Frequently Asked Questions .

 

How to deal with Draughts Sources and Sealing?
The two main sources of draughts in a bungalow are doors and windows. One way of checking for draughts is to light a candle and slowly trace it around the edge of a door and around the window frame and any window openings. Where the candle flame flickers, you have a draught. With newer PVC doors and windows, this shouldn’t really be a problem as they come with draught stripping installed to prevent draughts. If you have PVC doors and windows and there are draughts, there is probably a 10-year warranty that covers the replacement of these draught seals.
The main problems occur where there are older timber doors and windows. These do not have any seals and will usually be allowing draughts in. To minimise these draughts you can buy compression seals from hardware shops to fit to door frames and window openings. They look like thin rubber tubing and are applied to the door/window frame where the door/window opening closes in against the frame. When closed, these seals close the gaps between the opening and the frame and minimise draughts.
Where draughts are coming in by the edge of the door or window frame, these can be sealed with a clear silicone gel that will be inconspicuous and close the gaps through which draughts are coming.
In dormer houses and attic conversions, draughts may be coming through into the living space adjacent to the unused attic space from the unused space. There is a circulation of air from the outside in unused attic spaces. This is necessary to allow the wood in the attic to breathe and prevent any risk of rot in the timber. In many cases, there are unnoticed gaps in the walls separating the living space from the attic space through which the cold air is coming in. It can also come through the gaps around any access doors/hatches into the attic space. This results in a draught that may be felt through the rest of the house. In order to prevent this, you should check at joints in wall panels and around access doors/hatches and seal any gaps accordingly. It is also important to insulate the walls of the living space, particularly those separating the living space from the attic space, in order to reduce heat loss through these walls as many people have problems with dormer rooms/converted attics being colder than the rest of the house.
I’m building a new house. What thickness of insulation will I require between the sub floor and screed?
The exact thickness of insulation required will depends on the ratio of the perimeter to the floor area and on the insulation material itself but generally speaking you'd be looking at about 80-90mm in thickness of a high density rigid foam insulation to meet Building Regulations. You will need install high density insulation of the order of at least 120mm if you're going to use underfloor heating as the Building regulations require that you achieve a U-value of 0.15 W/m2K in this instance.
I’m looking to insulate a suspended timber floor. Is pumping beaded insulation into the void space in order to fill it an option?
The reason for the void space under a suspended timber floor is to allow for a circulation of air with a ventilation opening to the outside. This circulation of air allows the wood to breathe so that there is no risk of condensation on the floor joists that would facilitate the rotting of the timber. By filling the void space you would be preventing the timber from breathing sufficiently and putting it at risk of rotting. The only form of insulation you should consider is insulation you can place between the floor joists.
Suspended Timber Floor Insulation
Where there are suspended timber floors, there is a circulation of air in the space beneath coming from the outside through a vent. This is necessary to allow the wood to breathe. In order to insulate these floors, you must typically put insulation between the joists. This may or may not be easy, depending on the space below and the difficulty in removing floorboards to get in.
Older floorboards are simply butted together tightly and if there is sufficient void space underneath it may be possible to install insulation by removing a few floorboards at the side of the room in order to get access to the void space and installing the insulation from underneath. If it’s a relatively new floor, i.e. less than thirty years old, the floorboards may be tongue-and-groove boards. This would mean that the whole floor would have to come up.
In the latter case, it is generally viewed as an uneconomical option.
In many cases the primary problem with suspended timber floors comes from draughts coming up from underneath. This is a relatively easy and economical problem to solve. You can get a sealant in a hardware shop, usually silicone, and seal the gaps and cracks between the boards and around the edge of the floor between the floorboards and skirting boards. This should minimise draughts coming up through the floorboards from below.
If you do decide to remove the floor boards and insulate under floorboards, use good insulating materials such as cork or rockwool and a polymer sealant between floorboards to prevent draughts. Take care to ensure any electrical cables sharing the same space have enough room to prevent them from overheating.
What is floor Insulation?
Installation under built suspended timber floors can prove difficult and usually would be viewed as an uneconomic energy saving measure. Timber floorboards can slightly warp and change shape over time and if taken up from the joists might not easily be refitted to their original position. Most floor improvements are expensive and disruptive so these measures are best incorporated in major refurbishment projects.
 
