Tag Archive: Insulation
Insulation Basics – Weather Effects
When you are considering how much heat you will gain in summer, or lose in winter its not just the outside temperature you need to think about. It’s actually the surface temperature of the outside wall, or window as it…
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Insulation Basics – Vapor Barriers
When you are thinking about installing insulation you also need to think about Vapour Barriers. Although I frequently saw mention of vapor barriers in books and articles it was a long time before I understood why there were needed……………. Here…
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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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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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Condensation
Condensation, a minor inconvenience, or a major problem? A little condensation on windows is easily dealt with, . . . . . . but heavy condensation in poorly ventilated corners can lead to mould damaging your walls, ceilings, or even…
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Insulation Basics – Ceiling Insulation
Without effective insulation more heat is lost through the roof than either the walls or floor. There are a range of options for insulating your new home roof with some insulation materials having different effects in summer and winter. Here…
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Reducing External Noise
It’s not always possible to build in a quiet area so there are a number of techniques for reducing noise that you can use in your new home. Here is a quick review of the options: Minimising windows facing…
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Slab Insulation
I have previously posted about the relatively small heat loss from a slab on ground But what if you have got in slab heating, or just want to minimise heat loss/gain from your house? Before Construction This sketch shows the placement of…
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Insulation – Heat loss Suspended Timber Floor
I have previously posted about the Heat Loss from a Slab Floor so how does that compare with a suspended timber, or particle board, floor? Well its not as bad as you might think because the the space under the…
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Insulation – Heat Loss Slab On Ground
Why is there less fuss about insulation under a concrete raft slab than ceilings and walls?…………well here are a few interesting facts: A thick layer of earth provides a reasonable amount of insulation. The soil contributes to the thermal mass of…
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