FAQ

How much difference is it going to make?

A Big Difference!

Bradford Insulation can improve your comfort levels, power costs and the environment.

In winter -

• Keeps homes up to 10ºC warmer.
• Reduces heat loss from the home (through walls and ceilings) by up to 70%.
• Reduces heating costs.

In summer -

• Stops up to 70% of summer heat entering through ceilings.
• Keeps homes up to 7ºC cooler.
• Reduces the costs of operating air-conditioning.

All year round -

• Reduces noise levels entering a home.
• Makes your home even more attractive to buyers.

The environment -

• Less energy usage for heating and cooling means less burning of fossil fuels.
• Less fossil fuel burning means lower emissions of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming.

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Why should I spend my money on insulation?

It benefits you in 5 ways...

1. Saves you money by reducing the energy that is required to satisfactorily heat your home in winter and cool it in summer. In fact, ceiling insulation alone can decrease annual energy costs for heating and cooling by up to one third.
2. Provides you with a more comfortable home. Insulation can reduce summer temperatures by at least 7ºC and maintain winter temperatures at least 10ºC higher than otherwise.
3. Makes your home quieter by reducing the amount of exterior noise entering through ceilings and/or walls.
4. Improves the resale potential of your home. A properly insulated home is an important selling feature for many buyers.
5. Helps the total environment. Insulation reduces household energy use, which in turn reduces the- burning of fossil fuels to produce energy. The result is lower greenhouse gas emissions.

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Should I ventilate my roof space?

Yes. Proper roof space ventilation provides the following benefits:

In winter -

• Reduces condensation forming, where warm, moist air from exhaust fans rises and meets a cold surface.
• Reduces corrosion and timber damage from condensation.

In summer -

• Reduces heat build up in ceiling spaces.
• Reduces heat load on your ceiling insulation.
• Saves on electricity by reducing the load on your air-conditioning.

Bradford Insulation recommend that a roof ventilator always he installed when:

• Sarking is used under tiled roofs.
• Metal deck roofing is installed.
• There is any evidence of condensation in the roof space or in ceilings.

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What is the difference between rockwool and glasswool batts?

Higher Density

Rockwool is the premium insulation product sold by Bradford Insulation. It has a higher density than other insulation products on the market:

• Its R-Value, or thermal performance, in superior to other insulation products for a given thickness.
• It provides home owners with outstanding acoustic performance.

As for Gold Batts Insulation, Rockwool has noncombustible fire performance, is guaranteed to perform for the lifetime of a home and is not attractive to vermin. No long term adverse health effects have been established through the use of rockwool insulation in homes.

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Don't you get gaps with batts?

No. Bradford™ Batts, when installed correctly, butt up against the ceiling joists.

The only 'gap' is the ceiling joists themselves, which still provide some degree of insulation.

• Bradford™ Batts are manufactured in a range of sizes to fit common joist spacings, so that very little trimming should be necessary.
• Bradford™ Batts are manufactured slightly oversize to ensure a tight fit between joists.

Average sizes actual, joist widths space between joists Batt widths:

• 600 mm 570 mm 580 mm
• 450 mm 420 mm 430 m

• Bradford™ Batts mould around contours and protrusions;
• Bradford™ Batts can be easily cut with a sharp knife to fit any irregular shape.

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What thickness of insulation should I use?

CAUTION!

Do not select your insulation on the basis of thickness, but rather by its thermal resistance or 'R-Value'.

For the same thickness two different insulation products may differ in insulation effectiveness. The difference is caused by the composition of each product.

• All insulation is specified and should be chosen on the basis of its R-Value.
• R-Value is the measure of the ability of insulation to resist the flow of heat.
• The higher the R-Value the greater the insulation effectiveness.
• Bradford™ Insulation, using expert independent consultants, has developed recommended R-Values for all areas of Australia.
• The R-Value recommended for any area represents the most cost-effective thermal rating for the user.

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How is the job done?

In the following way...

