# Forum Home Renovation Heating & Cooling  Cheapest ceiling insulation

## Uncle Bob

G'day guys. I need to insulate the ceiling in my new joint at Canberra.
I was thinking of using fibreglass batts, though those polyester jobs look a lot nicer to install ( itchies lol). What would you suggest? Bang for the buck? 
Also where would be the cheapest place to purchase them from?
(Bob looks at Oldboss  :Smilie:  )

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## sundancewfs

The polybatts are nicer to use, but they still shed fibres so suiting up is a good idea.  I thought I'd just nip under the house and hang a few up in my normal clothes anyway.... eye protection is a must as the fibres end up on you eyeballs and irritate!
having said that, I installed R5 Insulco  fibregalss batts in the ceiling and R2 Tontine poly batts under the floor, so that could account for why I got poly fibre all over me! Either way decent dispoable coveralls, gloves, googles and a respirator goes along way to making either style of batt installation a more comfortable experience.

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## Bloss

As sundancewfs said. Fibreglass batts are generally cheapest (use disposable overalls, gloves, goggles & masks to install - even so you will itch!  :Wink 1:  
Look around for specials. Bunnings usually have one on every month or so and others do too in their catalogues. But watch for R-Value vs coverage - R4 & above usually have 10 batts while below have 16 to a pack. In ACT you need minimum R3.5 - perferable R4 or R5 if you can afford it. I've just taken my ceiling to >R6 with a new layer of batts. Very cost effective in Canberra winters with energy prices rising and good to make the daytime heat less of a worry in the one or two weeks that pass for a Canberra summer.  :2thumbsup:

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## tricky4000

Definitely Bunnie's for the best prices on batts.  Old bloss is right, fibreglass is cheapest for what you get...but comes at a cost.  You only do it once though, so fibreglass insulation is fine.

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## GraemeCook

> As sundancewfs said. Fibreglass batts are generally cheapest (use disposable overalls, gloves, goggles & masks to install - even so you will itch!  
> Look around for specials. Bunnings usually have one on every month or so and others do too in their catalogues. But watch for R-Value vs coverage - R4 & above usually have 10 batts while below have 16 to a pack. In ACT you need minimum R3.5 - *perferable R4 or R5 if you can afford it*. I've just taken my ceiling to >R6 with a new layer of batts. Very cost effective in Canberra winters with energy prices rising and good to make the daytime heat less of a worry in the one or two weeks that pass for a Canberra summer.

  Smart guy, this OldBoss, except more insulation saves you money in the longer run.   Insulation costs fluctuate significantly so you have to watch the market and time your purchase. 
Cheers 
Graeme

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## Nifty1

Graeme, what's the story with the price fluctuations? Is it seasonal, or just discounting from time to time by the hardware chains? I think I'll be looking for R4 or more after reading comments from you, Oldbloss and others.

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## GraemeCook

> Graeme, what's the story with the price fluctuations? Is it seasonal, or just discounting from time to time by the hardware chains? I think I'll be looking for R4 or more after reading comments from you, Oldbloss and others.

  Not sure, Nifty, seems to be a mixture of both.  For example, no one discounts in Tasmania in early winter! 
Graeme

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## Bloss

Only really observed in the ACT region and there it is a little seasonal (late summer/ very early autumn specials focussing on the coming winter & spring for summer heat), but seems more to do with the retail cycles - end of month & quarterly sales targets. The manufacturers are subject to the same cycles and would be offering better wholesale pricing to their retailers depending on stocks of particular R-values. 
No doubt will vary by region of course dictated by climate and competition level - the ACT has Magnet Mart as well as Bunnings as larger stores and Just-Rite insulation is local mob that also tends to be competitive. Buying power of the large chains makes them hard to beat especially of they go hard as a loss leader (which Bunnings does regularly). Annoying when one buys then sees the 'cattledog' with a cheaper price just after you've bought!  :Cry:  Pays not to set artificial deadlines - watch prices over a few weeks at least and buy at the lowest.  :2thumbsup:  
BTW - Sometimes the smaller places (and others) do supply & install deals that are well worth it. If you have the time and the ability to DIY then that's fine, but for the last lot I had installed the extra cost was around $200 - for a 23 square roof - I just wouldn't be bothered at that rate. So it's worth asking for an install price too.

