Ecodev

SEAI energy improvement grants closed for business

2011-06-02T15:40:00.001+01:00

SEAI have closed their doors for most residential and commercial grants in Ireland for a while now. They are still closed half a month past the scheduled re-opening date of 16 May.

One can only hope that they are going to implement more attractive grants and that the government may even subsidise suppliers of renewable energy products and better quality boilers.
They need to reduce costs to the home owner so that the Irish population can seriously start installing these energy efficiency systems.
Without a major drive there is no way Ireland will make the reductions on our CO2 emissions not only to meet Kyoto agreement levels, but to help reduce the impact on our planet!

Fingers crossed and forever hopeful...

Persistent Mildew on walls

2011-03-18T07:24:00.002Z

I have personally experienced the ‘unexplained’ sudden growth of mildew on the walls of one room in particular.
What could possibly be causing this?, I ask myself, I followed all the right steps and left the air gap near the eaves!

Further investigation identified the problem: Lack of loft ventilation.

I have seen this problem over and over again in the houses that I Energy Audit or provide Building Energy Ratings for. The cause may seem such a small thing, but it has a massive impact.

My personal experience:

Build elements that changed, causing the problem:

• I properly insulated our loft space to 300mm of insulation
• I checked to make sure that I had left the area closest to the eaves free of insulation to allow the loft to breath (50mm is sufficient)

Contributing problem:

• The builder had placed air vents in the soffit of the eaves when he built the house, but did not leave any holes/gaps behind some of these vents to allow air ingress into loft space.

The effect the changes I made had on the house (being unaware of the contributing problem):

• Before the additional insulation, enough heat was escaping through the ceiling into the loft to keep it warm and thereby prevent condensation from occurring in the stagnant air in the loft.
• The minute I properly insulated the loft, the heat was no longer escaping into the loft space, which was great from an energy efficiency perspective, but enabled the stagnant air in the loft to cool.
• The moisture in the stagnant air was not a problem when warm, but when it got cold, condensation occurred on the underside of roof tiles and on gable walls. This condensation worked its way down the gable wall, past the ceiling and into the room below, causing damp patches on the wall and subsequent mildew growth.
• A soon as I found the problem of lack of ventilation and rectified it by making holes behind the air vents, the loft space lost the damp, stagnant air and the wall dried up.

No more mildew.

Money & energy saving tips for the home

2010-09-03T16:17:00.001+01:00

There are many things we can do in our daily lives that will help reduce the running costs of our homes and in the process reduce our carbon footprint as well. Often it's simply a case of getting into new habits.

Here are more than 20 tips to consider:

