Innovation, adaptability and sustainability have been the underpinning drivers for New Zealand company Insulmax. They’re industry leaders, and for good reason- offering New Zealanders an effective, robust and cost-efficient way to insulate the walls of their homes.
Installed in over 5000 homes nationwide to date, the company has seen significant growth as New Zealanders switch on to Insulmax’s unparalleled benefits.
Originally from the UK, Insulmax’s CEO, Phil Jackson quickly noticed how poorly insulated New Zealand homes were.
“There’s a common misconception in New Zealand that fully insulated means floor and ceiling insulation, and everyone just seems to forget about the walls”. The systems, products and technology to easily and effectively insulate walls just weren’t available in New Zealand at the time, “says Jackson.
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Applying his extensive thermal engineering knowledge, he conceived and developed the Insulmax system- a mineral fibre wall insulation process that can be applied to almost any home, moreover the retrofit feature ensures it can be applied without any wall removal or renovations whatsoever.
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Speaking on how Insulmax compares to other insulation processes like double glazing, Jackson makes a salient point, “Double glazing can only add about 4mm of glass and 6mm of air to your windows, which makes only a relatively small reduction in heat loss. Whereas walls have about three times the area of windows and Insulmax can add at least 100mm of insulation which substantially reduces heat loss through walls by about 85%.
Considering that double glazing will cost you three to four times more than wall insulation, insulating your walls is money well spent.” Robust and enduring, Insulmax insulation won’t shrink or settle over time largely thanks to the product being installed at 50% higher density than most conventional segmented fibreglass insulation products, this process contributes to its permanency and significant thermal and acoustic insulation properties.
Founded in 2014, Jackson says there have been a few misconceptions to overcome. Namely, that you can’t insulate every home, including brick. Jackson highlights the technology is commonly applied to brick homes and certified for use throughout the UK including the Outer Hebrides, the coldest, harshest and most unforgiving environment in the UK! Another misconception is that wall insulation won’t amount to significant heat savings - on the contrary, "The benefits are substantial and black and white, Jackson adds. Another myth Jackson says, is that building paper is required for wall insulation, when in fact Insulmax Insulation can be installed with or without building paper present.
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The company’s sustainability model has been fundamental to its consumer appeal. Highlighting this aspect of Insulmax, Jackson says it’s two-fold, "The reduction of heat loss is substantial, so in turn so is the energy consumption.
The other is the process of how we install the product. It involves installing a mineral fibre composed of 84% post-consumer recycled content, that’s a real advantage for consumers. Additionally, you’re not ripping off walls and creating any waste," he says. CFC and HCFC free and classified as zero Ozone Depletion Potential and zero Global Warming Potential, the product constitutes a genuine and environmentally sound option for homeowners.
Additional advantages include the expediency of the insulation process. Where most homes can be installed in a day, with negligible disruption to the homeowner. Jackson comments "Many customers are impressed that they can leave their cold home in the morning and come home that evening to an insulated house."
Insulmax was the first New Zealand insulation company to be awarded CodeMark certification, the highest level of certification in Australia and New Zealand. In lay terms, it demonstrates compliance with the New Zealand Building Code and is used in applications for building consents, which is required for all forms of external wall insulation.
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Jackson highlights, the company has experienced a rapid growth and has quickly established a nationwide group, growing in the region of 100% year on year. The company has witnessed an extraordinary growth in demand and the customer reviews speak for themselves. Amee and Simon are two customers who describe the numerous benefits they’ve experienced since they installed Insulmax in their 1950s brick home.
"When we purchased our house, it was an absolute ice box in winter. We did everything we thought would improve our brick house. We insulated the underfloor, ceiling, installed HRV, installed a fireplace and a heat transfer system. It was still cold. We were at the point of selling our house as we didn’t know what else to do. We had already renovated more than half of our house including the kitchen and bathroom so stripping gib to retro fit insulation was not an option. I saw Insulmax® advertised, I researched the product for weeks, we decided to go ahead and it’s the best thing we ever did. The benefits are incredible- my son has not required hospital visits for croup since installation. We no longer use the dehumidifier at all, our winter power bill has gone from $300 to around $150 a month, we use much less firewood, which is another huge saving, the house is super quiet, and we have no mould on the walls. This was the best thing we have done to our house. We have a healthy home for our young family."
Eight branches nationwide ensure the country is covered, from Northland to Southland. With a fundamental understanding that every home is unique, Insulmax pride themselves on their processes that ensure each house is individually assessed and installed for the optimum insulation solution, ensuring customers are left with the healthiest and warmest home possible.
This content has been produced in partnership with Insulmax.
