Every year more and more people choose to live in the private sector. Building ecological houses is a modern trend that can not be realized without the introduction of energy saving technologies. The main secret of the effectiveness of such houses lies in the combination of engineering and architectural design of the house. It is very difficult to implement energy saving technologies in an already built house - this is a very expensive reconstruction, sometimes even impossible.
For many countries, it is common practice to build wooden houses with energy efficient technology. It is very important to think about all the details of the construction in order for your solution to result in cost effective. For example, if you do not plan to live permanently in your home, there is no point in thermal insulation of the floor. Underfloor heating systems will be cheaper in the long run.
When thinking about home design, you will need to set your own priorities: a large window will bring more light into your home, but a small one will keep you warm. Most likely, you will have to give up the idea of installing panoramic windows.
Place the room where you plan to spend most of your time on the sunlit side. As a result, the house will receive more solar energy during the day. Rooms such as bathroom, toilet, garage can be oriented from the north.
Thermal insulation of a wooden house
After building the house, it is time to think about proper thermal insulation. The main goal at this stage is to minimize heat loss to the environment.
More than 40% of the heat passes through the walls of the house, so it is important to consider the following factors:
- changes in structure during shrinkage;
- correct connection of joints;
- calculation of future shrinkage (for multi-layer beams will be about 1%);
- insulation of the composition at the junction of the roof.
The house loses 20% of its heat through the roof. It should be insulated with the same material as the walls. When choosing a material for insulation and construction of a house, you must remember that the thickness of the insulation layer must be at least 20 cm.
Double glazed windows
More than 20% of the heat passes through the windows. Currently, there are two types of glass that can prevent heat loss in the home:
- Low-emission glass, which has a material that allows ultraviolet radiation to pass inside the house while long waves (created by heaters and people) remain in the house.
- Selective glass. Double-glazed windows in such a window are filled with gas, so as to have a lower thermal conductivity than air. The result is less heat transferred from the house to the environment.
We insulate the floors
The following materials are used for floor insulation:
- Insulating compound is an easy way to keep warm, and you can add decorative cover immediately. The only drawback is its high price.
- Aerated concrete is a cement-sand coating, there are nitrogen bubbles in the structure, which makes the floor very strong.
- Cement-sand slab with plastic foam granules, vermiculite, expanded clay, pieces of marble.
Walls
The house loses 10% of its energy through the foundation walls. This is due to the freezing of the soil in winter. All experts recommend insulating the walls and ceiling of the basement. This will have a positive impact on protecting your home from environmental impacts. The following materials are mainly used here:
- Polyurethane sprayers.
- styrofoam.
- Expanded clay. It is less popular as it needs more work and has a higher thermal conductivity than previous materials.
Heating costs are the largest of all household expenses. This is why the issue of heating and its efficient operation is popular in private wooden houses. In this case, an integrated approach should be used, which consists of several steps:
- selection of modern methods of heating systems;
- cheap and environmentally friendly fuel;
- good thermal insulation in the house;
- thermal insulation of windows and doors.
In this case, you will spend the winter in comfortable conditions and without large fuel costs.
First of all, you need to start with the insulation of the wooden house. This is the first important component. You will only need to invest money once during the construction phase of your home and this will significantly save your budget. A good insulated home is one with less heat loss, and consequently lower heating costs. Heat loss can increase several times, even if only one window is poorly insulated. The use of advanced insulation techniques is recommended. Using old-fashioned methods is a waste of time and money.
Boiler automation
An increase of 1 ° C in the indoor temperature will increase fuel consumption by 5%. This problem can be maintained by installing boiler automation systems.
Automation lets you control comfort conditions - a decrease or increase in temperature outside the home will automatically change the temperature inside the room without delay. This system is fuel efficient and highly efficient, it will save you money in the long run. In a situation where you leave the house for a few days, there is no need to heat the house to the maximum. In this case, the automation can be set for a certain time. This means that the system maintains the minimum temperature conditions when you are not at home and heats it to normal temperature a few hours before your arrival.
Underfloor heating system
This system is considered to be more economically viable today. And if you combine it with a condensing boiler, the efficiency will increase several times. Compared to a traditional heating system such as a radiator, this is not only economical but also very fast. The underfloor heating system distributes the heat throughout the height of the room, thus creating a comfortable indoor environment.
solar panels
Nowadays, solar panels are becoming an increasingly common source of energy. The main problem that has stopped the introduction of the solar system into daily life is the use of solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity. This is a very expensive technology.
The main advantages of houses with solar energy:
- solar energy is infinite;
- this energy source is environmentally friendly;
- no greenhouse gas emissions.
Solar panels have no moving parts. This means that the only thing you will need to do after installation is take care of the panels and keep them clean. Snow, dust, raindrops on batteries can reduce the amount of sunlight. Remember that dust on structures can reduce the amount of electricity by up to 7%. But it is not necessary to do the cleaning very often. One to four times a year will suffice. For this you only need a sock with a nose. Batteries are recommended to be replaced every ten years.
Where is your home?
The geographical location of your home will have a significant impact on solar energy efficiency. Electricity from solar panels relies on direct sunlight, so shade from tall trees or nearby buildings will create a barrier. The more hours the batteries are exposed to direct sunlight, the more efficient the system works.
Before you decide to install solar panels, find out the value of insulation in your area. Insulation is a measure that measures how much solar radiation hits the ground in a given area over a period of time. A high solar exposure means a large amount of electricity.
You need to understand that only you can decide which energy saving systems your wooden house will have. Discuss all the details with a specialist, he will take into account all your wishes. It will make your future home not only energetic but also attractive.