Each year, more and more people choose to live in the private sector. Building green homes is a modern trend that cannot be accomplished 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.
In many countries, it is common practice to build wooden houses with energy-efficient technologies. It is very important to think through all the construction details so that your solution is cost effective. For example, if you don't plan on living in your house permanently, there's no point in floor thermal insulation. Underfloor heating systems will be cheaper in the long run.
In thinking about your home design, you'll need to determine your priorities: a large window will bring more light into your home, but a small one will keep it warm. Most likely, you will have to give up installing panoramic windows.
Place the room where you plan to spend most of your time, on the sunniest side. As a result, the house will receive more solar energy during the day. Rooms like bathroom, toilet, garage can be oriented north.
Thermal insulation of a wooden house
After building the house, it's time to think about proper thermal insulation. The main objective in this phase 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 connection of joints;
- calculation of future shrinkage (for multilayer beams it will be around 1%);
- composition insulation 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 a material for insulating and building a house, 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 through the interior of the house while long waves (generated by heaters and people) remain in the house.
- Selective glass. Double-glazed windows in such windows are filled with gas, so they have a lower thermal conductivity than air. The result is that less heat is transferred from the house to the environment.
we insulate the floors
The following materials are used to insulate the floor:
- Insulating compound is an easy way to stay warm and you can add decorative covering right away. The only downside is its high price.
- Aerated concrete is a cement-sand coating, has nitrogen bubbles in the structure, which makes the floor very resistant.
- Cement and sand slab with plastic foam grains, vermiculite, expanded clay, marble chips.
walls
The house loses 10% of its energy on the foundation walls. This is due to the ground freezing in winter. All experts recommend insulating the basement walls and ceiling. This will have a positive impact on protecting your home from environmental influences. The following materials are mainly used here:
- Polyurethane spray.
- Polystyrene.
- Expanded clay. It is the least popular as it requires more labor and has a higher thermal conductivity than previous materials.
Heating costs are the largest of all household costs. This is why 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 methods of heating systems;
- cheap and ecological 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 big expenses on fuel.
First, you must start by insulating the wooden house. This is the first important component. You will only need to invest money once during the construction phase of the house and this will significantly save your budget. A well-insulated house is one with the least heat loss and therefore the lowest heating costs. Heat loss can be increased several times, even if only one window is poorly insulated. The use of advanced isolation techniques is recommended. Using old-fashioned methods is a waste of time and money.
Boiler Automation
A 1°C increase in internal temperature will increase fuel consumption by 5%. This problem can be maintained by installing boiler automation systems.
Automation allows you to control comfort conditions - a decrease or increase in the temperature outside the home will automatically change the temperature inside the room without delay. This system is fuel efficient and very efficient, and 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, automation can be configured for a specific time. This means that the system maintains minimum temperature conditions while you are not at home and warms up 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 many times over. Compared to a traditional heating system such as a radiator, it is not only economical but also very fast. The radiant floor heating system distributes heat throughout 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 has prevented the introduction of the solar system into everyday life is the use of solar cells to convert sunlight into electricity. This is very expensive technology.
The main advantages of solar powered homes:
- 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 need to do after installation is to take care of the panels and keep them clean. Snow, dust and raindrops on batteries can reduce the amount of sunlight. Keep in mind 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. For this you only need a hose with a nozzle. It is recommended that batteries be replaced every ten years.
Where is your home located
The geographic location of your home will have a significant impact on solar energy efficiency. Electricity from solar panels depends on direct sunlight, so the shade from tall trees or nearby buildings will create a barrier. The more hours the batteries are exposed to direct sunlight, the more efficiently the system works.
Before deciding 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. A high sun exposure means a lot of electricity.
You must 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 all your wishes into consideration. It will make your future home not only energy efficient but also attractive.