Where should I install acoustic insulation pads?

Acoustic insulation pads are the natural choice in spaces where you want to reduce echo or the escape of noise. Cinemas and recording studios are perhaps the obvious examples of where you way wish to dampen sound or prevent its escape. Placing acoustic insulation pads above the suspended ceiling can certainly help do that as part of wider soundproofing work.

Yet the applications for acoustic pads are far wider than you might first think. Echo in a classroom can disrupt concentration and make it difficult for some children to hear. Sound transmission in offices can compromise privacy. In hotels, too much echo can create a cold, sterile atmosphere when what you want to create warmth and cosiness. And from factories to hospitals to gyms, reducing echo can help create more productive, more welcoming environments.

How do I install acoustic insulation pads?

Simply place a pad above each tile in your suspended ceiling. It’s quick and easy to do.

How many insulation pads do I need?

Assuming your tiles are 600mm x 600mm, just count the tiles – you’ll need one for each. Remember that if your ceiling includes ‘double size’ tiles of 1200mm x 600mm, you’ll need two packs per tile.

Know the dimensions of your room? Make ordering even easier with our acoustic insulation pad kits.

Thermal pads or acoustic pads – which is better?

The two are designed to do different jobs. A thermal insulation pad is primarily designed to retain heat and cut energy bills. An acoustic pad is primarily designed to trap sound. There is some overlap between the two (a thermal pad will offer some acoustic dampening; an acoustic pad will offer some thermal benefit) but each pad will be better at the job for which it was designed. So the question of which is better depends on your prime aim of installing the insulation.

What are the benefits of acoustic insulation pads?

• Durable – insulation pads are odourless and rot proof
• No mess – each pack is sealed, so there’s no messing with loose fibres.
• Tailored to your ceiling cavity – packs range from 25mm to 100mm thickness, so you can choose the level of insulation appropriate to the available space.
• Long lasting insulation – the polythene cover protects the fibres within from moisture and dust that can cause non-packed insulation to condense and lose its insulating properties
• Lightweight – insulation pads won’t damage your ceiling.
• Exceptional value

Why are my insulation pads flat?

Our insulation pads are compressed for shipping. On delivery, remove from packaging and allow 48-72 hours for them to return to their regular size.

How does acoustic insulation work?

Sound travels in waves. To prevent sound from easily passing through surfaces, it needs interrupting, and the best way to do that is with materials that don’t let the sound waves pass through or bounce off them. Some materials are better at that job than others – which is why an empty room echoes (because there’s little to absorb the sound) and a room that’s full of curtains, carpets and other soft furnishings doesn’t.

Acoustic insulation uses acoustic mineral wool to inhibit the transmission or reverberation of sound waves. That means you’ll experience less echo within a room, and less sound will escape it.

How do I install acoustic insulation pads?

Simply place a pad above each tile in your suspended ceiling. It’s quick and easy to do, and as the pads are lightweight they won’t damage the ceiling.

How many insulation pads do I need?

Assuming your tiles are 600mm x 600mm, just count the tiles – you’ll need one for each. Remember that if your ceiling includes ‘double size’ tiles of 1200mm x 600mm, you’ll need two packs per tile.

Know the dimensions of your room? Make ordering even easier with our acoustic insulation pad kits.

Do I need to cover the entire ceiling with insulation pads?

Ideally, yes. Look at it this way: a single pad’s acoustic insulation properties are far higher than, for example, the carpet you fit in the room. But a carpet covers the entire room which is why it appears so effective at dampening sound. Unless you do the same with the ceiling, it can’t deliver optimal insulation.  

Will an acoustic insulation pad deliver thermal insulation?

Yes. Almost any material you place on your suspended ceiling will help provide some level of thermal insulation to the area below. And every insulation pad will offer some degree of acoustic dampening. The key question in determining what sort of insulation pads you need is what is the main reason for installing them?

Acoustic mineral wool is specifically designed to address noise transmission. Its thermal capabilities are secondary and, if energy saving is your prime goal, a thermal insulation pad would be the better bet. Conversely, a thermal insulation pad will offer some level of acoustic insulation, but an insulation pad designed specifically for the job will always do it better. So where acoustic performance is your prime concern, choose an acoustic pad.