There are a number of less expensive improvements that can be made to a suspended timber floor that will reduce the heat loss from the room:
Seal gaps and cracks: Simply sealing any cracks in the floor can improve internal comfort conditions and reduce costs.
Seal gaps in skirting and between floorboards of suspended timber floors to save 1% of total heating fuel costs.
If you do decide to remove the floor boards and insulate under floorboards. Use good insulating materials such as cork or rockwool and a polymer sealant between floorboards to prevent draughts. Take care to ensure any electrical cables sharing the same space have enough room to prevent them from overheating.
I’ve come across a multifoil insulation – are they any good?
Insulation products are typically tested using the standard 'Hot Box' test in accordance with European standards. Those other manufacturers however feel that the 'Hot Box' test does not fully reflect the special characteristics of their products and hence that a test to current BS EN standards will understate the actual insulation performance that can be achieved in real installations. They have therefore sought to develop a new test method that involve comparisons (using a mocked-up rig or actual buildings) between their own product and another insulating product, which is usually wool insulation. These tests are set up to demonstrate the comparative energy consumption between two buildings - one insulated with multifoil insulation and the other with an insulation that has been evaluated using the 'Hot Box' test. 
That said, there are no currently accepted National or European standards for performing tests in this way, and it is therefore not possible to be sure that these tests give a fair comparison of performance between the multifoil and existing insulation products which have been tested to established standards.
In assessing the merits of any multifoil insulation, you should look for some evidence of independent testing or certification from a body of some repute. If you see accreditation or certification from the British Board of Agrément (BBA), UKAS or BM Trada then the product is more likely to have the insulation values the manufacturers are claiming it achieves.
I want to floor my attic. How can I insulate the attic properly and install a floor?
In order to have a sufficient level of insulation in your attic underneath a floor, you have to either use an appropriate insulation material that has a low level of conductivity for heat or raise the level at which you put the flooring.
In many cases, roof spaces will have joists that are 4” high. In order to allow you to put the flooring on top of the joists, you must use an insulation material that achieves a good level of insulation in the 4” space that it is restricted to. This would typically mean using a high-density rigid foam insulation material such as polyurethane or polyisocyanurate. These materials are typically used when using the roof space as a living space and the roof is insulated on the slope, between rafters, and where the space is limited. A 4” thick layer of these insulation materials is roughly equivalent to 8-9” of wool insulation.
The alternative is to raise the level of the flooring by installing a second set of ‘joists’ at right angles to the structural joists. This would allow a greater layer of an insulation material such as wool insulation to be installed underneath the flooring.
Ceiling and Pitch Insulation Procedure
The insulation you use in the attic depends on whether the attic is to be used as a living space or not. If the attic is to be used as a living space, then the insulation goes on the slope of the roof, i.e. between the rafters. In this case, the space you have is limited by the depth of the rafters so you will need to use a material with a low thermal conductivity to achieve a U-value of 0.20 W/m2K, as per the building regulations for a roof insulated on the slope. Your choice may also be determined by the type of felt on the roof. If the felt is an older, non-breathable felt, then a gap of 50mm should be left between the insulation and the felt to prevent the formation of condensation on the wood, which may lead to rot. The ventilation from the ventilation openings at the eaves should be routed up behind the insulation. The traditional types of insulation used are semi-rigid and rigid roof board insulation. When comparing roof boards, compare them using the thermal conductivity value: the best insulator will have the lowest value.
There are also some types of foam can be sprayed directly onto the felt regardless of whether the felt is breathable or not because it is such that it allows the wood to breathe. The benefit of this is that it means you have more room to put in insulation. There are breathable (open-cell) and non-breathable (closed-cell) types. It is important that the wood is able to breathe because if it can't then there is a risk of it rotting.
There are also multifoil insulations. They claim to achieve good levels of insulation and are approximately an inch thick at most. IAB certification has not yet been achieved because the testing they undergo, by and large, isn't the same as the standard test for most insulations but the testing method used does have some merit to it. Some of these materials may not always be suitable for insulating at ceiling level and may be at least as expensive as the rigid foam insulation materials.
If the attic is an unused space, i.e. a ‘cold roof’, the insulation is applied at the ceiling level. This is to keep the heat below the ceiling. The main choices are rolls of mineral wool insulation, blown in mineral wool insulation and cellulose fibre. Their insulation properties are not as good as some of the boards of insulation and thus they will need to be approximately twice as thick. However, where the thickness of the layer of insulation is not of any concern, then these are the more cost effective types of insulation as you can still achieve the required level of insulation. To meet the standard of the Building Regulations, you would need 250 - 300 mm (10-12 inches). With rolls of insulation, the recommended method is to roll it out between the joists to the same level as the joists and then the remainder laid perpendicular. This is to minimise thermal bridging, i.e. losses through the timber joists. The blown in insulation is just blown in through a pipe to the required depth. It is important to remember that wires should always be above the insulation.
Make sure that you still have access to any tanks, pipework etc. by installing a walkway from the entrance to the attic to the water tank, or any other appliances that you may require access to, before laying insulation.
Wool should be placed in two layers to minimise heat loss through the joists themselves. The first layer is placed between the joists. The second is laid at right angles across the joists. 
Wool insulation loses some of its insulating properties if it is compressed. Therefore, you can’t keep anything on top of this insulation. If a storage area is required in the attic space, and a second roll across the joists is not possible, make certain that the storage is over a part of the house with less of a heating requirement, (e.g. the bedrooms rather than the living room). However, it would be better to raise the level of the flooring in order to facilitate a full coverage and uniform thickness of insulation across the attic.
Installing the insulation properly is very important. Ill-fitting or compressed insulation will not perform to its potential. Also, when laying insulation in the attic, make sure to leave the openings at the eaves unblocked since it is important to allow for ventilation to prevent mould or damp occurring. 
Your other option is to have glass fibre, mineral fibre or cellulose fibre (i.e. recycled paper) blown into your attic by a professional between and above the ceiling joists. While this type is a better insulator than the other DIY quilting, it is also more expensive to install, as a professional must be hired. Storage in your attic is also reduced and it can look messy. 
What is Roof Insulation?
The options available to you for insulating your attic depend on whether you would like to insulate at ceiling level or at the rafters (at the slope of the roof). The attic should be insulated at the rafters only if you intend to use the area as a living space as it the heat will rise through the uninsulated ceiling into the attic and it is wasteful to keep the attic heated. Typically, Irish attics are not used as living spaces so detailed below are the measures available for insulating at ceiling level. 
 
