Insulate Magazine Issue 19

The only independent trade magazine for the insulation industry
affects the critical surface temperature factor for mould
growth; and may have an effect on the chosen ventilation
strategy, so thought should always be given checking
that ventilation is still sufficient when adding insulation.
It might be tempting at this stage to think that all problems
can be avoided by covering the walls with vapour
control barriers and installing a mechanical ventilation
system with heat recovery (MVHR) unit! However, this
will not meet the conservation of fuel and energy requirements
in Part L for England and Wales, or Section
6 for Scotland.
Designing an effective, energy-efficient
and cost-efficient system
There is no silver bullet to keeping homes comfortable
to live in. Condensation risk should be managed with a
combination of good insulation, infiltration and ventilation
strategies that work together.
Calculations will not only identify if there is a risk of
condensation forming but also the point at which it
would form.
At Thermal Economics, to ensure compliance for
retrofits, our technical team usually carries out these
calculations for free for customers buying our products
(where a steady-state, one-dimensional vapour diffusion
analysis is appropriate). However, for any build ask
for a ‘condensation risk analysis’ before buying products
so that you know Part C will also be met in your
project.
John Hefford is a Senior Consultant and part of
the technical team at Thermal Economics.
Thermal Economics has been delivering thermal
and acoustic insulation products for over
35 years.
The company helps customers to make the
best decisions for their builds by providing
support throughout the project – from specifying
and design through to ensuring that its
installed products meet building regulations –
as and when we are needed.
www.thermal-economics.co.uk
www.insulatenetwork.com