Frequently Asked Questions

Our aim is to ensure you get the best materials and the best customer service possible. To help us in this aim we have provided some answers to the most frequently asked questions. If you can’t find an answer to your question here, please don’t hesitate to contact us and talk with our professional customer service team.

FAQ - YBS Insulation

Are YBS Insulation materials made in the UK?

YBS products are manufactured in the UK in our purpose built factories.

Are YBS products Agrément certified?

We offer a wide range of products, with market leading brands such as SuperQuilt, BreatherQuilt & ThermaQuilt which hold Agrément certification for the intended applications.

Are YBS products LABC approved?

LABC approval is not a requirement but streamlines the building control process, all certified YBS products are LABC accepted.

Are YBS products NHBC approved?

All products with Agrement certification have NHBC acceptance.

Will all building control bodies accept YBS products?

All YBS products are certified and tested to industry standards when used for their intended use and will be accepted by building control.

What are the benefits of using foil insulation compared to other types of insulation?

Unlike traditional insulation which uses thermal conductivity, Foil Insulation use core thermal resistance and thermal resistance gained via low e cavities

How much insulation do I require for my project?

The amount of insulation required in your application will vary depending on the type of insulation and target u-value, please feel free to contact our customer service team on 01909 721662

What U-value can be achieved using YBS Insulation?

All YBS Insulation products can meet building regulation target u-values, check out our 4 step U-Value calculator.

Where can YBS Insulation products be purchased from?

YBS Insulation products are distributed and sold worldwide, to find your local stockist and best deals available please use our stockists store map.

Do I require any special PPE equipment?

No specific PPE is required when installing YBS Insulation products.

FAQ - U-Value

What is a u-value?

A U value is a measure of heat loss in a building element such as a wall, floor or roof. It can also be referred to as an ‘overall heat transfer co-efficient’ and measures how well parts of a building transfer heat. This means that the higher the U value the worse the thermal performance of the building envelope. A low U value usually indicates high levels of insulation. They are useful as a way of predicting the composite behaviour of an entire building element rather than relying on the properties of individual materials.

Why use a u-value?

U values are important because they form the basis of any energy or carbon reduction standard. In practice, nearly every external building element has to comply with thermal standards that are expressed as a maximum U value. Knowledge of how to simply calculate U values at an early stage in the design process, avoids expensive re-working later on in a project. It allows the designer to test the feasibility of their project at an early stage to ensure it is fit for purpose and will comply with regulatory frameworks.

How do I calculate a u-value

To calculate the U value of a building element such as a wall, floor or roof, we need to know the build-up of that element. Each building material should be positioned properly in sequence. The properties of each element / building material is required to enable us to calculate the overall u-value as accurately as possible.

What is Thermal Resistance (R Value)?

Thermal resistance is a heat property and a measurement of a temperature difference by which an object or material resists a heat flow. Thermal resistance is the reciprocal of thermal conductance.

What is Thermal Conductivity (K Value)?

A measure of the ability of a material to transfer heat. Given two surfaces on either side of the material with a temperature difference between them, the thermal conductivity is the heat energy transferred per unit time and per unit surface area, divided by the temperature difference. It is measured in watts per degree Kelvin.

What is a low e cavity?

A low emissivity (low e or low thermal emissivity) refers to a surface condition that emits low levels of radiant thermal (heat) energy. All materials absorb, reflect and emit radiant energy, but here, the primary concern is a special wavelength interval of radiant energy.

What does emissivity mean?

Emissivity is the value given to materials based on the ratio of heat emitted compared to a blackbody, on a scale from zero to one. A blackbody would have an emissivity of 1 and a perfect reflector would have a value of 0.

What does reflectivity mean?