At ceiling level, you can lay fibre quilt between and over the joists. This is the cheapest and simplest installation option. The U - value requirement under the 2002 building regulations on insulation for a pitched roof with insulation at ceiling level is 0.16Watts per m2K. That requires 250 - 300 mm of insulation, if you are using rock wool, glass wool, or mineral wool insulation. Obviously there are higher performance insulations, but in any event, you should plan for at least 150 - 200 mm. 
 
In Canada, some people put 600 mm of insulation in the attic. The building code does not require this amount but if you would like to lose even less heat and increase indoor comfort, then increase the amount of insulation you install. You don’t need quite as much in Ireland’s climate but 400 mm of mineral wool is probably optimal. Make sure the load isn't too heavy for the ceiling (place planks or boards onto the beams and insulation on top of them) and that you still have access to any tanks, pipework etc. 
 
The quilt should be placed in two layers to minimise thermal bridging or heat loss through the joists themselves. Any element that is a poorer insulator, and allows more heat to pass through it than the material in surrounding area, is called a thermal bridge. The first layer is placed between the joists.  The second is laid at right angles across the joists. 
 
This insulating fibre loses some of its insulating properties if it is compressed. Therefore, you can’t keep anything on top of this insulation. If storage area is required in the attic space, and a second roll across the joists is not possible, make certain that the storage is over a part of the house with less of a heating requirement, e.g. the bedrooms rather than the living room). The full thickness of insulation should be installed over the living room - the warmest room in the house. 
 
