Lesson Two: Insulation, Energy Leakage and Drafts
Where do you start with insulation?
Insulation is like putting a blanket on yourself, it helps keep you warm and best practice is to have continuous insulation so to not create any thermal bridges. We know many Kiwi homes have little to no insulation, old styles of housing such as villas rarely have any insulation and the newer ones do, but generally only in between studs in the floor and roof.
If we could create an insulation wish list (if such thing exists) we would ask for continuous external insulation – basically a big warm blanket wrapped around the outside of our house. This method is a smarter way to insulate as it stops thermal bridges and creates a healthier home that is warmer, dryer and more comfortable to live in.
What can you do if you live in a villa?
So, you have a beautiful (old) villa that looks the part, but it has zero insulation?
Here are a few things you can do:
- FLOOR – invest in underfloor insulation, which is installed under the floor beams, another vapor permeable membrane should be added with this which will ensure you don’t have moisture, allowing the ‘house sweat’ to escape.
- WALLS – there are options, either in between the studs or applied continuously to the outside (preferred). The latter option means your weatherboards stay in place, the membrane is applied to prevent water getting inside the house, followed by the insulation and framing which holds the exterior weatherboards.
- ROOF – again the preferred option is to insulate the outside. Many Kiwi homes have a steel roof, so adding an insulation layer outside of that is a good idea – this also allows you to have a usable attic!
Why aren’t our homes insulated?
It’s not always a case of our homes not being insulated, but more so a case of what standard of insulation. The Healthy Homes Standard mandate that underfloor and ceiling insulation must be installed in a home, and in 2021 similar mandates will come into effect around heat pumps or heaters in the home.
If my home is insulated why is it still cold?
We know we can stop warm air escaping through the roof and the floor with insulation, but what about the walls? With no insulation in the walls thermal bridges are created and heat that would otherwise be contained gets sucked out of the walls. And while walls generally have a good R Value (amount of energy that goes through a thing ie. wall, window, door), windows do not. Therefore, as soon as the air hits the window (or an uninsulated wall) it is lost – this is known as energy leakage.
What can I do to reduce energy leakage?
The best way to reduce energy leakage is to identify where the energy (heat) is being lost and find a solution to reduce the amount that is escaping. A blower door test is a method used by building specialists to identify exactly where the air is escaping from – specific bedrooms, holes or no insulation in walls, low performing windows etc.
To block drafts in the house you can use draft stoppers or install foam strips to seal the door ensuring the air doesn’t leak out. If you can increase the R Value (amount of energy that goes through a thing) and make sure air isn’t escaping through a nearby gap you will help reduce air leakage and drafts in your home.
Fun fact: energy leakage also occurs in power points in your walls – but don’t worry about these too much, spend time on the bigger picture!
Is trapping heat causing moisture in your home?
Your house needs to breathe, just like you. But not through the gaps we have discussed. We need to ensure our home has adequate ventilation, which does not mean just opening the window. Sure, you can ventilate this way but it’s not as good as a mechanical option and you will be cold in winter!
Mechanical ventilation – think bathroom or kitchen fans. If these aren’t already installed in your house, you can purchase a cheap fan for your bathroom or kitchen to ensure you are removing that moisture.
TIP: Turn your bathroom fan on while showering and leave on for 30-60mins afterwards, this will continue to remove and draw out all the moisture.
You can heat your home well, but unless you insulate properly it is like sleeping with a blanket only covering your legs. Locate where energy leakage is occurring and try increase the R Value – use draft stoppers or seals to minimize loss through doors and windows. Or if you want the ultimate answer to insulation – aim for continuous external insulation.