We stock insulation pads and fibre roll and both could help you cut your energy costs. But which is best for your suspended ceiling?

Loft Insulation Roll

You’ll probably be familiar with the glass fibre roll that, as the name suggests, is a favourite for insulating lofts. You can use loft roll on your suspended ceiling too – it’s certainly an extremely cost-effective way of doing it – and there are other factors that make it a good option:

• Low thermal conductivity, in combination with the ceiling tile itself (which also supports insulation), creates a powerful barrier against heat loss
• Pre-perforated lengths mean it’s easier to fit the roll in manageable sections without awkward cuts
• Low weight – so it won’t damage the ceiling tiles it sits on

If you choose this option remember, when fitting it’s important to keep the wool clear of ceiling lights, hoods and electric cables. As loose fibres can be dislodged, always wear gloves, goggles and/or a protective mask when fitting.

Insulation Pads

Insulation pads are effectively ceiling tile-sized parcels of mineral wool insulation – loft roll in a bag – but that simple design tweak brings lots of advantages.

Easy to handle: Working in a ceiling void can present challenges if you’re using insulation roll. The void may be small, giving you limited space to work, and the grid hangers can make unrolling the insulation fiddly. There are no such problems with ceiling pads. Lift a tile, place a pad on all the tiles surrounding it. No faff.

Quick to install: Place one pad on one tile. It takes seconds.

Safe installation: You know the traditional challenges of fitting loft insulation. Without gloves, goggles and a mask, there’s always the risk that loose fibres can cause real irritation. There’s none of that with sealed pads.

Safer spaces: It’s not just in the fitting that pads make life easier. With all fibres bagged and sealed, there’s nothing to float around the space below – so it’s the safer option in schools, hospitals, hotels etc

Durable: The polythene cover protects the glass fibre interior. Water leaking from above will gradually soak insulation roll, reducing its effectiveness. It can’t have the same effect on a sealed pack.

You’ll find ceiling pads deliver the same insulating performance as rolls of equal thickness. And as each pad is lightweight it won’t compromise the tile it sits on.

Installation Tips

• Insulation pads are tightly packed for shipping. On delivery, remove them from the box and give them time (48-72 hours) to fully expand before installation.
• Whether roll or pad, don’t squash the insulation in place when fitting – you’ll reduce the performance.

Is Ceiling Insulation Fire Safe?

If you’re placing suspended ceiling insulation in public buildings, you’ll want insulation that matches the fire rating of the materials around it. Find fire rated insulation pads here.

Insulation Roll or Pad? Which is Better for a Suspended Ceiling?

Insulation roll still has an important job to do in insulating between eaves and joists (and even cavities). But whilst you can use it above your suspended ceiling, pads are the better bet for all the above reasons.

What’s more, they’re much cheaper when you buy in bulk from insulationpads.co.uk. Order online or call us on 01253 864902.

How Does Suspended Ceiling Insulation Work?

You probably keep hearing that insulation is the simplest way to cut energy bills and reduce energy waste. But why?

Hot air rises. You know this. It explains why hot air balloons float. It also explains why so often in a poorly insulated building your feet will feel like the coldest part of your body. Why does that happen? If you’ll permit us a brief wander into GCSE physics, we’ll explain.

Why does energy escape?

It happens because nature likes to even things out by redistributing the heat. In cold weather, the inside of a building will be much warmer than the outside, and nature will want to balance things out according to the second law of thermodynamics. That equalization can happen in a number of ways, one of which is convection.  

In convection, hot air (eg from a radiator) rises. Unless something happens to stop it rising, it’ll keep going until it escapes the room and building entirely, where it can attempt to equalize the temperature outside with that inside. Of course, there’s usually at least once ceiling and a roof between it and the outside world and to pass through that the heat will switch convection for conduction. With conduction, matter absorbs and transfers heat (eg from one side of the ceiling to the other).

