Every year more and more people decide to live in the private sector. The construction of ecological houses is a modern trend that cannot be achieved without the introduction of energy-saving technologies. The main secret of the efficiency 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.
In many countries, it is common practice to build wooden houses with energy efficient technologies. It is very important to consider all the details of the construction to make your solution cost effective. For example, if you do not plan to live permanently in your house, it makes no sense to conduct thermal insulation of the floor. Underfloor heating systems will be cheaper in the long run.
When thinking about the design of the house, you will need to determine your priorities: a large window will bring more light into your home, but a small one will keep you warm. You will probably have to give up the idea of installing panoramic windows.
Set up a room where you plan to spend most of your time on the side that is most exposed to the sun. As a result, the house will receive more solar energy during the day. Rooms such as bathroom, toilet, garage can be oriented to the north.
Thermal insulation of a wooden house
After building a house, it’s 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;
- precise joining of joints;
- budget of future shrinkage (for multilayer beams it will be about 1%);
- insulation of the composition at the roof joint.
The house loses 20% of its heat through the roof. It must be insulated with the same material as the walls. When choosing materials for insulation and building a house, you must keep in mind 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. There are currently two types of glass that can prevent heat loss in a home:
- Low-emission glass, which has a material that allows ultraviolet radiation to pass through the interior of the home, while long waves (generated by heaters and people) remain in the home.
- Selective glass. Double windows in such a window are filled with gas, so they have a lower thermal conductivity than air. The result is less heat is transferred from the house to the environment.
We insulate the floors
The following materials are used for floor insulation:
- Insulating mass is an easy way to heat up, and you can immediately add a decorative cover. The only drawback is its high price.
- Aerated concrete is a cement-sand lining, it has nitrogen bubbles in the structure, which makes the floor very solid.
- Cement-sand slab with grains of foam plastic, vermiculite, expanded clay, marble debris.
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 insulation of basement walls and ceiling. This will have a positive effect on protecting your home from the environment. The following materials are mainly used here:
- Polyurethane sprayer.
- Styrofoam.
- Expanded clay. It is the least popular, because it requires more work and has a higher thermal conductivity than previous materials.
Heating costs are the highest of all household costs. Therefore, the issue of heating and its efficient operation is popular in private wooden houses. In this case, an integrated approach consisting of several steps should be used:
- selection of modern heating methods;
- cheap and environmentally friendly fuel;
- good thermal insulation at home;
- thermal insulation of windows and doors.
In this case, you will spend the winter in comfortable conditions and without high fuel costs.
First of all, you should start with the insulation of a wooden house. This is the first important component. You will need to invest money only once in the construction phase of the house and this will significantly save your budget. A good insulated house is the one with the lowest heat loss, and therefore the lowest 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
Increasing the internal temperature by 1 ° C will increase fuel consumption by 5%. This problem can be solved by installing a boiler automation system.
Automation allows you to control the conditions of comfort - reducing or increasing the temperature outside the house will automatically change the temperature in the room without delay. This system is efficient and very efficient, it will save you money in the long run. In the situation when 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 to a specific time. This means that the system maintains minimum temperature conditions while you are not at home and heats it to normal temperature a few hours before your arrival.
Underfloor heating system
This system is considered the most 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 heat over the entire 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 stopped the introduction of the solar system in everyday life is the use of solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity. This is a very expensive technology.
The main advantages of solar-powered houses:
- 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 have to do after installation is to 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 there is no need to clean very often. One to four times a year will suffice. All you need for this is a hose with a nozzle. It is recommended to replace the batteries every ten years.
Where is your home
The geographical location of your home will have a significant impact on the efficiency of solar energy. 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.
Before you decide to install solar panels, find out the value of insolation in your area. Insolation is a measure of how much solar radiation hits the Earth in a given area over a period of time. High exposure to the sun 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 an expert, he will take into account all your wishes. It will make your future home not only energy efficient, but also attractive.