House Renovation - Energy saving ideas?

Minxycat

Hello I am new to this forum, I am hoping to improve the energy efficiency of our home and I hope this forum may be able to give me some helpful ideas and advice

I live in a poorly heated and insulated 1960's bungalow. We are soon going to start some major renovations/building work involving extending up into the roofspace and out over a ground floor extension. This will give us 3 bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs as well as a larger kitchen and living space downstairs.

I feel a priority must be to insulate the house as well as possible, we will be making sure the roof is well insulated but I have heard horror stories about cavity wall insulation concerning dampness caused by trapped condensation. Does anyone have any experience or views on cavity wall insulation? Also what are the most environmentally sound materials for insulating a roof space?

We have many large windows in the property (all very ugly and many don't even have the facility to open them - they are large, fixed sheets of glass!!!) We are going to be replacing the windows with more attractive ones as well as fitting new ones upstairs - I think wooden ones (from a sustainable source!) are best aesthetically and environmentally. But is double glazing the answer? I have read that even the best quality double glazed units will only last about 20years before they start to mist up and need replacing - that sounds like a terible waste of resources to me, should I just go for well-fitted, single-glazing and make myself some long, heavy, interlined curtains? Does anyone have any views on the pros and cons of double glazing?

I have many other concerns including how we will heat our home but I will post again on those another day!

Thanks in anticipation

Fire_Fox

Welcome to MSE! These are great sites
http://www.theyellowhouse.org.uk/
http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/
You may be able to get grants for cavity wall or loft insulation via your council or energy supplier - benefit there is getting reputable companies to install the product so you have the best chance of a good result.

IMO replacing your existing single glazed windows with more attractive single glazed windows is the least environmentally friendly option! :eek: Windows can lose half of the heat from the home, maybe more if you have large panes of glass.

I looked into interlined curtains last winter and came to the conclusion that they don't really save that much heat, and should only be used in addition to double glazing/ secondary glazing/ low-emmisivity glass. The best estimate I found was 'up to 25%' for a very specific product (sales pitch). Blackout lining is apparently better than thermal lining, and shutters are supposed to be very effective.

Something that is really important with insulation is ventilation, so many people complain in winter they have damp when it is often condensation caused by lifestyle and preventing an older property 'breathing'. I would highly recommend humidistat extractors in kitchen and bathroom, maybe even considering a positive ventilation unit if you have high ceilings.

sashman

Minxycat

lots of good advice from Firefox (as always)

EST are meant to be the gov site for energy efficiency, but the window industry doensnt get promoted that well and their site is very difficult to follow, and I know whats listed on it!!!

single glazing loses 5.6 units of heat every hour, every 1 degree, most old dg its about half tha at 2.8 or 2. energy rated windows are now 1.8, or lower . C rated the current recommended is approx 74% better, A rated is energy neutral, it saves as much as it loses over the year!!!!

try www.bfrc.org its the british fenestrations council that rates the products, try www.ggf.org for lists of window companies that will do a good job, their memebr must comply and there is a free arbitration service
try www.fensa.org they list companies that self regulate that their products are building regulation compliant.

sashman

Minxycat

Thanks Firefox, theyellowhouse is fascinating and very inspirational. I like the stuff about orientation and glazing - I was undecided about whether or not to brick up one of the large windows in my kitchen, it is on a north facing wall and the room would still be very bright without it, now I have read about the energy saving benefits it has made my mind up to do it and to install some glass bricks to let light in to my internal downstairs loo. Looks like we can get a grant for cavity wall insulation too if our walls are suitable.

Minxycat

Thanks Sashman for the links, I am keen to make sure we get windows fitted by a reputable company - they will be a considerable expense.

sashman

ooops, should have been www.fensa.org.uk and www.ggf.org.uk the bfrc one is right sorry!

PS the government is intending to make replacement windows C rated or better from October 1st this year.

Good news because its lifting the standards, bad new it may cost a bit more but if I were you I'd get them done sooner incase they decide to increase the standard....Oh but the VAT is the same (not 5% like other energy efficient products grrrrrrrrrr), oh oh VAT will probably go to 20% WHOEVER gets in!

Like I say do it sooner rather than later!

PM me I can help recommend someone in the New Forest area

sashman

A_fiend_for_life

Another site worth posting on is the https://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk

Expect to give a fair bit of detail.

Minxycat

Thanks A fiend for life I will have a look on there too.