The easier it is for heat to escape, the more you’ll be left cranking up the temperature and wondering why your feet are still cold.

How does insulation work?

Insulation interrupts conduction by introducing a material which conducts heat poorly. If energy struggles to pass through it, more of the heat will remain in the room. And when more heat stays where you want it, you can afford to turn the heating down.

Do suspended ceilings insulate rooms?

Yes. The typical suspended ceiling tile will offer a good degree of insulation. But using additional insulation above your suspended ceiling can have a much greater impact for two reasons. First, because the ceiling is lower than the permanent ceiling above it, it doesn’t get as much space to rise before convection is impeded. Then, the ceiling with insulation above it inhibits thermal conductivity, and with less energy able to pass through, more warm air stays where you want it.

How much energy does suspended ceiling insulation save?

Pound note figures are difficult to establish because it depends on so many factors, from the efficiency of the boiler to the thickness of the insulation. It’s certainly the case, however, that suspended ceiling insulation pays for itself with a year or two in most applications.

For more certainty, let’s look at thermal conductivity – that’s the measure of how materials transmit temperature differences. The lower the rating the better the insulator a material is.

Glass, for example, will have a thermal conductivity rate of around 1W/mK (watts per metre kelvin). It’s not a good insulator (as you’ll know if you’ve ever pressed your nose to a single pane window on a cold day). Plaster is considerably better at around 0.5. A mineral ceiling tile may be as low as 0.06 W/mK. But ceiling insulation is lower still. This loft roll has a thermal conductivity of just 0.044 W/mK.     

Alternatively, we can look at thermal resistance, which is a measure of how well a material resists heat. The better the insulator, the higher the R-value. A double glazed unit of glass might have an R value of around 1.7 m²k/w. Polyethylene foam or loose fill rockwool will provide an R value of around 3. But a 200mm suspended ceiling thermal insulation pad delivers 5.4m²k/w

On even a small scale – a single room or office, these insulating properties can prevent heat loss and lower energy bills. But on a grander scale, across the suspended ceilings of a school, hospital, hotel or office block, the difference can be significant.

Talk to us about cutting the cost of your energy bills, by paying attention to what’s above your head. Order suspended ceiling insulation now or call us on 01253 864902.

Loosing Heat Above Your Suspended Ceiling?

A suspended ceiling can make a big
difference to room temperature. That’s true for every room, but it’s especially
the case in rooms with high ceilings, where there’s lots of space for heat to
drift, leaving the air space warm and the area round your ankles freezing.

 

Just installing a drop ceiling can cut
waste and warm things up. But what if, even after your new ceiling is in place,
things remain a little chilly?

 

How Can Suspended Ceiling Insulation Help?

Stand outside in the cold wearing just
your shirt and you’ll be shivering pretty quickly. Add a jumper and you might
manage to feel warmer for longer. Add a thick coat and you could feel toasty
all day. It’s the same with a room. The more layers of insulation you give it,
the harder it is for heat to escape.

Our range of bagged ceiling insulation
pads sit directly above your suspended ceiling tiles and stop heat escaping from
your room. And with less heat lost, you’ll find yourself turning down the
thermostat, cutting the cost of your energy.

 

Over the course of a year or two, you
can usually find the insulation pads pay for themselves in terms of energy
saved. After that, those savings effectively come for free.

How Easy Are They To Install?

Insulation bags and pads are incredibly simple to install. Each pack is entirely self-contained, so there’s no itchy glass fibre to contend with, and no measuring, cutting or fiddly installation issues. Just remove a ceiling tile to access the ceiling void and place a pad on all the surrounding tiles. Then replace the tile and repeat until every tile has its own pad. You now have a fully insulated ceiling!

 

What Is The Difference In Thickness & Size?

We offer a range of thicknesses and sizes of insulation pads to accommodate different void widths in a ceiling, and to enhance thermal conductivity and heat retention. In our standard thermal range, our pads range from thicknesses of 100mm  – 300mm.

 

To be sure you’re ordering the right size pads, just lift a ceiling tile and measure the space between the tiles and the ceiling above. Then, order your insulation pads for less with us.