Installing the insulation properly is very important. Ill-fitting or compressed insulation will not perform to its potential. When fitting insulation between rafters it is very important that it is cut tight, with no gaps. Gaps between the insulation lead to thermal looping, which causes the insulation to become ineffective. Good workmanship is key; otherwise you will not get the full benefits of the insulation. Also, when laying insulation in the attic, make sure to leave the openings at the eaves unblocked since it is important to allow for ventilation to prevent mould or damp occurring. 
 
Another option is to have glass fibre, mineral fibre or cellulose fibre (i.e. recycled paper) blown into your attic by a professional between and above the ceiling joists. While this type is a better insulator than the other DIY quilting, it is also more expensive to install, as a professional must be hired. Storage in your attic is also reduced and it can look messy. 
 
At the rafters, you could install a polyurethane foam insulation system or spray-on cellulose fibre between the rafters but if you choose to insulate between the rafters in this way, please ensure that you insulate the underside of the rafters also, to prevent the heat escaping along this path. Another option available here is to use semi-rigid boards with the insulation on the back. 
What is the recommended thickness for external insulation?
The thickness of the material that is used for the insulation component for an External Wall Insulation System depends mainly on the insulation material itself. The level of insulation given by a material depends on the thermal conductivity, i.e. therate at which heat passes through a material, and the thickness. The lower the thermal conductivity of a material, the better an insulator it is. Also, the lower the thermal conductivity, the less thick the insulation layer needs to be compared to a material with a higher thermal conductivity, when trying to achieve a specific insulation standard. A good benchmark for the level of insulation you should be looking to achieve is the Building Regulations.
Typical insulation materials used in NSAI-certified External Wall Insulation Systems are standard white expanded polystyrene (EPS), carbon-enhanced EPS, extruded polystyrene, mineral fibre board and polyisocyanurate (PIR). Materials such as standard white EPS and mineral fibre board will need to be of the order of 120mm thick to achieve the Building Regulations standard. Materials with lower thermal conductivities will require a thickness of 100mm to achieve that standard.
What is the recommended thickness for insulated dry-lining?
A good benchmark for the level of insulation you should be looking to achieve is the Building Regulations. This is the standard that has been set under the Home Energy Savings Scheme. In order to achieve that standard using the standard insulated dry-lining panels with polyurethane or polyisocyanurate insulation, you would require a panel of a minimum of approx 75mm thick. This includes the plasterboard that is bonded to the insulation. (It also accounts for a wall with a U-value of2.2 W/m2K).
If your walls currently have no insulation, even the thinnest insulated panel, which would be 37.5mm thick, would result in something of the order of a 70% reduction in heat loss through the walls.
General Wall Insulation Information
On a standard cavity wall the cavity is normally 100mm this allows for 60mm of partial fill cavity insulation while still providing a gap of 40mm. 
When the cavity width exceeds 110mm. the wall and the foundations must be designed by an engineer in accordance with IS325 Part 1: 1986. This is because the construction of walls with cavities in excess of 110mm wide requires adjustments to lintels, wall ties, cavity barriers, etc. It is therefore necessary that cavity walls are adequately designed in respect of structural stability and fire safety in accordance with Parts A and B of the Building Regulations. The engineer appointed must be qualified by examination, be in private practice and possess professional indemnity insurance.
If a wider cavity is specified, it will also have the added cost of an increase in foundation width to accommodate the greater thickness.
However, if you have a 9” cavity-block wall or a solid wall, your insulation options are reduced. The choices then are to insulate externally or internally.
Internal insulation systems involve using insulated dry-lining boards. These boards comprise of 12.5mm of plasterboard with insulation bonded to the back with a vapour barrier between the two. The insulation ranges in thickness from about 25mm to approximately 60mm though this depends on the make and availability. A lot of these boards would have similar levels of thermal conductivity because the main types of materials that are used, i.e. polyurethane and polyisocyanurate, have very similar thermal properties. However, it has the disadvantage of placing the thermal mass of the wall outside your heating envelope.