Reflectivity is inversely related to emissivity and when added together their total should equal 1 for an opaque material. Therefore, if asphalt has a thermal emissivity value of 0.90, its thermal reflectance value would be 0.10. This means that it absorbs and emits 90 percent of radiant thermal energy and reflects only 10 percent. Conversely, a low-e material such as aluminium foil has a thermal emissivity value of 0.03 and a thermal reflectance value of 0.97, meaning it reflects 97 percent of radiant thermal energy and emits only 3 percent. Low-emissivity building materials include window glass manufactured with metal-oxide coatings as well as housewrap materials, reflective thermal insulations and other forms of radiant thermal barriers.

FAQ - Multi-Foil Insulation

How do multi-foils work compared to other traditional materials?

Unlike traditional insulation (PIR or Mineral Fibre) which work by trapping within it structure, multi-foils work by utilising the core thermal resistance and thermal resistance gained from the reflective foil surfaces.

Do multi foils work as a vapour control layer?

SuperQuilt or ThermaQuilt are both insulating vapour control layers when installed in a roof or wall application as the inner most layer, with all overlaps taped and sealed removing the need for an additional VCL.

Are multi foils Breathable?

BreathQuilt is a 2 in 1 insulating breathable multi-foil, which works by allowing moisture within the construction to pass freely, removing the need for an additional breathable membrane.

What are multi-foils equivalent to in Mineral Fibre?

SuperQuilt – Roof 110mm, wall (25mm batten) 100mm & floor 195mm
ThermaQuilt – Roof 80mm, wall 90mm & floor 140mm
BreatherQuilt – Roof 75mm

What thickness are YBS Multi-Foils available in?

SuperQuilt – 40mm
ThermaQuilt – 32mm
BreatherQuilt – 40mm

Are YBS Multi-Foils Agrément certified?

We offer a range Multi-Foils which are Agrément certified and meet industry standards.

Are YBS Multi-Foils NHBC approved?

Yes all YBS Multi-Foils are NHBC approved.

Will all building control bodies approve YBS Multifoils?

Yes, all YBS multi-foils are Agrément certified and LABC accepted.

Where can YBS Insulation products be purchased from?

YBS Insulation products are distributed and sold worldwide, to find your local stockist and best deals available please use our stockists store map.

FAQ - Foil Membranes

How do foil membranes work compared to other traditional materials?

Unlike traditional insulation (PIR or Mineral Fibre) which work by trapping within it structure, foil membranes work by utilising the core thermal resistance and thermal resistance gained from the reflective foil surfaces.

Do foil membranes work as a vapour control layer?

YBS Foiltec and Airtec are both insulating vapour control layers when installed in a roof or wall application as the innermost layer, with all overlaps taped and sealed removing the need for an additional VCL.

Are YBS foil membranes Agrément certified?

Yes, Foiltec and Breather-Foil FR are Agrément certified and meet industry standards.

Are YBS foil membranes NHBC approved?

Yes, Foiltec and Breather-Foil FR are NHBC approved.

Will all building control bodies approve YBS foil membranes?

Yes, Foiltec and Breather-Foil FR are Agrément certified and LABC accepted.

Where can YBS Insulation products be purchased from?

YBS Insulation products are distributed and sold worldwide, to find your local stockist and best deals available please use our stockists store map.

FAQ - Cavity Closers

What size widths are YBS cavity closers available in?

Cavity closers (Easi-Close) are available in two profiles (50mm to 100mm and 100mm to 150mm) and can be cut to fit various size cavities removing the need to order or stock specific sized cavity closers.

Do YBS cavity closers meet building regulations minimum thermal resistance path?

Yes, all YBS Cavity closer meet the minimum thermal resistance path required by building regulation.

Are YBS cavity closers Agrément certified?

All YBS cavity closers are Agrément certified and meet industry standards.

Are YBS cavity closers NHBC approved?

Yes all YBS cavity closers are NHBC approved.

Do I require any special PPE equipment?

No specific PPE is required when installing YBS cavity closers.

YBS Insulation at a glance

YBS Insulation

26

Years Manufacturing Insulation

Over

2,000,000

Metres of insulation manufactured per year

More than

2500

Global Stockists

of our products