The first aspect to consider when retrofitting your home in an eco-friendly way is to understand your home's building information, constraints, risks, and potentialities.
Guidance documents refer to a 'fabric first' approach; this is about knowing the properties of your house's materials. Is your house brick or stone? Is your home insulated or has a cavity wall (air gap)? Sometimes, it may only be possible to determine the exact materials, but finding out the style of your home will enable you to know the period. These are the external walls and roof. Finding this out determines the U-value and PSI values. A U-value is the heat transfer rate through a structure divided by the difference in temperature across that structure.
Airtightness is a key consideration in eco-friendly retrofitting. It refers to the uncontrolled leakage of outdoor air through cracks or other unintentional building openings. Understanding this concept and the areas where two elements meet, known as junctions, is vital. By using joint sealers, mastics, tapes, grommets, and membranes, you can effectively control airtightness, reducing energy loss and your carbon footprint. Utilise free energy. These are resources like sunlight and geothermal energy, all energy stored in the form of heat beneath the earth's surface. Photovoltaics and ground-source heat pumps are essential components in any eco-friendly retrofit because they contribute to decarbonisation and bill reduction; the latter transfers heat from the ground radiators or underfloor heating hot water cylinder, ready to use for your hot taps and showers.
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