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Bradford at 90: Celebrating a legacy of innovation and sustainability
Since its founding in 1934, Bradford has grown from a small business that converted steel waste slag into insulation to ...
Bradford insulation delivers optimal thermal and acoustic performance in dream family home
Installed between the concrete flooring, the insulation not only enhances the home’s energy efficiency but also contribu...
Get the best product recommendations for your walls with Bradford’s Wall Wrap Selector
Our Wall Wrap Selector assesses likely moisture levels in your home’s walls and recommends the best insulation and wall ...
Simplifying thermal performance calculations with the new CSR Thermal Calculator
With the CSR Thermal Calculator, you now have a quick and easy solution to perform thermal calculations that align with ...
How to guide your clients towards achieving sustainable and compliant homes in Australia
Here’s a detailed guide from Bradford Insulation on how you can lead your clients to make optimal choices for year-round...
Moisture management guide for Australian builders, trades and architects
As climates vary, moisture management becomes more than just a buzzword - it's an imperative. For professionals like bui...
Embrace the new NCC 7-Star energy efficiency standards with Bradford Insulation
The introduction of the NCC 7-Star rating will rely heavily upon the insulation sector, yet achieving this rating need n...
Thermal performance you can rely on
Lift your thermal game with the CSR Thermal Calculator. Generate thermal performance calculations for your roof, wall an...
31,849sqm CIP Warehouse Huntingwood roof gets Bradford protection
Two products from Bradford Insulation were specified for a massive roof installation at the Commercial Industrial Proper...
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can Bradford install insulation?
Bradford have one of the most experienced, well established and comprehensive network of installers across Australia. Bradford installers complete stringent training to ensure Bradford insulation is installed safely & effectively. Bradford also provides the most comprehensive warranty in the market place with a lifetime cover on performance of product (70 years).
How are glasswool batts installed?
Glasswool batts come in standard widths and lengths that match standard joist spaces. With ceiling insulation the batts are usually brought into an existing ceiling access and fit snugly between ceiling joists to achieve maximum thermal insulation.
Installation of Gold batts requires careful attention to sealing gaps between insulation and studs or joists. Why is this so important?
Even if only 5% of an area of wall or ceiling is left uninsulated then up to 50% of the potential benefits may be lost. Similarly holes, tears or joins in reflective insulation should be taped.
What is the density of residential insulation products?
The density of glasswool products used in residential applications varies depending on the use of the product. Ceiling batts are normally in the range of 8 – 10kg/m3 whereas wall batts need to be stiff so as not to slump in the wall cavity and these products are typically 12kg/m3 or more. Acoustic insulation products are typically in the range of 25 – 30kg/m3.
What is the difference between glasswool & rockwool?
Glasswool and rockwool are similar products that perform similar functions. Glasswool takes molten glass (made from around 80% recycled glass) and put this through a fiberising process to create a mat of varying thicknesses and densities. This mat has millions of air pockets created and this provides an effective insulation against the transfer of heat. Rockwool is made in a similar way from molten volcanic rock (basalt) rather than glass. The main differences between glasswool and rockwool from a performance perspective is that rockwool cannot be made a low densities like glasswool can. The minimum density for rockwool is around 30kg/m3. However, rockwool has the advantage of being able to be used at much higher operating temperatures – up to 850°C compared to 350°C for glasswool. Mineral wool is a term that describes both glasswool and rockwool.
How can I get the best thermal performance out of a 90mm stud wall?
Bradford recommends using Gold Hi Performance Batts for optimum thermal performance. Bradford suggests increasing your studs to 120mm or 140mm from 90mm to allow for more insulation value. Bradford Gold Hi-Performance wall batts are available in R-Values of R2.0 to R4.0.
Will insulation fitted into timber studs eliminate noise transfer between rooms?
Glasswool and rockwool assist in muffling noise, to eliminate noise transfer between rooms requires attention also to the appropriate layers of Gyprock plasterboard and close attention to eliminating flanking noise. It is the overall system, not just the insulation that should be considered.
Will SoundScreen insulation installed in the cavity of an external wall eliminate outside noise from entering a house?
SoundScreen will absorb much of the noise entering a home from outside, but noise tends to find a “path of least resistance” and so elements like windows, gaps around doors and windows and even the construction of the doors will have an effect. Double glazing, solid core doors and door and window seals will all play a role. Increasing the thickness of Gyprock plasterboard will also assist in managing the entry of external noise.
What are the best options for reducing noise being transferred from the first floor to ground floor of a house?
Two types of noise need to be considered here: airborne noise and impact noise. Airborne noise is reduced by increased mass of the system, such as installing Bradford R3.1 High Density SoundScreen and replacing standard Supaceil with 2 layers of 16mm Fyrchek fixed to the ceiling joists. Impact noise, such as from footsteps, is best reduced by the use of carpet and underlay and the use of Gyprock resilient mounts and furring channel.