1. Bradford Approved Distributors arrive and identify themselves.
2. Installers gain access to roof spacing by removing several roof tiles or lifting roof sheeting or through a manhole. The method used depends on the characteristics of the home.
3. Packs of glasswool or Rockwool Batts are transferred to roof spacing and unpacked as required.
4. The batts are carefully laid between the ceiling joists so as not to cover any electrical wiring or products which could overheat downlights or ceiling fans, etc.).
5. Care is also taken to:
   • cover the entire ceiling space;
   • ensure that joists are still visible for future safety;
   • insulate any bulkheads;
   • observe good workmanship.
6. All roof sheeting/tiles or manhole openings are replaced.
7. You will be issued by your Bradford Approved Distributor with a guarantee certificate and invoice.

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Is insulation from Bradford™ guaranteed?

Yes. Only Bradford Insulation can guarantee all of the following...

• A thermal resistance (or R-Value) for the insulation which will be maintained for the lifetime of the home.
• Insulation which will not rot, mould or otherwise deteriorate.
• The best possible fire rating under Australian Standard 1530.3:
• A zero rating on each of the four tests for early fire hazard properties.
• A commitment to building in quality with the backing of CSR Australia's largest building material company.
• Over 75 years of experience manufacturing insulation products for Australians.

Your investment in insulation is an important one. It will pay you to seek a written guarantee on each of the above from any insulation supplier.

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Is glasswool insulation safe?

Yes

Glasswool and rockwool insulation products are not hazardous products and are safe to install and use in your home or in other insulation applications for the life of the building.

Fiberglass (or glasswool as it is now called) insulation has been in use around the world since the mid-1930’s. Glasswool insulation has been comprehensively researched over more than 30 years and the World Health Organisation has concluded that glasswool does not pose any serious health hazard.

To further ensure the safety of our products, Bradford Insulation changed the formulation of glasswool and rockwool insulation in 2001 to now use what are known as “bio-soluble fibres”. Insulation fibres are now less bio-persistent than the dust we breathe in every day walking down the street and are not considered to pose any risk to health. You can identify bio-soluble fibres by the FBS-1 logo on our packs.

For more information please go to the Insulation Council Australia & New Zealand website www.icanz.org.au.

Once installed and left undisturbed there is no fiber release from the products and in fact both products have been assessed by the National Asthma Council's 'Sensitive Choice' product advisory panel and found to be low allergen products suitable for asthma and allergy sufferers.

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Is it safe from burning?

Yes

Both Bradford Glasswool Gold Batts and Rockwool Batts will not burn and can actually retard the spread of fire.

The results of tests for 'Early Fire Hazard Properties' on various insulation materials, in accordance with Australian Standard 1530.3, appear below.

*0 = Excellent; 20 = Poor
**0 Excellent; 10 = Poor

Glasswool and rockwool Batts achieve the best possible fire rating, four zeros, because:

• they are made from heat resistant materials - glass and volcanic rock respectively;
• unlike some other insulation products they do not rely on the addition of fire retardant chemicals.

t (1) J.A. Whitlock, "Spread of Flame in Ceiling Insulation Materials"
CSIRO Dept. of Building and Construction Engineering Report FNA 0001 1992.
(2) CSR Research and Development Centre 7bst Report No. 957.
(3) CSR Building Materials Laboratory NATA Certified Ibst No. 31 1718192.

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Why should I choose Bradford™ insulation products?

Five very good reasons...

1. Bradford Insulation in Australia's leading insulation company with the largest sales of insulation products. It has the most comprehensive range of products for domestic, commercial and industrial applications.
2. For more than 75 years Bradford has been supplying Australia with quality solutions to insulation problems. Its factories are endorsed to Australian Standard 3902. Written guarantees are provided for all manufactured products.
3. Bradford Insulation is a part of CSR Ltd, Australia's largest supplier of building materials with a commitment to product quality and service.
4. Bradford Insulation has established an approved distributor network for the supply and installation.of it's quality products. Approved distributors must be able to adhere to Bradford's strict standards for:
   • levels of service and customer satisfaction;
   • professional, courteous and ethical dealings;
   • guaranteed quality of workmanship.
5. Glasswool and Rockwool of the form manufactured by Bradford" are used in 80% of insulation projects worldwide. This is the ultimate endorsement.

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