VIEWPOINT
HELP YOUR CUSTOMERS REDUCE WINTER ENERGY BILLS
Matt Neary, national sales manager at Knauf Insulation
FOR 7.2 MILLION households, energy bills will be higher this year than last – despite the energy price cap drop – due to what a senior economist from the Resolution Foundation is describing as a “leaky homes surcharge”.
The UK housing stock ranks amongst the worst in Europe for energy efficiency. There are more than 8 million uninsulated, under insulated or poorly insulated lofts alone. And that’s before we start considering other applications, such as flat roofs, walls, and floors. In a relatively stagnant market, it’s no surprise that merchants are reporting that insulation is bucking the trend. So, what do they need to do to ensure they can capitalise on the drive for energy efficiency?
Right products for the application
Effective insulation starts with using the right product for the application – but that doesn’t mean that merchants need to hold a multitude of different products in
stock. They can buy strategically to make the most of their storage space.
Installing loft insulation at ceiling level is a very easy DIY job that could save homeowners hundreds of pounds per year on their energy bills. 5
standards required by Approved Document E. So, they can also be used as absorption layers to reduce airborne sound transmission in applications such as internal partitions and floors.
This means it will continue to be one of the top energy efficiency upgrades undertaken this winter. To meet the Building
Regulations, homeowners should install a minimum depth of 270mm mineral wool insulation such as Knauf Insulation’s Loft Roll 44 (or 250mm of Loft Roll 40) in England or 350mm for Scotland. But for maximum performance, merchants should advise customers to install to 500mm of Loft Roll 44 or 400mm of Loft Roll 40. So, they need to make sure they’re holding plenty of stock to meet demand.
For other applications, it makes sense to promote multi-application products such as our glass mineral wool OmniFit®
Slabs or Rolls. This
comprises just two slabs and two rolls, which between them can cover ten different applications including ‘framed’ external walls, internal partitions, pitched roofs at rafter level, and floors. OmniFit®
products also meet the noise reduction October 2023
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
Finally, the product catalogue can be supplemented with insulation products for specific applications where additional performance factors are required. A good example is our Flexible Slab, a rock mineral wool insulation product that has been tested to provide 60 minutes fire protection when used in the floor of a loft conversion. It means merchants can maximise on space without compromising on their range or the performance offered.
Advise on best practice Where merchants can really provide value is in advising customers on best practice to achieve a quality install.
The drive to improve energy efficiency means that customers will almost certainly be focused on thermal performance. But it’s important that merchants highlight the additional benefits of non- combustibility (fire safety) and acoustic performance that are only offered by glass and rock mineral wool insulation.
Another thing to discuss is how to achieve a good fit – something
that’s crucial to ensure there are no gaps that will allow heat or sound transfer and reduce the insulation’s performance. Again, mineral wool insulation has an advantage. It’s flexible, so will adapt to imperfections in the substrate, friction fits to building elements and knits together at joints. As a result, it’s much easier to install correctly than other insulants such as rigid boards – especially for a first-time DIY installer. But achieving a good install goes beyond the customer’s choice of insulation material. So, it’s worth chatting with them to check they are aware of the pitfalls and challenges associated with each application, especially as this may provide merchants with the opportunity to sell a wide variety of ancillary products.
Take loft installation for example. DIY customers especially may not be aware that before insulating they should first seal gaps that could allow air to leak into the loft from the room below using high- quality sealant and tape. They’ll also need the right equipment to install the insulation correctly. This includes PPE, tools to measure and cut the insulation accurately and a crawl board to ensure they don’t crush the insulation or inadvertently put their foot through the ceiling. It’s the same with every application – and, it goes without saying, the bigger the project the more ancillary items they’ll need. Ultimately, with the net zero deadline on the horizon and energy prices predicted to remain high into the late-2030s, demand for insulation to plug the nation’s draughty homes will continue. By taking the time to talk to customers about their projects, merchants can identify opportunities for cross selling – and help ensure their customers achieve the quality of installation that’s needed to bring down those bills. BMJ
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