficial for a variety of reasons. You can save money, you can increase the value of your property, and protect the environment all by utilising some simple energy-saving measures.

There are great benefits you can gain from saving energy no matter your exact motivation for conservation in the first place. But by simply taking a step towards living a more energy conscious life, you can begin to enjoy all of the perks of being energy efficient.

Get in touch with us today to discuss your insulation needs – 1300 331 366

1. Source: https://www.energy.gov.au/households/heating-and-cooling

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4 Reasons To Get Your Insulation Professionally Installed – And Why You Should Avoid DIY

March 28, 2025November 15, 2018 by oddball_admin

With summer around the corner, and with ever-increasing energy bills, you may well be considering insulation for your home. You already know that proper insulation is a great way to cool the home, but here’s a fun fact; did you know that you can lose up to 80% in heating and cooling without adequate insulation? (1)

When it comes to installing insulation, there are a few important factors to consider.

▪ Compliance
▪ Safety
▪ R-Value
▪ Equipment

Let’s break them down;

Compliance

Insulation needs to be installed within the relevant safety standards and in compliance with the Building Code of Australia. This also includes meeting the minimum R-Values (more about that in a moment).

Safety & Accessibility

In addition to meeting the standards for insulation rating and installation, it also needs be installed with appropriate clearances around electrical wires, transformers and electrical appliances to avoid the risk of fire.

Climbing up into the ceiling crawl space can be fraught with danger – one wrong step in the roof could have you falling from a considerable height and result in an unscheduled trip to the hospital.

Similarly getting under the house is rarely an experience one would cherish, and it brings its own unique set of risks. Banging your head or getting cut on a piece of flashing are sure to ruin your day.

And let’s not forget that gaining access into the various nooks and crannies of your home increases the chance of encountering everything that bites, crawls and stings!

R-Value

We have a separate blog post explaining R-Value in detail, but put simply, R-Value is insulations ability to resist heat flow (preventing heat leaking in or out). Poorly laid insulation, such as overly compressing or damaging it, or leaving gaps between bats, can lower the R-Value of your product. With lowered efficiency, your energy bills are likely to be higher, therefore costing you more money in the long run.

Equipment

Depending on the type of insulation going into your home, there is some very specific equipment required for the job. Some insulation is actually pumped in and requires a blowing machine. Other types require special cutting tools. If you need to buy special tools simply for the installation, you’re already behind the eight ball in terms of cost efficiency.

In summary..

Although installing insulation might seem simple at first, it can actually be a dangerous and daunting task. There is also the consideration of compliance here in Australia, and significant safety risks for the DIY enthusiast.

Sleep better (and more comfortably!) knowing that your insulation was installed by a professional, and has a workmanship guarantee. Get in touch with us today for a free quote.

1. Source: Australian Government – http://yourenergysavings.gov.au/energy/heating-cooling/insulation

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All About R-Values

March 28, 2025November 15, 2018 by oddball_admin

As a homeowner researching the benefits of insulation you’ve probably stumbled across the term “R-Value”. But what is an R-Value and is it the most important aspect to consider for home insulation?

R-Value Explained

R-Value is simply a measure of resistance to heat flow, through a given thickness of material. Therefore, insulation is, at its core, meant to stop the movement of heat.

The essential “trick” with insulation is to stop the escape of heat in winter and to stop heat getting in during summer.

When it comes to an R-Value rating or number, the theory is that the higher the R-Value, the better the insulating effectiveness is. This may hold true when tested in a lab, but in the real world other factors come into play. Namely; temperature, moisture build-up and ageing.

In fact, newly laid insulation with a lower R-value can perform better than old insulation with a higher R-value. This is because the old insulation has likely accumulated moisture over time and has also lost a degree of density. How the insulation was installed is another key factor in terms of how well it performs.

Walls, ceilings and floors also have their own inherit R-Value. This value varies widely according to the type of ‘skin’ for example a double-brick wall or a brick veneer will have vastly different R-Values.

When installing insulation with a specific R-Value, its effectiveness can be affected by the heat flow through studs, joists and other building materials – a phenomenon known as thermal bridging.

DIY or Professional Installation?

When it comes to something as important as insulating your home, it really is better to leave it to the professionals.

Why?

Choosing the wrong material or simply not laying the right material properly, will severely impact the effectiveness of the insulation, and will in fact lower the R-Value – regardless of what the number reads on the packaging!

Poorly laid insulation can lead to higher energy bills and end up costing you more money.

Not using enough insulation and not having the right equipment to install the product are other common issues we see when it comes to a DIY installation.

In Summary..

So hopefully you now have an understanding of what an R-Value is, and why it isn’t the only thing to consider when it comes to choosing insulation for your home or workplace.

Choosing the right material and the right quantity, along with an expert performing the installation will ultimately save you more money in the long run. You’ll have cheaper energy bills and peace of mind, knowing that the insulation that you paid for is working to its maximum potential.

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Underfloor insulation – get the lowdown

March 28, 2025April 3, 2018 by oddball_admin

Living in an existing home or building new? Heating and energy experts agree that high-quality underfloor insulation is a great investment.

Imagine the picture – winter is settling in and your family is enjoying the benefits of professional wall and ceiling insulation. Your heating bills are massively reduced and the word of the day is Cosy.

Your doors and windows are properly covered and the good old draught-excluder is in place.

Yet, every now and then, a gasp of winter air sends a shiver up your spine. Why?

Chances are, the cold air is coming through gaps in your floorboards or rising up through an uncarpeted floor surface. You need underfloor insulation.

Greenstuf® from 4 Seasons

4 Seasons Home Insulation is the place to go and Australian-made Autex Greenstuf insulation material is the perfect solution for your home.

Made of 100% polyester (including at least 45% recycled polyester fibre), Greenstuf is recyclable at its end of life and completely free of added chemicals like formaldehyde-based binders or fibres.

Backed by a 50 Year Product Durability Warranty, Greenstuf exceeds Building Code of Australia requirements and is unaffected by moisture, mould or mildew. Greenstuf is naturally resistant to vermin and non-flammable.

Underfloor Insulation vs Underfloor Heating

People in cooler climates often consider floor heating to increase their comfort levels at home. Yet, without underfloor insulation, even underfloor heating is less effective. There is no point creating warmth without ensuring that that the warmth can’t escape.

According to https://underfloorheatingexpert.com, “Failing to lay it (underfloor insulation) can cause all sorts of nightmares further down the line and it’s often been the root cause of many peoples disappointment with their underfloor heating installation.”

Complete the Home Insulation Package

Enveloping your home with floor, ceiling and wall insulation is the way to guard against the discomfort of hot conditions in summer and cold conditions in winter.

Quality underfloor insulation will make your inside floor surface the same as your indoor temperature – cosy – instead of the ground temperature around your home, which will be several degrees lower. The same is true of summer temperatures.

Save money on expensive heating and cooling costs by investing in insulation and the huge difference it makes. Who knows? You may never need those fluffy slippers again!!

Speak to 4 Seasons Home Insulation to arrange a free inspection and quote on your home.

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Australia must insulate to beat Sweden