When the winter cold comes down on the houses, thermal insulation is essential if you want to enjoy pleasant warmth in your home without seeing the cost of heating rise. In fact, much of the heat used to heat their homes is likely to be lost due to the poor insulation of the walls, ceiling or floor of the house.
For this reason it is essential to adequately insulate the most dispersive points, also through consistent works which, in addition to taking advantage of the current tax deductions, will produce savings in bills over time.
How to choose the thermal insulation
The insulating power of thermal insulating materials is linked to the value of ‘thermal conductivity’ (lambda “λ”); the smaller the value of λ the greater the insulating power of the material. Consequently, to insulate your home well, it is best to choose materials with low thermal conductivity. For the Under floor Insulation Manchester this is the best deal.
A factor to consider is the thickness of the material, generally the greater the thickness the better the insulation will be. Today, however, there are materials capable of insulating with limited thicknesses.
Another factor to consider is the thermal displacement, in other words the time (in hours) used by the heat to pass through a material and consequently reach the interior of the house.
The transpiring power of the material must also be evaluated, i.e. the ‘ vapor diffusion resistance ‘ (mi “µ”); as for the thermal conductivity, the smaller this value is, the more the material is breathable. A breathable material improves the thermal insulation because it reduces the possibility of condensation.
Finally, with equal fundamental characteristics, it is advisable to prefer non-toxic, durable insulators (for example immune from mold or parasites) and fire-resistant.
There are various types of insulating materials: synthetic insulators (polyester, sintered expanded polystyrene (EPS) or extruded, expanded polyurethane, expanded polyethylene, foams, etc.), mineral ones (glass wool, rock wool, the expanded clay, expanded perlite, expanded vermiculite, felts, etc.) and vegetable ones (wood fiber, mineralized wood fiber, cellulose fiber, hemp fiber, flax fiber, cork, etc.).
How to isolate the walls
The most dispersing walls are the perimeter walls that border the external environment; consequently they will be the first to be insulated.
Two methods can be used for the insulation of walls: external coat (inserting the insulation layer on the external walls of the house) and internal coat (insulating panels inserted inside the apartment).
For those who live in a villa or in a detached house, the best way to achieve good insulation is to insert an outer coat; its realization could be more complicated in condominiums, where the owners’ authorization is needed. In these cases, however, the advantages (Ecobonus) are greater, with deductions of up to 75%.
Moreover, the outer coat, even if more expensive than an internal one, allows not reducing the volume of the house, not to disturb the owners during the works, and to prevent mold and condensation.
If insulation of the external walls is not possible, an internal coat can be made by applying insulating panels directly on the internal walls, or by creating insulating walls.