External insulation is another option, which would have the added advantage of keeping the thermal mass of the concrete walls within your envelope. It is very popular method in Europe, and is becoming more common in Ireland. With external insulation, the insulation panels are applied to the walls, then a protective mesh that protects the insulation against impact damage is applied, then a basecoat and usually two coats of render. The thickness of the insulation depends on the material used and how far window sills protrude, for example. They are available in a range of finishes. I have attached a document on external insulation (the first 6 pages are the most relevant). Some builders suppliers sell the external insulated cladding and that would probably be the cheaper way to go about it but make sure the render to be used on the outside of this is a recommended render as this is quite important. If you were to get a company in to do the external insulation it would cost in the region of €200 per square metre of wall.
My house is made from 9” hollow blocks and I’ve been told I can pump insulation into them. Is this true?
The companies that offer this service are proposing to fill the hollow cores of the 9” hollow blocks by injecting a liquid foam, or in some cases, loose polystyrene beads. If this is the case, I would advise looking at applying insulation to the interior or exterior surfaces of the wall, both of which are potentially better options for insulating a cavity block wall.
There are a number of drawbacks to the insulation of hollow blocks by pumping insulation into them:
It's not uncommon for hollow block walls to have all kinds of rough bits of hardened mortar protruding inside and this could greatly impair the ability of insulation to fill all the spaces properly.
Another problem is water infiltration from the outside. Concrete blocks are quite porous, and water can easily make its way inside, if insulation is not applied properly
With regard to thermal bridging, there are solid concrete paths at the end of each block and at the spine in the middle through which a large proportion of heat will be lost. Even if the cavities were completely insulated and dry, you'd probably gain little thermal benefit because filling the cavities in the blocks does not cut off the path through which the heat is lost.
If you decide to use polyurethane foam it is worth noting that presently this product does not have Irish Agrément Board Certification. If you check out www.irishAgrémentboard.com it will give you a list of all certified suppliers and products.
Note that even though filling the block cavities and special block designs improve a block wall's thermal characteristics, it doesn't reduce heat movement very much when compared to insulation installed over the surface of the blocks either on the exterior or interior of the foundation walls. Field studies and computer simulations have shown that core-filling of any type offers little fuel savings since the majority of heat is conducted through the solid parts of the walls such as block webs and mortar joints.
Will pumping insulation into the cavity push existing insulation against the inner leaf?
An issue with existing insulation in walls is when the insulation isn’t tight against the inner leaf and thus allows heat to leak into the space between the inner leaf and the insulation. To remedy this and to increase the level of insulation, people consider pumping insulation into the cavity to be the solution to both issues. However, it is not possible to guarantee that the action of pumping insulation into the cavity will force the insulation tight to the inner leaf. Some contractors, notably foam insulation contractors, suggest that their product is pumped in at high pressure (greater than bonded bead insulation) and will force the insulation against the inner leaf. However, regardless of the pressure of the installation, it is not possible to make this guarantee.
Will fully filling the cavity result in a dampness problem?
The original reason for the airspace in a cavity-wall construction was to maintain a gap between the outer leaf of the construction and the insulation so that there would be no risk of moisture penetration. However, newer products are designed in order to prevent moisture penetration. Any material that has been approved by the IAB will have been tested for moisture penetration and must not allow it to happen if it is to obtain certification. The material is designed so that if any moisture penetrates the outer leaf into the cavity, it will drain down the inside of the outer leaf between the wall and the insulation and drain out of the cavity through weep holes at the bottom of the wall.
I already have aeroboard/polystyrene insulation in my cavity – is it possible to pump insulation into the cavity when there’s insulation there already?
There should be absolutely no problem with pumping insulation into a cavity that is already insulated with a sheet of expanded polystyrene insulation provided there is a 40mm gap between the existing insulation and the external leaf of the cavity wall. The contractor should assess the cavity before the works but cases where such a cavity is not suitable for pumping insulation into are rare.
Pumped Cavity Insulation
When considering the pumping of your walls with insulation, we would firstly recommend using a system that has adequate approval, preferably Irish Agrément Board (part of the NSAI) approval or approval from the British Board of Agrément. This offers the homeowner a degree of security in that it has been tested and approved by a creditable, independent body.  
