Home insulation: those words normally conjure images of fibreglass bales and roof cavities. But the fact is, you can insulate your home in many different ways. Now that we are coming into the cooler months of the year, you’re probably starting to wonder what you can do to ease the strain on your heaters. Our advice: look at insulated carpet types. Carpet can make a big difference in the thermal insulation qualities of your home. And if your home is better insulated, you get two excellent advantages. Firstly, you get better comfort underfoot so those cold winter mornings are a little less harsh. Secondly, you get better energy efficiency and a leaner power bill. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the thermal properties of insulated carpet types.
There are plenty of insulated carpet types available, because all carpets are great insulators
To start off with, it’s worth looking at all carpet types as insulated. In most cases, it’s not actually the type of carpet that carries the great insulating properties – it’s the thickness. The insulated carpet types that will keep you warmest are the carpets that are the thickest. To put that in perspective, let’s have a look at the actual thermal properties of carpet. Insulation is also known as thermal resistance. And thermal resistance is measured according to an R-value. Just 1cm of carpet has an R-value of 0.18m 2 K/W. Compare that with concrete’s R-value of 0.07m 2 K/W and you’ll see that carpet is an exceptionally good insulator. It’s almost as good as the fibreglass in your ceiling, which has an R-value of 0.22 m 2 K/W.
So how can you choose the best insulated carpet types for those really cold winter days?
It’s handy to know just how good carpet is as an insulator. But that doesn’t necessarily make your decision any easier. To help narrow down your options, we have a simple rule of thumb: thicker carpets are the best insulated carpet types. That means that if you’re looking to make the most of your carpet’s thermal properties, all you need to do is choose the thickest! And the experts at your local carpet shop can help you with that.
Insulated carpet types: think about cold weather insulation versus warm weather insulation
Before you reach for the thickest carpet in the store, take some time to think about the climate in six months. Once winter has passed and summer has well and truly set in, are you still going to want the thickest carpet you can find? Here in Queensland, warm weather is never too far away. So choosing excessively thick carpets can sometimes be a little uncomfortable when summer rolls around. It’s worth keeping that in mind when you choose insulated carpet types.
If you want really warm and extensively insulated carpet types, think about an underlay
On the other hand, you might live somewhere that has more cold weather than hot. Or you may just have an extreme aversion to the cold! If that sounds like you, there is one thing that can make the thickest carpets even warmer still: an underlay. This is effectively a layer beneath the carpet, which acts as an addition insulator.
If you want your carpet to be comfortable underfoot all year around, look at a shorter cut pile
In most cases, though, an all-rounder is best. And generally, shorter cut piles are good all-rounders. Most shorter cut piles still have all the insulation you need to brave the winter mornings without an extra pair of socks. But they still maintain a comfortable feel in the hotter parts of summer as well. All you need to do is weigh up your own needs and choose accordingly!
For more great insulated carpet types and advice, contact us today.
