How much do you spend on air conditioning throughout the year? According to the Institute for Energy Diversification and Saving (IDAE), each Spaniard spends an average of more than 1,100 euros per year to achieve a comfortable temperature in their home, which represents 30% of total energy consumption. However, with good thermal insulation, this percentage can be significantly reduced and save on bills.
Thermal insulation consists of a set of techniques and materials that allow the loss of cold and heat from a home to be reduced, maintaining ideal living conditions without the need to resort to - or to a lesser extent - the use of air conditioners or heaters. It involves making modifications to the structure of the building so that the temperature remains stable independently, regardless of the weather conditions outside.
We explain why it is important to improve thermal insulation and what are the options to achieve it .
Advantages of thermal insulation
Interventions to optimize thermal insulation in any property present important benefits for the owners and/or tenants of the homes:
- Reduction in consumption. The first positive effect will be seen in the energy bill, as we will avoid cold or heat leaks and we will need less energy to maintain a comfortable temperature. Specifically, insulating the home means energy savings of between 25% and 30% on household bills.
- Rapid payback. Thanks to this lower consumption , any improvement in the energy efficiency of the property will be rewarded in a short period of time. In fact, it only takes between 5 and 7 years for the intervention to have paid for itself and, over the useful life of the thermal insulation, the savings will exceed the cost of the work by 8 or 9 times.
- Increased value of the property. In addition to these economic advantages, there is also the increase in value that the property will have after being thermally insulated, increasing its sale or rental price.
- Greater well-being. As it is thermally insulated, owners will enjoy a pleasant thermal sensation, both in winter and summer.
- Improved health . Thermal insulation also has an impact on the health of residents, as it helps eliminate harmful mould in cases of damp and condensation, and reduces noise that filters in from outside, thereby reducing noise pollution in the home.
- Environmental protection. Furthermore, reducing energy consumption leads to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, which contributes to promoting sustainability and respect for the planet, creating efficient homes .
Thermal rehabilitation
Despite all these advantages, thermal insulation remains a pending issue in Spain , as more than half of buildings are built without adequate thermal protection, as highlighted by IDAE in its Practical Guide to Energy for Building Rehabilitation.
For this reason, public institutions are encouraging a change of mentality towards what is known as thermal rehabilitation, that is, taking advantage of the different reforms that are going to be undertaken in a property to insulate the home , without waiting for a specific problem (such as a leak or a considerable amount of air entering through the window) to require intervention in the energy improvement of the house. For example, if we have to repair a damp area or we are going to change the lighting in a room, we can take advantage of the work to thermally insulate the ceiling or, if we are going to replace the flooring, we can incorporate insulating materials in the floors.
Although these actions will mean a slight increase in the renovation budget, the truth is that in the short term it will be rewarded , thanks to the economic savings that the greater thermal insulation will generate.
Thermal insulation systems
What measures can we take to reduce energy consumption ? There are different systems or techniques that help to reinforce the insulation of a property:
- External Thermal Insulation System (ETIS). Let's imagine that we are going to modify the facade of the block or the house. In this case, we can opt for this method, which consists of incorporating insulating panels on the entire external face of the building, which are subsequently covered with different finishes. Thanks to this 'wrapping', the property will practically eliminate any existing thermal bridges.
- Thermal insulation injected into chambers. Another system for improving thermal insulation consists of injecting thermal insulation between the gaps and chambers inside the partitions through small perforations. It has the advantage that it hardly requires any work and can be carried out on both the external and internal surfaces of the walls.
- Lining . If we are thinking of a complete renovation of the house or of some rooms, this option is highly recommended. It involves placing insulating panels attached to the walls, ceiling or floor, which are covered with different finishes, such as plasterboard, wood or brick.
- Direct cladding. Another, simpler and more economical alternative to improve thermal insulation is direct cladding, that is, gluing insulating panels, such as wood or cork, onto the surface of the home. This cladding can be left visible or finished with paint, plaster or tiling, depending on the taste of each owner.
- Windows . One of the critical points where most thermal leaks occur are the enclosures, so it is advisable to incorporate windows with thermal break and double glazing that prevent cold or heat losses.
- Pipes . By installing thermal insulation material on the hot or cold water pipes, we will avoid heat loss when transporting hot water and prevent possible condensation in the cold water pipes.
As for the materials available for thermal insulation, there are different types on the market, from natural elements such as rock wool or fiberglass, and synthetic ones, such as expanded and extruded polystyrene, to recycled insulators, such as cork or geotextile.
Tips for summer
In addition to these interventions, we can also adopt small daily habits that allow us to improve the thermal insulation of the home. Thus, the Official College of Quantity Surveyors and Architects of Madrid gives us a series of tips to maintain a comfortable temperature even in summer :
- Ventilate the house. It is advisable to open the windows during the coolest hours of the day, that is, early in the morning and at night, leaving them closed with the blinds down for the rest of the day. It is also important to use the windows facing each other to create cross ventilation.
- Check the seals. Sun, rain and wind quickly wear down the seals on doors and windows, increasing thermal leakage. It is therefore advisable to periodically check their condition and replace them with new ones. The cost is minimal, but it has a major impact on the thermal insulation of the home.
- Avoid direct sunlight. Using exterior blinds and awnings to prevent direct sunlight from hitting the windows can help us save up to 60% on energy.