Keeping the Heat Out with Insulation
When most people think of insulation they think of carpets and thick curtains and the stuff that goes in your roof. All of this works to keep your home warm, but did you know that insulation can keep out the heat too? Today’s modern floor plan designs are conscious of both the need to preserve heat and the need to circulate air. These two things combined can keep your home comfortable in any weather, helping to combat high energy costs. Combined with supplementary methods, insulation is a less expensive and more environmentally sustainable way of creating and maintaining a comfortable temperature in the home. Today we’re going to look a little bit at insulation as well as other cooling methods that all work together to create a comfortable home.
Roof Insulation – Essential for Fighting the Heat
Roof is one of the largest and most exposed parts of your house, meaning it will be more exposed to the elements than most parts. Effective new home designs realise this, investing in room insulation that will also keep the home cool in summer. Here’s how it works: In winter, your roof insulation blocks the cold air, keeping your home warmer and giving your heater less work to do. In summer, a similar concept applies. All of the heat that strikes your roof is trapped in your roof space and its movement into your home is slowed. This creates a cooler environment, meaning your air conditioning doesn’t need to work overtime.
Keep Cool Air Flowing
The other aspect of insulation in summer is being able to maintain a constant airflow. This is why over-insulating your walls may be overkill. Insulating your ceiling and roof is the most efficient means of keeping your home cool, but over-insulating walls may prevent airflow throughout your home. Cool air is easier to maintain inside your home than hot air – because hot air rises – so maintaining moderate insulation in your walls will allow your open windows, air conditioning and an open floor plan to work their magic.
More than Just Insulation
From before a home is even built, you can take steps to create a cooler home – after all, it takes more than insulation to create comfort. Here are a few examples:
Clever house plans – many Queenslander house plans are designed to move air under the home, where the air is cooler.
Orientation – trusted home builders will also understand that the positioning of a home can affect comfort. A good orientation will take things such as the sun’s path and wind patterns into account, allowing you to have naturally warmer winters and cooler summer while increasing your energy efficiency.
Zoning for the seasons – similar to orientation considerations, you can divide your home into seasonal zones that reduce your reliance on energy for heating and cooling. A house built with zoning in mind will be able to be easily reconfigured to take advantage of shade, breeze and the sun.
Help from Experienced Sunshine Coast Builders
PJ Burns combine nearly 40 years of experience to provide quality all year around. Contact us to speak with one of the most experienced home builders in Brisbane that will provide design and insulation solutions for your new house or when you are looking to renovate your house.