The Coziness of an Energy Efficient Home
Human kind is always looking for new ways to feel comfortable at home. When the present condition of house components are outdated and lose energy, repairs will be in order. A great benefit of a well insulated home is to save money and provide comfort; some insulation choices depend on the climate and how a home is constructed. According to the Department of Energy, 44% of the energy used in the average American home goes toward heating and cooling. If the attic, walls and floors around the house are under-insulate, it is necessary to revaluate the R-value of the insulation. “R-value means the resistance to heat flow. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation” (DOE, 2012). Because residential houses lose most of their energy from improper insulation, the best solutions would be replacing it with suitable insulation to avoid thermal bridging, collecting moisture, and R-value reduction.
Some professionals may say that heat losses can occur through thermal bridging. “Thermal bridging occurs when a material with lower thermal resistance allows the heat to by-pass the insulation”(Branz). A simple example of this theory is a timber-stud for framing, which has a lower thermal resistance than insulation; air will be flowing mainly through the framing rather than through the insulation in the spaces between. Through time some types of insulation lose their R-value and even best insulation material can be ineffective if it not the right value to insulate the area. Professionals recommend that is crucial to place insulation in the proper way to cover spaces because a gap of only 1/8 of an inch can reduce the R-value of that section by 40%(Branz). It’s important how well the insulation is fitted, because heat can easily escape through small gaps. Everything is relative, especially when it comes to thermal bridging, because thermal bridging occurs wherever assembly components with low R-values relative to...
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