Specialists involved in insulating residential premises note that even simple but knowledgeable actions for self-insulation of a house can easily add warmth to the house to a comfortable level. Experts in the field of home heat preservation kindly shared with AdmiGram.com a few useful tricks.
So, if you are interested in questions like how to preserve warmth and reduce heating expenses in your home, how not to freeze in severe cold winters, and how to properly organize home insulation, read our experts’ advice below. This is all you need to know to avoid freezing on cold winter nights.
Insulating house: eliminating cold in the apartment
Finding sources of cold in the house
The first step is to use a thermal imager to identify where the sources of cold are in the house. Calling a specialist with a device indicating ‘cold spots’ costs money, but on the other hand, you’ll save a lot, as you won’t be engaging in insulation without a purpose or changing old, thermally efficient windows for entirely unnecessary new ones.
An inspection will also point out defects in the heating system, reveal so-called ‘cold bridges’ on walls, help determine if entrance doors are well installed, and whether windows let drafts in, and so on. Only after a thorough examination of your house or apartment will it become clear where the heat is escaping and what measures need to be taken to retain it.
Dealing with heating
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The minimum program involves installing reflective panels behind the radiators. They redirect heat back into the room that would otherwise escape to the external walls of the apartment. You can make screens yourself from thin foam or expanded polyethylene, around 0.1 inches (2-3 millimeters) thick. Prepared panels are covered with foil facing the radiator and are directly fixed to the wall behind it.
The maximum program includes expanding or replacing radiators. To properly heat a room, it’s crucial to correctly determine the number of sections required for the radiator. It’s considered that for every 10 square feet (1 square meter) of space, you need 100 Watts of heat. An approximate heat output of a modern bimetallic radiator is 200 Watts.
Dealing with windows
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Windows might be the weakest link. Statistics suggest that up to 25% of heat loss can occur through poor-quality, worn, or improperly installed constructions. The minimum program involves replacing sealing rubber or the windowpane. The former comes at a nominal cost, while the latter is significantly more expensive. However, instead of regular glass, you can opt for low-emissivity glass, onto which a thin layer of metal oxide is applied to enhance thermal insulation.
The maximum program involves window replacement. The most critical aspect of window replacement is choosing the right installation company because even the highest quality and perfectly matched window can lose its properties if installed incorrectly. It’s advisable to invite surveyors from three or four organizations and then choose the best option. Attention: installers are aware of the possibility of replacing only the glass, but they often dismantle good frames. An honest and knowledgeable installer from a reputable company will definitely inform you that only the glass can be replaced, leaving the frame intact.
Dealing with the balcony
The minimum program involves glazing if it hasn’t been done yet! The maximum program includes insulation. The simplest solution is to use foam polystyrene on the floor, ceiling, side walls, and parapet. The wall between the room and the balcony isn’t insulated. On top, a layer of thermal insulation is covered with drywall, plywood, or another suitable material.
If the balcony or loggia size permits, this space can easily be transformed into an office or a living room. However, additional heating will be necessary for this purpose. The easiest and most accessible option is to install an electric convector. It operates silently, requires no maintenance, and, importantly, is compact.
Dealing with the walls
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The minimum program involves sealing all possible gaps: small ones are patched and painted, larger ones are filled with foam, and the joints with sills and windows are sealed with acrylic sealant. It’s also possible to cover the coldest wall with special cork material — it will look nice and provide warmth.
The maximum program — if the room is in a corner or located on the lower or upper floors, the walls facing the street should be insulated. Like on the balcony, there are two available options. Affix extruded foam polystyrene boards on the wall, seal the joints with mounting foam, and prime the surface with plaster. Apply paint or wallpaper on top. The second method involves installing vertical or horizontal profiles and placing mineral wool boards between them. Add vapor barriers and cover with drywall sheets.
image on top: Nachelle Nocom / Unsplash
