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How to prevent heat loss in a house with Permagard

Author: Chris Scott CSSW - Permagard Technical Manager

With energy bills skyrocketing and more increases expected, we’re all looking for ways to reduce our electric and gas usage and preserve energy to save money on bills. And now we’re coming into the colder months, you may be feeling particularly apprehensive.

There are a few simple DIY tasks you can do that are cost-effective and will improve the thermal performance of your home. Our energy saving tips will help you reduce heat loss by improving thermal efficiency, saving you money this winter and beyond.

What causes heat loss in homes?

There are several causes of heat loss in a building. Heat can escape through walls and single glazed-windows, as well as uninsulated roofs and floors. It’s therefore important to take proactive measures to reduce heat loss and save energy in the home, making energy bill increases a little easier. In fact, poor wall insulation is one of the largest culprits letting 35-40% of heat escape. That’s why improving insulation in buildings is the best way to keep your home warm and dry.

An often overlooked issue is damp. Higher levels of moisture in your walls can result in increased heat loss from your home. This is because wet walls have higher thermal conductivity than dry materials, meaning they transfer heat faster.

Does it cost more to heat a damp house?

As mentioned above, damp walls transmit higher levels of heat. This means that damp issues result in more heat loss. Your home will feel colder and be harder and more expensive to heat to a desired temperature.

With the energy cost increases in 2022 including the October rise, many will be trying to use the heating less and even be tempted to block ventilation to try and keep their houses warm. Some people may turn off the heating in particular rooms These can all lead to further damp problems.

This then makes it harder to heat your home and will cost more money to fix any serious issues. Octopus recommends maintaining a temperature of 18-21 degrees, but this may not be right for all: the thought of leaving your heating on for a longer period of time might not seem appealing right now. It’s also true that the longer you have your heating on, the longer you’re losing heat.

It’s also worth noting that, while double glazed windows and a fully insulated house help prevent heat loss, they can actually contribute to condensation issues as there is less opportunity for moist air to escape. This is why it’s worth prioritising ways to reduce heat loss in your home to help save on energy bills.

Fighting damp to reduce home heat loss

By tackling damp and condensation issues, you can help save money on energy bills by increasing overall thermal performance. There are a number of ways to prevent heat loss in buildings and energy bills. Permagard has the tools and tips needed to help you reduce energy bills by preventing house heat loss.

For quick tips for reducing condensation, watch our video below:

How to increase thermal efficiency in your home

Wet and windy weather can affect the thermal performance of your home - not ideal when living in the UK. Wet brickwork and masonry absorb moisture and lose more heat, so it’s important to protect your home from the elements to help with thermal efficiency and keep your property warm and dry.

Microshield Ultra is a professional water repellent that prevents heat from escaping out of damp walls. It increases thermal performance by forming a barrier deep within the brickwork, preventing water from soaking into the masonry and causing issues. It's a breathable, long-lasting solution that can prevent heat transmission through wet walls, saving on energy bills.

You can also use this repellent to protect retrofit cavity wall insulations. Older retrofit cavity walls were generally not waterproof when first installed, leading to wet insulation that’s more likely to cause more damp problems. Microshield Ultra can help protect the insulation and prevent it getting wet.

Heat loss through walls - how to prevent it

Preventing heat loss through walls involves properly insulating and damp proofing your home. The key is to prevent water from entering the structure. Driving rain can soak into brickwork and accelerate structural deterioration overtime, making it harder to keep heat in and potentially leading to costly issues.

Microshield Ultra protects brickwork from this, preventing moisture from soaking into the masonry and reducing heat loss in a house. Its quick and easy application makes this energy saving idea an easy one to tick off the list, without any maintenance or affecting the appearance of walls.

Reduce maintenance spend to help with heating bills

As Microshield Ultra acts as a protective barrier for your building, it also helps reduce maintenance costs. It slows down the deterioration of masonry, resulting in the formation of less cracks and other common structural issues. This also helps prevent frost thaw and water damage, and protect structural timber from excess water, reducing the chances of rot and mould.

Ventilation products to prevent costly condensation and damp issues

When you’re trying to reduce heat loss and energy wastage, ventilation is actually a great way to prevent damp issues. By keeping condensation at bay in an energy efficient way, it actually helps with heating bills overall.

So how can you ventilate without losing heat? Positive Pressure Systems improves overall air quality by replacing stale air with fresh, filtered air - all while preventing heat escaping from the house. These ventilation units are energy efficient whilst being low maintenance and preventing more costly issues down the line.

The Vent-Axia Heat Recovery Unit in particular has a heat recovery rate of 84%, a great way to save energy at home while reducing your carbon footprint. You can try the Monsoon EnergySaver units for flats and properties with lofts, which introduce fresh heated air into your home.

For localised areas, our Perma-Vent alleviates condensation by using natural forces alone - no electricity needed. It allows water vapour to escape your property without letting in draughts, thanks to its vapour permeable membrane.

Are dehumidifiers cost effective for treating condensation?

Some people believe that using dehumidifiers and leaving the heating on at a high temperature can help dry out your home and get rid of condensation. However, dehumidifiers usually cost more to run in the long run, depending on frequency of use, power requirements and size.

Dehumidifiers may provide some level of one-room protection, but this can be inconsistent (again, depending on frequency of use), and often require more maintenance, like emptying collected water and regular cleaning to prevent black mould forming on the dehumidifier itself.

Essentially, you need an effective way of sorting condensation issues that is cost-effective, energy efficient and looks at your whole-house - and a dehumidifier can only get you so far.

Green roofs for insulating buildings and improving thermal efficiency

If you have an outbuilding, home office or any other type of garden room, then green roofs are a great option for improving thermal performance.

Green roofs create and maintain a living temperature all year round, preventing sudden internal temperature changes. They’ll help keep the heat in during the winter, and keep the building cool during summer. It’s also good for the environment and local eco-system.

The benefits of green roofs do not end there. They also protect the roof’s waterproofing layer, slowing down degradation and extending its life span, ultimately preventing issues later down the line that may impact thermal efficiency.

Our green roof product range features everything you need to build a high quality green roof that will last for years to come. You can purchase everything from the drainage membrane to the root barrier separately, buy ready-to-go green roof trays or try our PermaSEAL green roof starter kits. These kits contain all the components you need for your green roof:

Reduce heat loss in buildings with Permagard

If you have any questions about the thermal efficiency of your home and how you can help save money on energy bills, then speak to our team who’ll be happy to assist. Call our technical team on 0117 982 3282 or send an email to: [email protected]