Reflective foil insulation: installation mistakes that cost performance
Reflective foil insulation works through an air space and a clean reflective face, not through the foil alone. Most of the performance lost on site comes from a few avoidable installation mistakes.
11 min read
Topic
Insulation
Articles and news about Insulation for Australian builders.
Reflective foil insulation: installation mistakes that cost performance
Reflective foil insulation works through an air space and a clean reflective face, not through the foil alone. Most of the performance lost on site comes from a few avoidable installation mistakes.
11 min read
Thermal imaging on building sites: what it shows and what it does not
A thermal camera shows where surfaces are warmer or cooler than their neighbours, which is a useful clue and a poor verdict. Here is what the picture can support, what it cannot prove and how to pair it with checks a builder can defend.
11 min read
Continuous wall insulation over framing: what builders must get right
A continuous insulation layer only works if it is continuous. The fixings, the joints and the window reveals decide whether the layer does its job or quietly becomes a set of cold bridges under a new cladding.
12 min read
Slab edge insulation detailing for residential builders
The slab edge is one of the weakest points in a residential floor. This article covers the perimeter insulation and its junctions, separate from wall-frame insulation and subfloor ventilation.
10 min read
Insulation installation gaps, compression and poor fits: what actually goes wrong on site
An insulation product only performs as well as its installed condition. Gaps, compression and poor fits are the three faults that undo good product selection, and they are almost always visible before the linings go on.
12 min read
Cool roofs and heat-resilient homes: colour, insulation, ventilation and shade
Heatwaves are Australia’s deadliest natural hazard, and homes that trap heat put occupants at risk and push up cooling bills. The roof is where most summer heat gets in. Here is how to build homes that stay cooler.
7 min read
Insulation for houses: batts, boards and foils, and the gaps that ruin them
Insulation is only as good as its installation. A small percentage of gaps can cut a wall’s performance far more than builders expect. The main insulation types, how they work, and the site details that decide whether the energy rating is real.
7 min read
Airtightness and blower door testing: the quality check more houses are getting
A well-insulated house that leaks air loses much of the benefit. Blower door tests measure how leaky a house is and find where. Here is how testing works and the details that make the difference.
8 min read
7-star homes in NSW: how BASIX thermal and energy targets actually work
NSW does 7-star homes its own way. What BASIX asks of a new house, what changed in October 2023, and the site-level substitutions that quietly break a certificate.
9 min read
Thermal bridging in steel framing: fixes that actually work
A steel frame does not just hold the building up — it moves heat through the envelope wherever it crosses the insulation line. The remedies are detailing decisions, not product choices.
13 min read
NatHERS assessments and what they mean for your build
A NatHERS certificate is a design document, not a formality. It commits you to specific insulation, glazing and sealing outcomes that have to survive contact with the site.
10 min read