Do Suspended Ceilings Help Reduce Energy Costs?

What is a suspended ceilings purpose?

A suspended ceiling is specifically designed to be demountable. This means that you can put in and take out the ceiling tiles as and when you require access above the ceiling. This is particularly helpful when you have services in the ceiling void, such as cables, air con piping and ventilation.

The suspended ceiling system will also cover up old and tired existing ceiling, and block services from view, making the room much more aesthetically pleasing. As well as the above points, a suspended ceiling can help retain heat and noise within a room, and reduce cold air and sound from entering also.

The main features of a suspended ceiling are :-

• They are demountable
• You can replace the tiles
• They retain heat in your room
• They reduce sound escaping your room

What does a suspended ceiling cost?

There are many different types, styles and sizes of suspended ceilings, each with there own price tag. The main thing that effects the price of your suspended ceiling, is the performance in which it needs to achieve.

For example, a ceiling that is purely aesthetic will be of a lower price, where as a specialist ceiling designed for use in medical environments such as X-Ray rooms and on hospital wards, would require high technical performance such as fire ratings, fungal repellent services, and clean air certifications. The extreme of these technical abilities would of course mean that the price tag is drastically higher than that of a standard suspended ceiling system.

Can suspended ceilings be used for both domestic and commercial builds?

Suspended ceilings are universal. They can be used in any setting to cover up an old existing ceiling or to allow access to services above. Suspended ceilings are more commonly found in commercial buildings than domestic, this is usually due to the look that they create and that many people think they look commercial.

The advantages used in commercial settings are transferable to domestic builds as they are a great retainer of heat and sound, which can be particularly helpful in domestic sound proofing situations. You would commonly find that flats and apartments have a suspended ceiling, whether that be a tiled ceiling or an MF ceilings system.

Does a suspended ceiling reduce your energy costs?

The simply answer is yes, a suspended ceiling system will retain heat within your room, and reduce the amount of cold air from outside getting in. They act as a form of thermal barrier, which when installed correctly, can have fantastic energy retaining abilities.

The amount of heat that is retained, would depend on the thickness, density and thermal quality of the ceiling tile you choose. The heat retaining performance Is shown as a Thermal Conductivity rating and many tiles differ hugely in their thermal performance.

As an example lets take a budget, low cost ceiling tiles such as the Armstrong Tatra tile, this tile is 15mm thick and has perforations and fissures across its surface. This tile will retain heat, but not as good as the Armstrong Dune eVo Max tile, which is much thicker and denser.

The result of this is that the thicker and denser the tile is, the better it will be at keeping heat in your room. Opting for thinner and budget grade tiles, would mean a worse energy performance.

For more information on the impact of a suspended ceiling on your energy costs, give our expert team a call on 01253 864902.