Can insulation reduce condensation and mould growth on ceilings of a bedroom?
When correctly installed, insulation can assist in reducing condensation and mould problems by keeping internal surfaces warmer. Other factors that should also be considered are ventilation, low room temperatures and high humidity levels in the house
What can I do to reduce the risk of mould and water damage due to internal condensation?
There are many Bradford products that will help reduce the risk of mould and water damage in your home. The Bradford Enviroseal™ ProctorWrap™ range of vapour permeable membranes are highly permeable, yet also water tight. These products are designed to allow moisture to pass through them whilst preventing the entry of wind driven rain and dust from the outside environment both during and after construction. Bradford Anticon combines Bradford glasswool blanket with an impermeable foil facing, which protects your home from the condensation that can form under metal roofs. The Edmonds range of home ventilation products all work hand-in-hand with insulation, to create a more comfortable and energy efficient home. It is also important to eliminate recessed light fittings. Duct kitchen and bathroom exhaust fans should direct air outside.
What insulation system should I use under a metal roof?
Combining glasswool and reflective insulation in a single product, Bradford Anticon has been specifically designed to provide superior thermal insulation, noise reduction and condensation control for metal roofs. Bradford Anticon is specifically designed for temperature control in homes with metal roofs. It is comprised of a glasswool blanket adhered to a foil facing. This reduces radiant heat entering a home during summer, and helps prevent condensation in winter. Installing Bradford Anticon under your metal roof also helps reduce unwanted noise from heavy rain and other sources by up to 13dB. Bradford Anticon is available in a variety of thicknesses so you can choose the level of insulation that best suits your needs. Anticon’s bulk insulation blanket is made from non-combustible fibres and is ideally suited to sealing ember entry points at ridges, valleys and fascia’s to meet the BAL (Bushfire Attack Level) requirement for metal clad roofs in bushfire areas.
What is the correct position of the foil when laying Anticon?
In temperate areas the foil vapour barrier faces into the warm side of the building. In most parts of Australia this means the foil facing should be down (towards the interior of the building). However, in tropical areas such as Northern QLD, we recommend an extra layer of vapour barrier to be applied lapped and tapped to the outside to reduce condensation in humid environments. In tropical areas such as Northern Territory, the vapour barrier should face the external roof sheet or wall cladding to control condensation.
Do foil laps need to be taped on Anticon?
It is best practice to tape the foil overlaps when installing Anticon products under metal roofing. This ensures the integrity of the vapour barrier.
What is the R Value of wall wrap or sarking?
This depends on the system used and direction that the heat travels. Reflective insulation products are effective at resisting radiant heat but less effective with convective heat. Therefore, they work better in summer (heat down) situations than winter (heat up). As a basic “rule of thumb” roof sarking in a ventilated pitched tiled roof with a flat ceiling can provided added R-value of around R1.8 in summer and reflective wall wraps (when combined with a non-ventilated still air space in the stud void) can add around R1.1 in summer.
R-Value of Thermofoil: Does the orientation and position of the reflective foil influence the R-value?
Yes, the R-value of reflective foil depends on the orientation of the foil, ie. horizontal or vertical and the direction of heat flow. Air spaces of 20mm minimum are required for reflective foil to be effective. Foil laid over a ceiling lining with insulation on top has no R-value, it acts only as a vapour barrier.
How do I insulate a Cathedral Ceiling?
It is very difficult (and sometimes impossible) to insulate cathedral ceilings after they have been built. If the cathedral ceiling has exposed rafters then it’s virtually impossible to insulate without a major structural change to the roof. If the rafters are not exposed (i.e. they sit behind the ceiling lining), then a cathedral ceiling can be insulated with Bradford batts by removing either the roofing material or the ceiling lining but obviously this is a difficult and expensive process and would only be cost effective if a re-roof was being done for other reasons or if other alterations were taking place that required the ceiling lining to be replaced.
How has this insulation been tested to prove it solves energy efficiency problems?
Insulation in Australia must be tested as per the standard AS/NZS4859.1. There are different tests for different types of insulation. For the most popular insulation which is glasswool, which we market as Bradford Gold Batts, we test in an apparatus that the claimed thermal performance (R-value) of the product is the same as what we claim on the packaging. This is done in the factory as part of our quality control process. Having established that the thermal performance is accurate, we then use this in modelling to estimate how much energy a home will need to achieve a comfort level of between 22 – 26 degrees Celsius. Because a well insulated house requires less energy to achieve this comfort range this helps improve the energy efficiency of the home.
