For the sake of your bank account, just as much as the health of the planet, it makes sense to do what you can to better insulate your home.
If you are good with your hands, you can carry out simple measures in the house yourself – and thus improve the energy efficiency of a building as well as the comfort of living.
In older properties particularly, it is worth taking a closer look at some key places – and insulating them if necessary.
Erik Stange from Germany’s Homeowners’ Protection Association names five typical sites for insulation, and what needs to be done. The best part is that the measures are comparatively inexpensive and easy to put in place.
1. Roller shutter boxes
If your property has roller shutters, it’s worth having a close look at the boxes they are fitted in, because these are often poorly insulated and are a typical thermal bridge.
To reduce heat loss, Stange says owners can use prefabricated insulation mats or panels that fit exactly into the box. It is important to carefully seal all joints. You should, of course, make sure that the mechanism of the roller shutter continues to work properly, so be careful that the insulation is not too thick.
2. Heating pipes in the basement
Heating pipes in unheated rooms lose heat unnecessarily and you can insulate them efficiently with self-adhesive pipe insulation made of foam or mineral wool. The important thing here is that the insulation should fit snugly and be cut cleanly, especially at corners and connections.
Stange says pipes up to 22 millimetres in diameter should be covered with at least 20 millimetres of insulation in unheated rooms (thermal conductivity 0.035 W/mK). Pipes with larger diameters require insulation of at least 30 millimetres.
3. Basement and side doors
These are often a problematic area, but it is relatively easy to fix things by attaching self-adhesive insulation mats made of rigid foam or cork to the inside of the door. The mats should be at least 10 to 20 millimetres thick, Stange says, depending on how thin the door is.
To effectively reduce heat loss, the mat should cover the entire door area and be well attached.
Drafts at the door joints can be blocked with rubber or foam seals that are stuck to the door frame. Door brushes or sealing strips are also suitable for the gap at the bottom of the door.
4. Basement ceiling
A cold basement ceiling can cause the ground floor to be cool. To prevent this, Stange advises sticking or screwing insulation panels made of polystyrene or mineral wool directly onto the cellar ceiling.
5. Radiator niches
Older buildings often have radiator niches with thinner walls and heat is also lost through these. To fix this simply attach reflective insulation panels made from polystyrene with aluminium foil behind the radiators,. The panels reflect the heat into the room and thus prevent heat loss to the outside, explains Stange. Simply cut them to size and attach them to the wall with adhesive tape or glue.
As with any insulation work, owners should take care to ensure that no problems with dampness arise. The insulation must also be installed correctly for it to be fully effective. If you are unsure, you can get advice from most DIY stores. If you spot any damp patches you should consult an expert.
Tenants can also carry out minor measures – but if in doubt, you should discuss your plans with the landlord beforehand.