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## Williamstown

Is there existing insullation in the property?  If not, there is a government rebate of upto 30% you can claim.  I did the same thing a few months ago (searched for the cheapest prices), then i found out about the rebate and had it installed for 20% cheaper then i could have if i installed myself.  As someone already said, generally you can get a better prices if they supply and install.

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## Bloss

> Is there existing insullation in the property?  If not, there is a government rebate of upto 30% you can claim.

  Should have mentioned that - have in other posts.  :Frown:   Not 30% in the ACT - but you can get a rebate of up to 25% - MUST get an energy audit done first. See: http://www.heat.net.au/home-energy-audits.html. Process is you arrange an audit, they come around do the audit, you pay $30 and they send you a report. Then you can spend on doing what the audit recommends (note: within 6mths), including insulation and then claim a rebate on up to a maximum $2000 of the costs (but you have to spend at least $2K) and they give you the rebate (up to $500) and the audit fee back ($30). Good value.  :2thumbsup:

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## Uncle Bob

Cool. Thanks for that tidbit of info Oldbloss.
Edit: on reading the link above, you must spend at least $2000 to claim the rebate. Bugger, wasn't planning on spending that much, I would be skinned and boiled alive (my missues is a cannibal when it comes to money  :Frown:  ).

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## Bloss

Way around that - you can include such things as upgrading with sun-block heavy curtains, pelmets  and other 'girly' stuff. So order up the stuff you want and top up with some new gear for SWMBO.  :Biggrin:   :2thumbsup:  
Of course ya still have to spend the two grand!  :Frown:  But as an investment you can't get near it - a tax free rebate of 25% on $2K - huge!  :brava:   If you haven't got the dosh then you haven't, but if you have the cash then on pure money grounds it can't be beaten!  
And this is for purchasing items that will generally not depreciate, but will bring expenditure savings for years (and increasingly so as energy costs rise) and which you planned on buying anyway! No brainer!  :2thumbsup:

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## Uncle Bob

> Way around that - you can include such things as upgrading with sun-block heavy curtains, pelmets  and other 'girly' stuff. So order up the stuff you want and top up with some new gear for SWMBO.

  That might work, a bit like reverse psychology  :Wink:     

> purchasing items that will generally not depreciate, but will bring expenditure savings for years (and increasingly so as energy costs rise) and which you planned on buying anyway!

  Yeah, it's gotta be a good idea.    

> No brainer!

  Hey, don't call me what I am lol  :Smilie:

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## TJAY

> I've just taken my ceiling to >R6 with a new layer of batts. Very cost effective in Canberra winters with energy prices rising and good to make the daytime heat less of a worry in the one or two weeks that pass for a Canberra summer.

  When we moved in we had nothing, so I got up in the roof and put R3.5 Insulco Fatbatts up there - if I put another lot on top to make R6, will it really make that much of a difference? It's a solid double brick house, with floorboards (no floor insulation, and you can't get under there to put any in).

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## Bloss

> When we moved in we had nothing, so I got up in the roof and put R3.5 Insulco Fatbatts up there - if I put another lot on top to make R6, will it really make that much of a difference? It's a solid double brick house, with floorboards (no floor insulation, and you can't get under there to put any in).

  Simple answer is yes although look at the cost and then see if getting cavity insulation or doing other things would be more effective at the same or lower cost. You would get an improvement even if you added R2 batts - so a much reduced cost if you DIY. In colder parts of Oz Australia the cost/ value equation hits a balance at around R-5 to R-6 and once you have a reasonable ceiling amount (R.3.5-R-4) then the percentage losses are generally then greatest through walls/ windows and various gaps. I have friends living in cold northern Germany whose house uses no heating at all - the ratings are different, but their whole building is the equivalent of R-13 here and includes triple glazed windows, automatic closing and opening external shutters and insulation in the ceiling and walls that is around 300mm thick. 
People love bare floorboards and in Mediterranean or tropical climates (Sydney Perth Brisbane etc) they are fine. In more cold to temperate climates with wide average temperature variations like Melbourne (or Canberra to some extent) carpet or an extra layer of timber flooring or tiles will improve the R-value and the liveability - 'comfort feel'. Read the links in the posts above for more info.

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