Insulation
How does External Wall Insulation work?
Bricks and concrete are very good a keeping house strong and upright, but they tend not to be very good at keeping heat in. This was not so much of a problem in the past but in these days of environmental awareness and fluctuating energy prices, we all have to take steps to make our homes more energy efficient.
Once you decide that you need to insulate your walls you have a choice between internal, cavity and external insulation.
We focus on external thermal insulation, because we believe it is technically the best system on the market. Simply put external insulation is just like putting a warming blanket around your home. We encase the outside of your property in a layer of insulation and finish it with your choice of colour and finish.
The reason for doing this is to stop the 35%- 45% of your heating bill that are lost via the walls. By insulating the walls (decreasing the U-Value) you can trap all that heat in the walls. Trapping all that heat means you can cut your heating bills and play your part in saving the environment. Estimates by the British Energy Saving Trust suggest a saving of over 2 tonnes of carbon dioxide for a standard 3 bed semi detached house.
To insulate your home we attach a few layers to the outside of your house. We first attach a layer of insulation. This can vary from expanded polystyrene to rockwool depending on the requirements. The insulation typically is fixed to the wall both chemically and mechanically (I.E. glued and bolted) to the wall. To protect the insulation from the effects of weathering we seal the outside with a layer of cement over which a new decorative finish is attached. The finish can range from a fresh cement coloured render, to wet or dry dash or even brick!
We are an approved supplier of Weber External Insulationin Ireland, We are approved by NSAI,
Payback for external insulation
We are often asked about the payback periods for external wall insulation. This is difficult since the cost of insulation depends upon the size of the building, It is difficult to calculate average payback periods for solid wall insulation precisely, since the cost of insulation depends upon the size of the building, the energy savings resulting from the insulation (and the cost of energy), the level of insulation applied, the presence of other kinds of insulation already in the property and the availability of grants.
Plus there have been a lot of talk about CO2 taxes on private dwellings that would also have a huge impact.
Quoted payback times are averages and in reality they vary from 3-4 years for a simple installation (for example replacing worn render with an insulated render system) up to 20 years for more extensive installations (such as an expensive brick slip system to match masonry buildings). .
The absolute costs and payback period are also misleading in that solid wall insulation often provides benefits besides better U-values and these tend not to be factored in. For example, external wall Insulation also weatherproofs the property, enhances sound proofing, provides air tightness, elimanates moulds and revitalizes the appearance by covering worn render and masonry. A lot of people are also attracted by never again having to paint their home.
The benefits of External Insulation include:
- Removing thermal bridges (cold spots)
- Helping to reduce internal condensation
- Reducing damp penetration
- Helping to reduce internal mould growth
- Beneficial impact to occupants health
- Revamping old looking walls of a building or walls which need repair
To insulate a building externally, we fix 100 mm of EPS (expanded polystyrene) covered with a weatherproof layer.
We apply the EPS to areas where there are severe heating problems, or the exterior of the building requires some form of repair work, providing the opportunity to add insulation.
- EPS contains no CFCs, HCFCs, HFCs or formaldehyde.
- EPS is inert, non-nutritive and highly stable, and therefore will not decompose, decay or produce undesirable gases or leachates.
- EPS is recyclable and safe for WTE systems and landfills.
- EPS is 100% recyclable and we encourage you to support recycling and energy conservation in your area
The render coat (plaster) is available in a wide range of finishes to suit a variety of building styles.
The insulation process we use is suitable for any wall and easily achieves the building regulations U-value compliance for new-build requirements. The systems available have been certified by the NSAI.
As we apply insulation externally, this does not affect the size of the floor area of a dwelling, and occupants do not need to vacate the premises during this procedure.
The constraints of External Insulation are:
- Problems with rising damp need to be addressed before the installation of external insulation
- A weather-tight seal around openings that has been formed using Mastics or Sealants will need to be checked periodically
- External insulation on terraced housing can be visually obtrusive if the whole row of houses is not to be treated.
- In some cases planning permission may be needed before installation.