Pumping insulation into the cavity will noticeably improve the overall thermal properties of your house and in turn reduce your energy bills for the winter months.
However, there are a number of issues you should be aware when filling your wall’s cavity:
If there were any frost or structural damage to any of the house’s external walls, pumping of beads into the cavity would not be advised. The width of the cavity between your external wall leaf and the installed aeroboard should be at least 40mm. If there is an existing problem with dampness in the internal leaf it would not be recommended to add the beads to the cavity until such time as the source of the problem has been addressed and rectified. Get a full assessment from a number of bead installers to compare prices, U–values promised, guarantees and their IAB certification (Irish Agrément Board).
We have only mentioned the bonded bead system and not the foam insulation, which expands in the wall, as the latter presently does not have certification from the Irish Agrément Board (IAB). The foam system will provide a lower overall U- value but may change the properties of your wall by making it non-breathable, which sometimes leads to moisture problems. However, there is a polyurethane (PU) foam system approved by the British Board of Agrément which would be considered suitable for the purpose.
External wall insulation
External insulation is more expensive than internal insulation, since it must be applied with a durable finish to withstand the weather and possible impacts. However, it is more effective at reducing heat loss since greater insulation thicknesses can usually be applied, and since it wraps around the whole wall. In older houses it can also give an attractive facelift.
What is 9” Cavity Block Insulation?
When you refer to foam filling of a 9" cavity block, you are describing the filling of the hollow cores of concrete blocks by injecting loose foam beads or liquid foam. If this is the case, we would advise looking at applying insulation to the interior or exterior surfaces of the wall, both of which are potentially better options for insulating a cavity block wall. There are a number of drawbacks to the insulation of hollow blocks:
It's not uncommon for hollow block walls to have all kinds of rough bits of hardened mortar protruding inside. And depending on what you've got at your place, this could greatly impair the ability of insulation to fill all the spaces properly.
Another problem is water infiltration from the outside. Concrete blocks are quite porous, and water can easily make its way inside, if insulation is not applied properly
With regard to thermal bridging. Those portions of the block wall that extend from the exterior surface all the way through to the inside will conduct huge amounts of heat, regardless of the insulation levels between them. Even if the cavities were completely insulated and dry, you'd probably gain little thermal benefit.
If you decide to use polyurethane foam it is worth noting that presently this product does not have Irish Agrément Board Certification. If you check out www.irishagrementboard.com it will give you a list of all certified suppliers and products.
Note that even though filling the block cavities and special block designs improve a block wall's thermal characteristics, it doesn't reduce heat movement very much when compared to insulation installed over the surface of the blocks either on the exterior or interior of the foundation walls. Field studies and computer simulations have shown that core-filling of any type offers little fuel savings since the majority of heat is conducted through the solid parts of the walls such as block webs and mortar joints.
Internal wall insulation or dry-lining
For solid walls, insulation must be applied either internally or externally. Internal insulation involves fixing a layer of insulation to the internal surfaces of external walls, usually with a plasterboard finish. This is also referred to as dry-lining. Care must be taken to install a vapour check (e.g. polythene sheeting) to seal the insulation against humid air penetration from within the house.
Cavity Wall Insulation
The insulation of external walls will provide considerable energy savings. If the house has suitable cavity walls, the application of insulation within the cavity is generally the most cost-effective solution.
This must be done by a contractor, and involves blowing or pumping the insulation into the cavity through holes drilled in the outer surface. However, filling the cavity is not recommended for highly exposed rainy regions of the country.
See also What is pumped cavity insulation?
What choices are there for insulating walls?
Basically there are three choices for insulating walls: cavity,internal, and external wall insulation. Influencing factors include cost, the available space in rooms to be insulated (if dry-lining), suitability of the walls, whether the outside of the house needs to be, or can be, given a facelift and the typical occupancy patterns of the home.
On a standard cavity wall the cavity is normally 100mm this allows for 60mm of partial fill cavity insulation while still providing a gap of 40mm.
 
