Every year more and more people choose to live in the private sector. The construction of ecological houses 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.
For many countries, it is common practice to build wooden houses with energy efficient technologies. It is very important to think over all the details of the construction so that your solution turns out to be cost-effective. For example, if you do not plan to live in your house permanently, there is no point in thermal insulation of the floor. Underfloor heating systems will be cheaper in the long run.
Thinking over 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. Most likely, you will have to give up the idea of installing panoramic windows.
Place the room where you intend to spend most of your time on the most sunlit side. As a result, the house will receive more solar power during the day. Rooms such as 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 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 take into account the following factors:
- changes in structure during shrinkage;
- precise connection of joints;
- calculation of future shrinkage (for multilayer beams it will be about 1%);
- isolation of the composition at the junction of the roof.
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 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 through the interior of the home while long waves (generated from heaters and people) remain in the home.
- Selective glass. Double-glazed windows in such a window are filled with gas, so that they have a lower thermal conductivity than air. The result is less heat is transferred from the home to the environment.
We insulate the floors
The following materials are used to insulate the floor:
- Insulating compound is an easy way to keep warm, and you can add decorative cover right away. The only drawback is its high price.
- Aerated concrete is a cement-sandy coating that has nitrogen bubbles in its structure, which makes the floor very strong.
- Cement-sand slab with grains of foam plastic, vermiculite, expanded clay, marble chips.
Walls
The house loses 10% of its energy through the walls of the foundation. This is due to the freezing of the ground in the winter. All experts recommend insulating the walls and ceiling of the basement. This will have a positive impact on protecting your home from environmental influences. The following materials are mainly used here:
- Polyurethane sprayer.
- Styrofoam.
- Expanded clay. It is the least popular, as it requires more labor input and has a higher thermal conductivity than previous materials.
Heating costs are the largest of all household costs. That is why the issue of heating and its efficient operation is popular in private wooden houses. In this matter, 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 at home;
- thermal insulation of windows and doors.
In this case, you will spend the winter in comfortable conditions and without huge fuel costs.
First of all, you should 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 save your budget significantly. A good insulated home is one with the least heat loss, and therefore the lowest heating costs. Heat loss can be increased by 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 indoor 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 temperature outside the home will automatically change the temperature inside the room without delay. This system is fuel efficient and very efficient, will save you money in the long run. In a situation where you leave the house for a couple of days, there is no need to heat the house to the maximum. In this case, the automation can be set for a specific time. This means that the system maintains minimum temperature conditions while you are not at home and warms it to normal temperature a few hours before your arrival.
Underfloor heating system
This system is considered to be the most economically viable today. And if you combine it with a condensing boiler, the efficiency will be increased 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 throughout the entire height of the room, thereby 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 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 endless;
- 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 to care for 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 do the cleaning very often. One to four times a year will be sufficient. For this you only need a hose with a nozzle. Batteries are recommended to 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 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 efficiently the system works.
Before you decide to install solar panels, find out the insolation value in your area. Insolation is a measure that measures how much solar radiation hits the earth in a given area over a period of time. A high solar exposure means a large amount of electricity.
You must understand that only you can decide what energy-saving systems your wooden house will have. Discuss all the details with a specialist, he will take into account all your wishes. Will make your future home not only energy-efficient, but also attractive.