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We hope you are having a great Christmas and are looking forward to 2020! Doesn't time fly?
Now is often a time for starting to think and plan for the year ahead. If you are considering renovating or adding an extension or even building your own home in a more sustainable way this is the newsletter for you!
We have put together some handy guides that will help you navigate around the sometimes complex world of insulation, breathable membranes and vapour control layers.
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Eco Loft Conversions
(ideas and inspiration)
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Ideas and inspiration for an eco loft conversion
It’s often an underutilised area of the house but a loft conversion can be the perfect solution if you want to create some much needed space in your home. Cheaper to implement and with much less upheaval than moving, a loft conversion can give you that handy extra bedroom or the workspace you’ve always wanted and if you use eco-friendly materials as well, you’ll be benefiting from a whole lot more.
Did you know that by using Eco Friendly materials you can…
- reduce your construction costs
- reduce subsequent energy costs
- create a healthier living space
- be kind to the environment
Andrea has been researching the best materials she could use for a loft conversion blog post about insulation values. Read about her findings here: Eco Loft Conversion Ideas & Inspiration.
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Let's talk about insulation values!
(or "how much insulation do I need?")
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How much insulation do you need?
The short answer is, it depends ...
If you just want to reach the minimum standards for insulation, the answer depends on:
- what type of building you are insulating (domestic or non-domestic, new build or refurbishment),
- where you need to insulate (walls, roof, floor etc),
- how the building work is constructed (materials used etc) and,
- location of the project in the UK (the rules are can differ for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland!).
The good news is that all the insulation calculations, wherever you are in the UK and whatever your are doing, are based on "U-Values". The key is to understand U-Values and how they are calculated.
Read Ian's blog post about insulation values to really get to grips with thermal conductivity, R-Values and U-Values. He kept it simple, honest.
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Quick Guide to Breathable Membranes
(VCLs, VSDs, Water Vapour, Dew Points and Condensation)
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Which membrane to use
If you are considering insulation for your property, no doubt you have come across terms such as VCL, VSD, vapour barrier and breathable membranes to name but a few. We’ve put together a quick overview and a brief explanation of the main types of membrane and their application.
Some terms, such as vapour control layer (VCL) are sometimes used as a collective term for materials that control the passage of moisture. As such VCL often describes two types of membranes that do two very different things. So it's important to understand how the moisture moves and where it needs to be controlled.
Read Ian's blog quick guide to breathable membranes to understand a bit more about it all.
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FREE Colour Cards
Yes, that's free colour cards with free postage to UK addresses!
1 colour card of any (or all if you wish) of the eco paints that we stock.
If you are decorating soon, start looking at colours now!
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FREE and impartial advice
We are not builders or architects (although our Ian, pictured, used to be a builder). Between us all we have a lot of knowledge about buildings, renovation and natural materials. If you are confused about anything you have read, just give us a call or send us an email and we will be glad to advise where we can.
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Opening Times
We hope you are having a great time this Christmas. A Big Thank You from everyone here for supporting our quest to help you, your home and the planet be a little more sustainable.
A few of us will be back in the office for one short day - Monday the 30th of December (7:30am to 2pm) - to ship out orders and deal with any queries by email & phone.
Have a great New Year and a wonderfully happy and healthy 2020!
We are open as usual from Thursday 2nd January.
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What have you missed lately?
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