Don’t cause problems with your renovation. If not done correctly, home renovations can cause long-term problems for the building’s structure. That is one of the messages that Home Energy Limited is offering to explain to those attending its one-day workshop, near Kenmay, on May 20.
The workshop discusses the difficulties of upgrading traditional homes towards modern standards. Traditional homes are often cold and draughty, so renovations are a good way to make them more comfortable and energy efficient.
Controlling moisture is fundamental as otherwise harmful mould spores can grow on inside surfaces, and structural timber can rot, so requiring replacement.
Problems are often caused by homeowners trying to increase the air temperature in a traditional home without allowing enough ventilation to remove moisture. Reducing the amount of moisture in the air by local extraction, or by regular airing of the house, will help enormously, thereafter increasing insulation and improving windows may be the next most important factors.
All traditional buildings are different and insulation of the correct type and thickness needs to be selected to suit the individual circumstances. Spray foam, beads, cellulose, fibreboard, aerogel or conventional phenolic foam board, with or without vapour control barrier are some of the choices. Windows, doors, floors and lofts all contribute to the success of your improvement project.
“Knowing the principles before you start means you are much better placed to discuss the options with your builder, or architect – or to plan it correctly if you are doing it yourself,” said Rod McGovern, one of the workshop’s tutors.
Recent research has highlighted the value of using insulation that allows moisture to pass through, so automatically opting for conventional insulation board, which forms a vapour barrier, may not be the best option.
Preventing cold air entering the house, while maintaining good ventilation, requires attention to draught control – strictly controlled in new houses but often neglected in traditional buildings. Having control over ventilation can make a huge difference to comfort levels, so methods to efficiently locate and seal draughts will be demonstrated.
Ideally, you want the benefits of the refurbishment to be fully recognised in the Energy Performance Certificate. Everyone would prefer to buy a house with a higher energy efficiency rating, given the choice, but often the work is not done in a way that allows its inclusion.
The workshop explains how to maximise your EPC rating, and take advantage of the Green Deal and other government initiatives, giving homeowners access to grants and interest-free loans to improve the energy efficiency of their home at reduced cost.
Improving traditional buildings correctly should make the home more comfortable, reduce heating costs
and improve the re-sale value of the house.
The event will be held at Netherton Business Centre, Kemnay and costs £90 plus VAT for the day.
For more details of the Home Improvement Workshop contact Amanda on 01467 643113