Window insulator kits...

makeorbrake

Is this just a gimmick or would there be any point in it? I have 2 spare bedrooms that won't be used over the Winter. Would this film assist much in heat retention??

10-10-20

I was all about to blast it, but it's 3M branded and if it's legit, I can only saw that 3M have a fair bit of credibility, so it could be a valid product.

makeorbrake

10-10-20 wrote: »

I was all about to blast it, but it's 3M branded and if it's legit, I can only saw that 3M have a fair bit of credibility, so it could be a valid product.

Sure...was also (and still am skeptical) - but there's no doubt 3M have proven to be an innovative company.

BryanF

makeorbrake wrote: »

Is this just a gimmick or would there be any point in it? I have 2 spare bedrooms that won't be used over the Winter. Would this film assist much in heat retention??

this is misleading imo. it may help a small amount with air-tightness but that's about it

get a BER done and find out what you need to do to reduce your heat loss

antoinolachtnai

It is cling film. It will probably help a bit if your windows are single glazed and a bit ropey. It used to be used a lot for this purpose (I am talking 70s). You don't hear much about it now, because the installed stock of windows is now a good bit better sealed and double glazing is so common. If your windows are good, I wouldn't think it would make much difference. You would obviously be better to improve your windows if they are in poor condition.

makeorbrake

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

It is cling film. It will probably help a bit if your windows are single glazed and a bit ropey. It used to be used a lot for this purpose (I am talking 70s). You don't hear much about it now, because the installed stock of windows is now a good bit better sealed and double glazing is so common. If your windows are good, I wouldn't think it would make much difference. You would obviously be better to improve your windows if they are in poor condition.

Ok, thanks. I just thought I would ask - just in case.


I am continuously looking at ways n means of making the house more energy efficient...

BryanF

makeorbrake wrote: »

Ok, thanks. I just thought I would ask - just in case.


I am continuously looking at ways n means of making the house more energy efficient...

there's no simple solution you have to invest money to save money, something a lot of people are struggling with at the moment:)

have you got a ber done? if so ask your assessor for a cost / payback comparison of the most suitable energy saving options

makeorbrake

BryanF wrote: »

have you got a ber done? if so ask your assessor for a cost / payback comparison of the most suitable energy saving options

No - haven't bothered with that ( I did the BER course some years back - but never bothered pursuing it...was round the time things started to turn - so didn't see the point!). I just like to check out anything that I come across. External insulation was another I was interested in. I can finance it - but again, I think I'm better off holding off - until there is more uniformity in the work being carried out. Also, due to current occupancy behaviour (not there most evenings) and the fact that the house is an '05 build, unsure if it's even worthwhile in terms of payback.


Just looking for smaller things to carry out - that may improve overall efficiency. Currently, installing reflective panels behind rads - a small thing - but from what I can gather, it's worth doing - with little outlay.

antoinolachtnai

You have to be very selective, as you are doing. The thing with the reflectors behind the rads won't make any difference if the rads are on internal walls, for instance. External insulation - depends on what side of the house you are talking about. Similarlyhere doesn't seem to me to be much point in putting insulation on the South-facing side of a house.

BryanF

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

YSimilarlyhere doesn't seem to me to be much point in putting insulation on the South-facing side of a house.

can you elaborate on this logic please. are you suggesting the power of the sun (and all of it we get in ireland) is sufficient when compared to the same walls heat loss?

antoinolachtnai

Almost, but not exactly. What it is is that the south facing wall of the house can act as a thermal store, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. It depends on your wall and your site and so on.

If you insulate the south-facing wall with some sort of lightweight insulation, you are pretty much definitely going to stop the walls from heating up very much. Similarly, lining the inside of the wall with insulation will also mean that you won't benefit from any stored heat (it will all be kept outside the house).

I have overstated the case a bit though. Not all south facing walls are going to be sufficiently massive to be effective heat stores.

If your walls are sufficient to act as a thermal store, then the external insulation isn't going to give you much of a return anyway.

There isn't a great return on external insulation for many houses in the best circumstances. It's an expensive project to do.

Once you've put in double-glazing and roof insulation and sealed all the gaps, more insulation isn't necessarily a very good financial investment. It is worth getting a BER assessment done before spending a bunch of money (or do it yourself if you've got all the checklists and materials).

BryanF

are you in the south of France or Nevada?
I like to sit in my garden and lean against my south facing wall on a summers evening when the sun has heated it up all day, but that's about as far as this logic goes.

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

Almost, but not exactly. What it is is that the south facing wall of the house can act as a thermal store, absorbing heat during the day and releasing it at night. It depends on your wall and your site and so on.

this statement must be quantified.. imho this 'no insulation on the south facing wall' will NOT work in 99% of existing Irish homes. maybe in a well designed poroton system, rammed earth or technology based water pipes through a wall system...

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

If you insulate the south-facing wall with some sort of lightweight insulation, you are pretty much definitely going to stop the walls from heating up very much. Similarly, lining the inside of the wall with insulation will also mean that you won't benefit from any stored heat (it will all be kept outside the house).

i think your over estimating the benefit of thermal mass that doesn't have insulation to retain the heat.

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

I have overstated the case a bit though. Not all south facing walls are going to be sufficiently massive to be effective heat stores.

imho 99% in the Irish climate are not suitable ...

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

If your walls are sufficient to act as a thermal store, then the external insulation isn't going to give you much of a return anyway.

??
are you presuming the heat will automatically go inwards and not towards the colder external face??

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

Once you've put in double-glazing and roof insulation and sealed all the gaps, more insulation isn't necessarily a very good financial investment.

more insulation than what?? you have suggested no insulation on the south face?? surely the logic is you install good windows to act as a sort of radiator, but the same windows and walls act to retain this heat..

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

It is worth getting a BER assessment done before spending a bunch of money (or do it yourself if you've got all the checklists and materials).

please don't fob this off on the BER system, which has been shown to be a crude piece of software and certainly not one that can assess thermal mass effectively and is definitely weighted towards technology instead of building fabric and orientation..
I think you've exaggerated the benefit of a thermal store on heavyweight construction methods in an external wall WITHOUT some form of insulation for retaining that thermal mass...

makeorbrake

antoinolachtnai wrote: »

The thing with the reflectors behind the rads won't make any difference if the rads are on internal walls, for instance.

Yeah - that's what I am doing (although it's a messy job where rads are already in place.


Re. External - have considered (and continue to consider it) - but I'm not prepared to pay €14K for 135m2 (before grant). Will look again at some stage again in the future -when the overall standard has raised (another issue) - and it becomes more competitive.

Have had a very simple heating control upgrade priced on numerous occasions - already have 3 zones in place - just need 2 x stat's - this should be straightforward with minimal cost. However, quotes I got a few years ago were over what I consider normal. The last one - though the Electric Ireland contractor came in at a whopping €2,200!! Where they got that figure really ...I have no idea!

Buckeye

I used these most winters in the US and they made a huge difference, both to how warm the room felt and to my heating bills. I'm desperate to find them here in Ireland, and am doing a search now, but so far it looks like I'll have to order them in from the US.