Insulation the key to heat saving in home research group claims

Press, 15 July 1987, Page 34

Insulation the key to heat saving in home research group claims

The Building Research Association of New Zealand (8.R.A.N.Z.), is a source of comprehensive advice on the reasons home owners should insulate their homes. One of a series of pamphlets issued by the organisation contends that a house with ceiling insulation requires only 75 per cent of the amount of the heat required by one without insulation. If a home has a combination of both ceiling and floor insulation the requirement decreases further, to 50 per cent. In the case of a dwelling with total insulation in all areas the heating needs decline further to just 25 per cent of the uninsulated home. Such facts are particularly relevant to those in

the process of building a new home. Should you already be living in an established home then once the simple tasks such as roof insulation are carried out, insulation becomes a rather more complex process. In Building Information Bulletin No. 201, B.R.A.N.Z. provides home owners in this situation with some useful heatconserving tips. One cheap measure gaining the seal of approval was purchasing weather stripping tape and running it around the frames of both windows and doors. Heat loss through these gaps is a particular problem older homes are prone to. Open fireplaces where

homes have unrestricted chimneys are also often a source of fairly high heat loss. The addition of a damper or restrictor will reduce this loss and keep it down to a minimum. The bulletin also points out that the airflow to feed fires can often create hefty draughts. “Open fires require large volumes of air to draw properly and this air is drawn through relatively small gaps.” The solution to this particular situation is a recommendation that air be drawn through ventilators placed close to the fireplace. Installing a strip of carpet under the base of doors, and sealing the gap between the door and floor is also advocated.