Somo la pili: Insulation, nishati Leakage na Draft wapi kuanza na insulation? Insulation ni kama kuweka blanketi juu yako mwenyewe, inasaidia kuweka joto na mazoezi bora ni kuwa na insulation kuendelea ili si kuunda madaraja yoyote ya joto. Nyumba nyingi za Kiwi zina insulation kidogo au hakuna, mitindo ya zamani ya makazi kama vile villas mara chache kuwa na insulation yoyote na wale wapya kufanya, lakini kwa ujumla tu kati ya studs katika sakafu na paa. Kama tunaweza kuunda orodha ya matakwa ya insulation (kama kitu kama hicho ipo) tungependa insulation ya nje ya kuendelea <unk> kimsingi blanket kubwa ya joto iliyozungukwa nje ya nyumba yetu. Njia hii ni njia ya busara ya kutenganisha, kwa sababu inazuia madaraja ya joto na kuunda nyumba yenye afya ambayo ni ya joto, kavu na ya starehe zaidi ya kuishi. Unaweza kufanya nini ikiwa unaishi katika nyumba ya kifahari? Kwa hiyo, una villa nzuri (ya zamani) ambayo inaonekana sehemu, lakini ina zero insulation? Hapa ni mambo machache unaweza kufanya: - sakafu - kuwekeza katika insulation underfloor, ambayo ni imewekwa chini ya sakafu beams, nyingine mvuke permeable utando lazima kuongezwa na hii ambayo itahakikisha huna unyevu, kuruhusu 'nyumba jasho' kutoroka. - WALLS <unk> kuna chaguzi, ama katika kati ya studs au kutumika kuendelea nje (kupendelea). Chaguo la mwisho linamaanisha kwamba ubao wako wa hali ya hewa unabaki mahali pake, utando hutumiwa kuzuia maji kuingia ndani ya nyumba, ikifuatiwa na kutengwa na muundo ambao unashikilia ubao wa hali ya hewa wa nje. - ROOF <unk> tena chaguo preferred ni kutenganisha nje. Nyumba nyingi za Kiwi zina paa la chuma, kwa hiyo kuongeza tabaka la kutenganisha nje ya hiyo ni wazo nzuri <unk> hii pia inakuwezesha kuwa na ghorofa ya juu inayoweza kutumika! Kwa nini nyumba zetu hazijatengenezwa kwa njia ya kujitenga? Si mara zote kesi ya nyumba zetu si kuwa insulated, lakini zaidi hivyo kesi ya nini kiwango cha insulation. Kwa mujibu wa sheria ya Usalama wa Nyumba, insulation ya sakafu na dari lazima iwe ndani ya nyumba, na katika 2021 amri kama hizo zitaanza kutumika karibu na pampu za joto au vifaa vya joto nyumbani. Ikiwa nyumba yangu imefungwa kwa insulation kwa nini bado ni baridi? Unaweza kuzuia hewa ya joto kutoka kwenye paa na sakafu kwa insulation, lakini vipi kwa kuta? Bila insulation katika kuta thermal madaraja ni kuundwa na joto ambayo ingekuwa vinginevyo ni zilizomo anapata sucked nje ya kuta. Kwa mfano, ukuta wa R una thamani ya R, ambayo ni kiasi cha nishati inayopitia kitu. Wall, dirisha, mlango, au jengo la nje, hakuna nafasi ya kuingilia. Kwa hiyo, mara tu hewa inapogonga dirisha (au ukuta usio na insulation) inapotea <unk> hii inajulikana kama uvujaji wa nishati. Ninaweza kufanya nini ili kupunguza uvujaji wa nishati? Njia bora ya kupunguza uvujaji wa nishati ni kutambua ambapo nishati (joto) ni kupotea na kupata suluhisho la kupunguza kiasi kwamba ni kutoroka. Blower mlango mtihani ni mbinu kutumika na wajenzi wataalamu kutambua hasa ambapo hewa ni kutoroka kutoka vyumba maalum, mashimo au hakuna insulation katika kuta, chini ya kufanya madirisha, na kadhalika. Ili kuzuia drafts katika nyumba unaweza kutumia draught stopper au kufunga vipande foam kufunga mlango kuhakikisha hewa haina kuvuja nje. Kama unaweza kuongeza R Thamani (kiasi cha nishati ambayo huenda kwa njia ya kitu) na kuhakikisha hewa si kutoroka kwa njia ya pengo karibu wewe kusaidia kupunguza uvujaji hewa na drafts katika nyumba yako. Fun ukweli: nishati uvujaji pia hutokea katika pointi nguvu katika kuta yako <unk> lakini si wasiwasi kuhusu hizi sana, kutumia muda juu ya picha kubwa! Je, joto linalotunzwa na joto linaweza kusababisha unyevu nyumbani? Nyumba yako inahitaji kupumua, kama wewe. Lakini si kupitia mapungufu ambayo tumezungumzia. Ili kuhakikisha kuwa nyumba yako ina hewa ya kutosha, ni muhimu kufungua madirisha. Bila shaka, unaweza hewa njia hii lakini si nzuri kama chaguo mitambo na utakuwa baridi katika majira ya baridi! Uingizaji hewa wa mitambo <unk> fikiria mashabiki wa bafuni au jikoni. Kama hizi si tayari imewekwa katika nyumba yako, unaweza kununua shabiki nafuu kwa ajili ya bafuni yako au jikoni ili kuhakikisha wewe ni kuondoa unyevu kwamba. Weka kipepeo cha bafuni wakati wa kuoga na uache kwa dakika 30-60 baada ya kuoga, hii itaendelea kuondoa na kuvuta unyevu wote. Unaweza kupasha joto nyumba yako vizuri, lakini isipokuwa uondoe vizuri ni kama kulala na blanketi inayofunika miguu yako tu. Kupata ambapo uvujaji wa nishati ni kutokea na kujaribu kuongeza R Thamani <unk> kutumia draft stopper au seals kupunguza hasara kupitia milango na madirisha. Au kama unataka jibu la mwisho kwa insulation <unk> lengo kwa ajili ya insulation ya nje ya kuendelea.