When the cavity width exceeds 110mm. the wall and the foundations must be designed by and engineer in accordance with IS325 Part 1: 1986. This is because the construction of walls with cavities in excess of 110mm wide requires adjustments to lintels, wall ties, cavity barriers, etc. It is therefore necessary that cavity walls are adequately designed in respect of structural stability and fire safety in accordance with Parts A and B of the Building Regulations. The engineer appointed must be qualified by examination, be in private practice and possess professional indemnity insurance.
If a wider cavity is specified, it will also have the added cost of an increase in foundation width to accommodate the greater thickness.
Internal insulation is a good way of increasing the overall level of insulation when cavity width is limited, it has the disadvantage of placing the thermal mass of the wall outside your heating envelope.
Your Architect may wish to look at full fill cavity insulation, this method of construction would mean that the cavity need not be increased, while increasing the amount of insulation. This method is dependant on the location of the dwelling and the external finishes specified.
External insulation is another option, which would have the added advantage of keeping the thermal mass of the concrete walls within your envelope. It is very popular method in Europe, and becoming more common in Ireland
Your Architect should be able to talk you through all the different construction methods available, and recommend the solution, which is best suited to your situation.
What is Pumped Cavity Insulation?
In relation to the pumping of your walls with a bonded bead system you would noticeably improve the overall thermal properties of your house and in turn reduce your energy bills for the winter months. However, there are a number of issues you should be aware when filling your wall’s cavity: If there were any frost or structural damage to any of the house’s external walls pumping of beads into the cavity would not be advised. The width of the cavity between your external wall leaf and the installed aeroboard should be at least 50mm. If there is any problem with dampness in the internal leaf it would not be recommended to add the beads to the cavity as they would only increase the path for water to travel into the wall. Get a full assessment from a number of bead installers to compare prices, U–values promised, guarantees and their IAB certification (Irish Agrément Board).
The bonded bead system is the above mentioned and not the polyurethane foam, which expands in the wall, as the latter presently does not have certification from the IAB. The foam system will provide a lower overall U- value but could change the properties of your wall sometimes leading to moisture problems.
“What difference do controls make?”; “What are the best types?”
Controls have come a long way in the past ten years and they afford an excellent way to improve comfort conditions and save energy.
Controls have two primary functions:
Deciding when the heating system comes on and goes off. It is a good idea (and a requirement for new installations) to divide the house into zones (eg living areas and bedrooms) and to have separate timeclock control over each zone.
Maintaining a pleasant comfort level in the rooms. The most cost effective way of achieving this is by fitting thermostatic valves to radiators. These valves automatically regulate the radiator heat output to provide a constant temperature in the room.
Are there any grants for home energy efficiency?
The Home Energy Saving (HES) scheme provides grants to homeowners who are interested in improving the energy efficiency of their home in order to reduce energy use and costs as well as greenhouse gas emissions. The scheme is open to all owners of existing houses built before 2006. For more information or to make an applications please visit the HES section of our website.
For information on other grants offered by SEAI please visit our Grants section.
Where should radiators be located?
Windows and outside walls will be the coldest surfaces in the house. Cold windows cause downdraughts and uncomfortable conditions for the occupants. To maintain air temperatures and achieve comfortable conditions, radiators should be locatedunder windows to raise the glass temperature and to eliminate cold downdraughts.
What are Thermostatic Radiator Valves or TRVs?
A Thermostatic Radiator Valve (TRV) may be installed on a radiator instead of the hand wheel valve. The TRV contains a bellows which will close the valve on a rise in air temperature in the room, stopping the flow of heating water to the radiator.
The TRV has a number of settings, which the householder may use to set the desired air temperature for each room. In locations where a high level of heating is required, the TRV will be set at the top setting. Conversely, if only background heating is desired then the valve will be fixed at its lowest setting.
If installing a new heating system the incremental cost of TRVs is very small indeed.
What should I be looking for with a new window?
There are several different energy efficient features in new glazing units. The three main elements are low-e glass, argon filling and thermal break in the frame:
Low-emissivity glass is commonly referred to as ‘low-e’ glass though it is also referred to as ‘k-glass’ and ‘Pilkington glass’ by many people similar to how vacuum cleaners are referred to as ‘Hoovers’. The low-e glass has a microscopically thin metallic layer on it that prevents the transmission of infrared radiation, i.e. heat from the warmer inner pane to the cooler outer pane and thus more heat is retained. This should be the first thing you ask for when specifying a new window unit.
Argon (or Krypton) filling: The air between the panes of glass in double/triple glazing is acting as a layer of insulation. Argon is a better insulator than air and so windows with argon (or Krypton) filling are more energy efficient.
Thermal break: This is where the frame is akin to a sandwich, i.e. it is split into internal and external halves and the two halves are joined together by a material of lower conductivity. This reduces the amount of heat lost by being conducted outwards through the frame.
Should I look to install triple glazed windows?
Triple glazed windows are typically more energy efficient than double-glazed windows and can achieve a U-value as low as 0.6 W/m2K versus a U-value for a good double-glazed window of 1.2 W/m2K. However, triple-glazed windows are typically considerably more expensive than double-glazed windows.
For this reason, investing in triple glazed windows is more suited to a situation where there is a high level of insulation, e.g. new builds or refurbishments with a very good Building Energy Rating, i.e. an A-rating. This is because if a house has a lower level of insulation, the investment in triple glazed windows with a low U-value would not be cost effective as heat retained would be lost through the other fabric elements of the house.

