There are many factors to consider when deciding which floor covering is right for your home, such as design, cost, and durability. An often overlooked feature of floor coverings is how well they insulate your home against the elements. With temperatures dropping and energy costs on the rise, home insulation is more important than ever. More so than any other flooring option, carpet provides excellent insulation against the winter climate by preventing heat loss in the room overall and by keeping the air at feet-level warmer.

The Science

Insulation and heat conduction go hand in hand, and the combination of the poor heat conduction of carpet fibres and the poor heat conduction of the air that’s trapped in the surface pile of carpet means that carpet is the perfect insulator. In this way, the carpet and carpet underlay work together to create a barrier of air to keep heat inside, keeping both the air at feet-level and the room itself warmer. For the homeowner, this translates into a smaller temperature differential between the head and the feet, leading to greater comfort and a warmer room temperature.

Factors like pile length and carpet thickness directly correlate with the insulation benefit and amount saved on heating costs. Longer pile such as Plush, Frieze, and Multi-level Loop (pictured below) provide a greater insulation benefit than shorter pile, such as Level Loop and Sisal/Cord.

A Comparison to Hardwood

When compared to other floor covering options such as timber or vinyl, the insulation benefit of carpet can be up to 10 times higher and is comparable to fibreglass insulation. This is because without carpet’s underlay, pile effect, and low thermal conduction of air trapped in the pile, there is no insulation buffer between the heat inside the room and the cooler area below the floor.

Speak to one of our friendly sales consultants at your local Andersens store for more professional advice on the insulation benefits of carpet.