Insulation
Insulation Basics – Calculating R Values
A previous post –introduced R and U values In this post we will demonstrate how to calculate R values. Well it all starts with the thermal conductivity of the building material. The ‘k’ value. This is a measure of how fast…
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Insulation Basics – ‘R’ and ‘U’ Value
R Value R1.5 Batts, R2.0 Batts……. all the way up to R6.0 Batts, but what does it all mean? The R value is a measure of the thermal resistance of the component of the material. In other word how hard…
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Rendered Foam Walls
This addendum was added to an original Post from 2014 as there has been a lot of publicity recently (late February 2019) about foam panels and certification has been removed from certain types of panels. A particular issue for apartment…
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Don’t Forget Curtains!
It’s well known a lot of heat is lost through windows. With single glazing the Thermal Resistance, ‘R’ Value is 0.16. Although they aren’t considered in energy calculations (see this link: Energy Rating) curtains can significantly decrease the heat loss from a…
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What Does The Energy Rating Mean?
The ratings are calculated by a NatHERS (Nationwide Housing Energy Rating Scheme) computer simulation of an individual house design to estimate the thermal comfort. The calculations are based on 69 different ‘Climate Zones” and allows comparison of different properties in the…
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Air Locks
I am away in the UK at the moment. As I have been travelling round I was remembering something I felt was very strange when I first got to Australia. . . . . . It was as soon as you…
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Garage Door Insulation
Most garages are too hot in Summer and too cold in Winter. If you want to use the garage as a workshop . . or even a man cave, it will be much more comfortable if its insulated. Maintaining a…
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Sisalation or Sarking
Sarking is the sheet material which can be put over the roof trusses before the final roof covering is installed. It’s normally standard on a metal roof as it prevents condensation on the underside of a roof from dropping onto the ceiling below….
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Seaweed House
What do you think of this house? Roof look a little unusual? Well the roof, and the walls, are built using seeweed! The seeweed provides a long lasting external surface, which as well as being a natural renewable resource, has…
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Understanding Ceiling Insulation
I frequently see comments like “Ceiling insulation is next to worthless in summer.” I have even heard people say “With a hot roof space it will be overwhelmed.” and “After the sun has gone off it stops the house cooling down.” Here…
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