KEEP THE COLD OUT

Did you know that homes in South Africa are either insulated to a poor standard, compared to European nations, or have no form of insulation at all. In 2011 our National Building Regulations made it compulsory to fit thermal insulation in new buildings and additions to building structures.

- >> Aarifah Nosarka

Even though the regulation does not extend to homes built before 2011, the benefit of having your ceilings, roofs, pipes and geysers insulated is undeniable, especially with escalating electricity tariffs. Chairperson at Thermal Insulation Products and Systems Association of SA (TIPSASA), Des Schnetler says home insulation has the potential to save money on energy costs and supports a sustainable environment.

He says that finances are always a major deterrent when considering home insulation. “While life cycle costing shows that using insulation pays for itself, many homeowners, building-owners and builders are more interested in reducing initial cost than minimising total costs, which includes operating costs, both heating and cooling.”

Des says that a home built more than 10 years ago can usually have insulation retrofitted to improve efficiency. “Of utmost importance is selecting a product best suited for the application and specific climatic zone.”

How thermal insulation works

Insulating a home basically means having it wrapped in a ‘protective blanket’ to reduce the transfer of heat into and out of the building. In winter it reduces the rate at which heat is lost from inside, and in summer it reduces the rate of heat entry into the building.

For example, on a hot day, an uninsulated home will conduct heat easily through the roof, windows and walls from the outside. This raises the temperature of the home on the inside.

Isoboard’s Mark Russell says that the range of human comfort inside a home is usually between 20° and 27° Celsius. “This comfort range varies in different climatic regions, as well between summer and winter, and even between how males and females perceive being comfortable. Your perception of comfort is also influenced by how acclimatised you are to your environment, how appropriately you are dressed, air flow, as well as other factors.”