New energy regs, what are people using

brundle

Interested to know what materials people are using to meet the new regs insulation wise. There are now a huge number of insulation products on the market which all look the same but with varying levels of thermal insulation and cost. Im thinking of building next year and friend has planning granted but is looking around before going further. He said he can build according to previous regs due to his planning application date but he also wants to have an efficient house so he is having an energy plan done through his architect but we are both interested in learning a bit more.

sydthebeat

The most important factor in choosing a product to use is to:

ENSURE THE PRODUCT IS PROPERLY CERTIFIED!!!!!

There are products on the market that make outstanding claims, but without proper certification, they cannot prove these claims.

Irish building regulations require a product to have either an IAB, BBA or EN certification (and other miscellaneous)...... If the product doesnt have these then do not use them.

Any building energy assessment would have to IGNORE a product that hasnt proper certification. Also certification on compliance with building regulations may be impossible if youve used an uncertified product.

Be wary of obscure amerian or canadian 'certs'. We have quite a unique climate in ireland thus test conditions are very different than these countries.

gman2k

If you are going to go beyond current regs in terms of thermal insulation, I'd recommend an airtight package and heat recovery ventilation system also.
All that additional money spent on insulation will mean nothing if your house is not airtight.

ardara1

gman2k wrote: »

If you are going to go beyond current regs in terms of thermal insulation, I'd recommend an airtight package and heat recovery ventilation system also.
All that additional money spent on insulation will mean nothing if your house is not airtight.

Take a look at this guidance, emanating from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation recently, on what you need to do to keep your MVHR (which they refer to as HRV) systems tickety-boo. There is a surprisingly long list of maintenance issues to be attended to. Do you really think all UK homeowners will do this? And what will happen if (and when) they don’t?

MAINTAINING YOUR HEAT RECOVERY VENTILATOR (HRV)

Your heat recovery ventilator (HRV) can help make your house a clean, healthy living environment, while keeping fuel bills down. But your HRV can't do all this without your help.
It only takes seven simple steps to keep your HRV happy…

The Seven Steps to a Happy HRV

First turn off the HRV and unplug it.

• Step 1: Clean or Replace Air Filters
Dirty or clogged filters can lower ventilation efficiency. Try to clean your filters at least every two months. Filters in most new HRVs can be easily removed, cleaned with a vacuum cleaner, then washed with mild soap and water before being replaced. Older units have replaceable filters. If your HRV is easily accessible, this is a 5 minute job.

• Step 2: Check Outdoor Intake and Exhaust Hoods
Remove leaves, waste paper or other obstructions that may be blocking the outside vents of your HRV. Without this vital airflow, your HRV won't function properly. During winter, clear any snow or frost buildup blocking outside vents.

• Step 3: Inspect the Condensate Drain
Check to see if your HRV has a condensate drain, a pipe or plastic tube coming out of the bottom. If it does, slowly pour about two litres of warm, clean water in the drain inside the HRV to make sure it's flowing freely. If there's a backup, clean the drain.

• Step 4: Clean the Heat Exchange Core
Check your HRV owner's manual for instructions on cleaning the heat exchange core. Vacuuming the core and washing it with soap and water will reduce dust which can build up inside the core.

• Step 5: Clean Grilles and Inspect the Ductwork
Once a year, check the ductwork leading to and from your HRV. Remove and inspect the grilles covering the duct ends, then vacuum inside the ducts. If a more thorough cleaning is required, call your service technician.

• Step 6: Service the Fans
Remove the dirt that has accumulated on the blades by gently brushing them. Most new HRVs are designed to run continuously without lubrication, but older models require a few drops of proper motor lubricating oil in a designated oil intake. Check your manual for complete instructions.

• Step 7: Arrange for Annual Servicing
Your HRV should be serviced annually. If you are not comfortable doing it yourself, contact a technician accredited by the Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada. Make sure the technician you call has been trained by the manufacturer of your HRV.

Check Your HRV Balance: the Garbage Bag Test
HRVs need to be balanced, with the fresh air flow matching the exhaust flow. If you do not know if the HRV was balanced when installed or if you have changed or added HRV ducts, you may want to check the balance with the following simple procedure. This rough test will take about 10 minutes.

Use a large plastic leaf collection bag, typically 1.2m (48 in.) long. Untwist a wire coat hanger. Tape the wire to the mouth of the bag to keep it open. You now have a garbage bag flow tester. Go outside to where your HRV ducts exit the foundation.

• Step 1:
Crush the bag flat and hold the opening tightly over the exhaust hood. The air flowing out of the hood will inflate the bag. Time the inflation. If the bag inflates in eight seconds or more, go to Step 2. If the bag inflates in less than eight seconds, turn the HRV to a lower speed, and repeat the test. Then go to Step 2.

• Step 2:
Swing the bag to inflate it and hold the opening against the wall around the HRV supply hood. The air going into the HRV will now deflate the bag. Time the deflation. If your HRV is balanced, air going into the HRV will balance the air coming out of the HRV. The inflation and deflation times should be roughly equal. If you find that the bag inflates twice as fast as it deflates, for instance, your HRV is unbalanced. If you can see no problem with the filters that would cause such an imbalance, you should call a service person to test and adjust your HRV.

Please don't ignore your HRV. Just a little bit of your time is all it takes to keep it running smoothly.

• April or May
— Turn dehumidistat (the adjustable control on many HRVs which activates the HRV according to relative humidity) to HIGH setting or to OFF.

• September or October
— Clean core
— Check fans
— Check condensate drain
— Check grilles and ducts in house
— Reset humidistat (40%–80%)

arcon

sydthebeat wrote: »

The most important factor in choosing a product to use is to:

ENSURE THE PRODUCT IS PROPERLY CERTIFIED!!!!!

.

ENSURE THE PRODUCT IS PROPERLY INSTALLED!!!!!

CJhaughey

ardara1 wrote: »

Do you really think all UK homeowners will do this? And what will happen if (and when) they don’t?

Who gives a rats a$$ what they do in the UK? this is Ireland.:D

sinnerboy

Great post Ardara1 - thanks

ardara1

CJhaughey wrote: »

Who gives a rats a$$ what they do in the UK? this is Ireland.:D

..........Take a look at this guidance, emanating from the Canada Mortgage....

Still in the UK - has anybody told the Canadians?

smashey

arcon wrote: »

ENSURE THE PRODUCT IS PROPERLY INSTALLED!!!!!

If it is properly certified.

Guys, can we get back on topic here please?

sydthebeat

smashey wrote: »

If it is properly certified.

Guys, can we get back on topic here please?

agreed completly,

the certification will specify the proper installation... without the certification, how would you know the correct installation??

bauderline

I guess these systems will go the way of most oil boilers here, not maintained properly, will be inefficient and ineffective..... will break down ... at which point the home owner will arrange for a service..... nothing new to see here then .... move along .....

Damn fine post though ardara, very useful information.

P.