External wall insulation
External wall insulation provides exterior walls with insulation, finished surface and waterproofing in an integrated composite system.
Because walls are areas where the house heat loss is one of the greatest reaching up to 35% of the overall, if they are not properly insulated, this is one of the most effective measures getting your home warmer and greener.
Insulating from the outside has a clear advantage over conventional insulation techniques like dry-lining wall insulation. By insulating from the outside and cutting thermal bridges, the entire building structure is protected from the cold and wet weather, which is not the case with internal insulation. These type of insulation also has the biggest advantage for the homeowners applying for the Home Energy Saving Grants. For this measure the grant is the highest - up to €4,000 per household which can cover quite high part of the cost of external insulation.
Homeowners availing of any external insulation grants under the Home Energy Savings scheme should aim to achieve a U-value of 0.27 W/m K or better (i.e. lower).
External insulation involves fixing insulation materials such as mineral wool or expanded polystyrene slabs to the outer surface of the wall. This insulation is covered with a special cement-based render to provide weather resistance. A steel or fibreglass mesh is embedded in this render to provide strength and impact resistance. A thin layer of insulation may be applied around the edges of window and door openings to minimise thermal bridging. The technology is well-established in northern Europe, where it has been in use for many years, but is not yet widely used in Ireland. However after introducing Home Energy Saving Grants this technology has been very quickly accommodated by the external insulation contractors.
Particularly Expanded Polystyrene Insulation systems are highly recommended by Warm House Insulation Systems for external wall insulation. This is also the most economic in comparison with other technologies like mineral wool or fibre glass.
Please visit our external insulation works gallery for better understanding this technology.
Based on materials from Sustainable Energy Ireland website
References: Wall Insulation Information, A detailed guide to insulation your home
If you want to arrange a free survey at your home and get the quote for external wall insulation, please contact us.