Why Insulate | About Insulation | What is Insulation
Although here in Ireland our climate is usually fairly mild, the wind and dampness causes a high level of heat loss from our buildings. A glance at the diagram on the right shows how much of the heat we pump into the buildings is lost.
An uninsulated building is an enormous drain of heat, and the heating bills paid on it are essentially money down the drain.
Insulation is something which any owner of a residential or commercial building cannot afford to ignore. Whether your motivations are saving the planet, or simply saving your pocket, there are many important benefits.
- Enormously reductions in heating bills - up to 40% in an average house
- Reductions in carbon emissions
- Pleasant internal atmosphere - the building is warmer in winter and stays cooler in summer
- Increased value of your home
- Compliance with Building Energy Ratings
The assessment is a comprehensive assessment which takes into account the insulation properties of all the building elements, solar gains, ventilation losses, thermal bridging, heating system efficiency etc. Once carried out, the certificate you receive is valid for 10 years.
The rating scale is very much like that of domestic electrical goods, with A being a low or passive energy house, and G being an extremely energy-inefficient building.
Evidence shows already that properties with good energy ratings are more desirable for both the sales and rental markets.