In Australia, there are several leading brands to choose from when it comes to wall insulation. It’s easy to get lost amongst all the information about brands, R-values and energy savings. Below is a simple comparison to help you choose the best product for your new or existing home.
Are they even different – Earthwool and Bradford Insulation?
Having trouble choosing Earthwool or Bradford Wall Insulation? Let’s compare the difference. As you may already know, Knauf Earthwool and CSR Bradford are two different brands that are essentially making the same product – wall insulation. There are however slight differences in the materials and manufacturing processes of each product.
Both Earthwool and Bradford wall insulation is made of fibreglass material. Fibreglass is made from glass, sand and other materials. It is melted together in a furnace and then put into a spinner to create fibres. These fibres make up the insulation batt or roll and work by trapping air in air pockets created by the glass fibres. This gives the material its insulating properties as it is a poor conductor of heat.
Earthwool is made from up to 80% recycled glass material and is naturally brown as no artificial colours are added. The revolutionary ECOSE technology is a new binder that is made from bio-based materials and contains no acrylics, phenol, and formaldehyde. The binder used in Earthwool is said to reduce its itchiness making it easier to handle and install compared to other fibreglass products. Unlike Bradford insulation, Earthwool comes in compressed packaging giving you more square meters per pack and allowing for easier transportation of materials. Additionally, Earthwool has a standard 50 year product guarantee and Bradford has a 70 year warranty.
What makes Earthwool and Bradford wall insulation similar?
Regardless of the brand used, installing wall insulation in your home will increase your energy savings and can reduce summer heat gains and winter heat losses through your walls by up to 25%. Both Knauf Earthwool and CSR Bradford are known to be reliable brands with high-quality products! Both brands offer acoustic insulation products for soundproofing your home and are available in a variety of R-values. At the end of the day, choosing a higher R-value will make the biggest difference to your home. As a higher R-value will provide greater thermal resistance.
Still having trouble choosing Earthwool or Bradford Wall Insulation?
Let’s take a closer look at the features and benefits that each brand has to offer.
Bradford Wall Insulation Features:
- Made in Australia
- 100% Bio-soluble
- Non combustible
- Low irritant and low allergen
- Fire resistance
- Made from recycled materials
- Will not compress and settle over time
Earthwool Wall Insulation Features:
- High thermal performance
- Non combustible
- Compression packed means more product per pack
- No added formaldehyde
- Sound absorbing qualities
- Odourless
- Virtually itch-free
- Made from recycled materials
Now let’s compare Earthwool vs fiberglass wool
Why choose Earthwool over other fiberglass wool products? Firstly, Earthwool is a type of fibreglass wool. Knauf Insulation is the sole owner of ECOSE Technology, which is used to manufacture Earthwool. ECOSE technology is what sets apart Earthwool from other fibreglass wool products for the following reasons;
ECOSE Technology is a new binder technology that is revolutionary as it is formaldehyde free and is based on renewable materials instead of petro-based chemicals. The effect it that Earthwool insulation is virtually itch-free and easy to handle. Additionally, there are no added bleaches, dyes or artificial colours – Earthwool has a natural brown, earthy tone. ECOSE technology supports environmental sustainability.
The effectiveness of other fibreglass wool products will depend on the manufacturing process and chemicals used. It is also important to decide on the R-value of your insulation as this is a rating on its effectiveness. Keep in mind that the higher the R-value the more effective the insulation is.
What other materials are available? – Earthwool vs Rockwool
In Australia, Earthwool has a lower price tag than Rockwool. The reason for this is due to the lack of manufacturing plants for Rockwool, as appose to Earthwool which has many plants across the country. Earthwool is made of glass material and rockwool is made from rock such as basalt, both materials are melted and then spun to create fibres which make up the insulation products. CSR Bradford is one supplier of rockwool insulation in Australia.
When comparing Earthwool vs rockwool it is evident that rockwool has overall higher ratings for R-values, acoustic and fire ratings combined. However, both products are effective at insulating your home and choosing the right R-value will help you achieve your desired thermal ratings.
Why Bradford Insulation?
Bradford insulation is one of Australia’s most trusted insulation manufacturers. This brand offers a wide range of thermal and acoustic insulation products for both commercial and residential applications. Bradford insulation is made from glasswool and rockwool, which are both durable, non-combustible and high performing for the lifetime of the building. Bradford insulation products do not contain any harmful amounts of formaldehyde or other organic chemicals and no ozone depleting products (ODP) are used during the manufacturing process.
Conclusion
Both brands produce durable and reliable wall insulation products. Before purchasing insulation, it is important to make the following decisions;
- What is my budget?
- What is my desired R-value? For wall insulation we recommend using a minimum R2.0.
- Which material would I prefer to use? Earthwool, Fibreglass wool, Rockwool or Polyester and consider the pros and cons for using each material.
- How much of it will I need? Determine your square meter coverage.
Once you have answered these questions, you will be on your way to choosing the right insulation for you and your home!