 

How do I get a quote? 

If you require a quote for any works to your house you can either;

We will arrange to call and do a site survey and take the relevant measurements and information in relation to what exactly it is you require. The information will then be compiled into a detailed estimation and scope of works (normally within five working days) for you to consider.

 

How much does it cost to receive a quote?

Mulcon do not charge you for obtaining a quotation. We are grateful to have the opportunity to quote / tender for any potienal works. All our site surveys and quotations are free of charge and under no obligation.

 

What assurances do Mulcon give with it's work ?

Mulcon gives a six month to one year guarantee on works, depending on the size and scale of the project. If we complete any structural works we offer a five year guarantee. Please note that any guarantee covers the works we completed in accordance with drawings / specifications provided by the architect / engineer. If no architect / engineer is involved in the project the guarantee will be limited to the detailed estimation / scope of works provided by Mulcon.

 

Do I need an architect / engineer?

This is one of the most common questions asked. "Should we hire an architect for our project?” For small small projects, such as changing a window opening or removing a non-load bearing wall, the answer is no. For larger projects such as whole-house renovations, extensions or new kitchens, you should consider working with a design professional. Any structural works are taking place should always involve consultation with a structural engineer to ensure that this is done correctly. 

 

How much does it cost ?

This is an open ended question to which our reply is always, lets do the survey and get all the required information, complile your detailed estimation and scope of works and then there will be true and final clarity in the cost.

 

Do you require a deposit?

The anwser to this is no. If there was any exception to this and for whatever reason it would be detailed on the quote and discussed with the client in advance.

 

How offten is payment made?

This would be agreed in advance, along with any retention amount to be held, of any works commencing and with all parties.

 

How do I make changes during construction stage?

This often happens and can be dealt with very simply. We check and see of there is an additional cost that will have to be incurred (an extra) or indeed a saving to be made. Also we determine if the proposed change will effect the projects time frame. This information will be then emailed, faxed or posted to you for you to approve. Only on your written approval will this changes to the original scope of works take place.

 

How does PC (Provisional costing work)?

On all of our quotes you will see items with associated costs marked as PC. This simply means we have included a market value cost for that item, at which point when it comes time to installing it on site the actually item may be different in price. For example a typical cost we put in our quote for internal doors is €105. If you chose to purchase from a sale, where the door cost €55 then a saving of €50 per door is made, while if you wanted a door costing €155 then an addition of €50 per door would be incurred.

 

How do you estimate time frames and what happens if they over run?

Given the nature of todays markets time is money, so time frames are a very important role in all jobs. The time frame on any project to be done based on the length of time it takes a professional to finish your project. If due to seriously adverse weather conditions or any variation / extra's to the original estimation and scope of works that may cause Mulcon Construction to over run you will be notified on a weekly basis. We cannot be held responsible for overruns due to adverse weather conditions or any variation / extra's. Any penalties will be discussed and agreed in advance or project commencement.

 

Whom is my point of contact?

As a company policy, we in