Bradford disproves the myth that insulation causes a summer hotbox

Want to insulate against winter but worried about living in a hot box come summer? Bradford proves you don’t need to worry about that old myth.

CSR Bradford demonstrates the effectiveness of bulk and reflective insulation in hot climates, proving the home "hotbox" theory wrong once and for all. Insulation is an effective method to make your home more comfortable, healthier and energy efficient year round.

On a hot summer day in early 2016, the team from CSR Bradford headed out to Wetherill Park in Sydney’s west with our building scientist, Jesse Clarke, to test a hypothesis. What effect would different insulation types have on a bucket of ice in a hot box?

Three identically sized boxes reflecting standard construction methods were built, with each box featuring a different method of insulation.

• Box 1: No insulation.
• Box 2: Bradford Thermoseal Wall Wrap reflective foil membrane
• Box 3:  Bradford Gold R2.5 Wall segments.

The uninsulated box had the most dramatic increase in temperature, correlating to the increased rate of melting ice. The box insulated with Bradford Gold Wall segments had the slowest rate of temperature increase, proving how effective bulk glasswool insulation is in reducing heat flow. Bradford Thermoseal wall wrap also outperformed the uninsulated box.

What does this mean for your home? It means that with insulation in your walls and roof, in summer less heat is absorbed into the home so you will stay cooler and be less reliant on air-conditioning; and in winter, insulation helps reduce heat loss ensuring your heater doesn’t need to work as hard to keep you comfortable.

Read the full article on CSR Building Knowledge.