Equipment on stand-by uses up to 20% of the energy it would use when fully on. When an appliance is not in use, turn it off fully. Buy an extension lead with a single off switch - some are even remote controlled!
Using one unit of electricity in your home releases twice as much CO2 as one unit of gas and it is twice as expensive. Electrical elements use the most electricity, such as those in the oven, kettle, electric bar heaters, hot water cylinder, etc
When boiling the kettle, only fill with as much as you need each time. Emptying the kettle overnight reduces scale build-up, keeping the element efficient and your hot drinks tasting better.
Change electricity companies to those providing renewable sourced electricity, like Airtricity. They are cheaper and you help the planet by forcing the main electricity supplier to buy their wind generated electricity.
New kitchen appliances carry an energy rating label which rate energy efficiency on a scale from A - G. When buying new appliances look for A rated products which are more energy efficient so cost less to run.
Do not under or overload appliances such as dishwashers and washing machines. A 40°C rather than 60°C wash cycle cuts electricity use by approximately a third. (Modern washing powders and detergents can work equally effectively at lower temperatures.)
When possible, run washing machines and dishwashers after 8pm when rates are cheaper and the demand on the grid is less.
Defrost your freezer regularly to save energy and extend the operating life. Freezers need not be set to the highest setting either. Find a setting that works for your home.
The use of renewable technologies (such as solar water heating) avoids the harmful greenhouse gas emissions associated with energy production.
Halve your running costs quite easily. Find out where you are loosing heat or wasting energy in your home, so that you can implement a plan of action to rectify it as your budget allows. Each improvement made will save you more money and many don't cost that much either. See the Ecodev Eco-audit options for more information.
Sheltering of the home through external obstacles can further reduce the impact of adverse weather conditions on the home as cold winds draw out the heat from the house.
Mature trees, hedges or structures on the northern side of the home protects against driving rain and winds in winter and do not reduce solar gain or light into the home. To be effective, these obstacles need to be as high as the insulation in the roof and the distance between the obstacle and the house is not to be more than 5 times the height of the roof insulation level.
Showering for more than 5 minutes (each person) removes the cost effectiveness of the shower if the hot water is not supplied through solar panels.
Lowering the temperature of the hot water cylinder saves 10% for every degree. Do not set it lower than 60 degrees, otherwise Legionnaire's desease could cultivate. Alter this temperature setting with the change in seasons, if needed.
Servicing your boiler regularly keeps it at optimum efficiency, saving fuel.
Keeping the oil tank more than half full lessens evaporation space in the tank, thereby saving fuel. Keeping this tank shaded by shrubs, boundary fence, etc keeps it cooler thereby further reducing evaporation rate.
Closing the chimney when not in use prevents the warm air from escaping. there are many options available fom fitted dampners to temporary chimney balloons. Of course a stove is more than twice as efficient in heating as an open fire and a stove can be closed when not in use. You also use about half the fuel that you would in an open fire.
Have your chimney cleaned regularly. Not only is this a safety precaution, but the chimney will draw properly, giving you better heat form the fire.
Place down draught protectors onto the chimney pot. This improves the draw of the chimney and prevents smoke blowing into the room.
See the rest of the Ecodev blogs for specific cost saving measures.
Line curtains to help keep the heat. Open them during the day to allow the sun in and close them at night to keep in the heat.
Make use of the grants available through SEAI to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

Remember, saving energy = saving money.

Get the most out of your rads and save on heating bills

2010-09-03T10:59:00.002+01:00

Let's face it, rads are not the most attractive features in the house, but most of us have them and rely on them every year. So what can we do to make them work harder and cost us less?

1. Keep the fluids flowing.

The problem:

Do you have cold areas in the centre of the rad? This is caused by a build up of sludge (dirty thick radiator "water"). Sudge prevents the water in the heating system from getting around the house quickly and settles in the area of least disruption - the middle of your rad. Now up to half the radiator is not giving off heat, the boiler has to work harder, uses more fuel and costs you more.

The solution:

Flush the system every few years (google this for process or get yourself a Reader's Digest DIY book). This is actually very easy as long as you follow the process. Place sludge remover in the system (if you have these cold spots and a flush does not remove them. When cold spot gone, drain again and place in the inhibitor (helps prevent sludge build up).

2. Hot air is only good for balloons.

The problem:

Air gets into the radiator system over time. Apart form taking up space and making the radiators less efficient (hot water retains more heat than air), this is noisy and not the best thing for a boiler.

The solution:

Buy a copper (won't strip like the cheaper aluminium ones) radiator key and when the system is next off, go around to each radiator and let out the air. Simply turn the key a few times until air able to leave easily.Place a container under that part of the rad and even use an old cloth to catch the water coming out. It will gurgle and spurt erratically, initially, as the air leaves. Wait until you have a steady flow of water only, then close completely. If you do this when system is on, you wil be dealing with hot water and will be chasing bubbles around the house. Harware stores also sell a liquid you can place into the system that blocks up small holes. This will reduce the air intake.

3. Heating up your furniture?

The problem:

Placing furniture in front of radiators simply heats the furniture and only some of the room.

The solution:

If this is done to hide the rad, rearrange the room and place an attractive timber radiator cover over the rad or change it for a feature radiator. If it cannot be avoided and the furniture is not soft, fix some strong tin foil to the back of the furniture, covering the area in front of the rad. this will bounce the heat back into the air. Try to leave some space in front of the rad to allow this air movement.

4. Prevent the heat going into the walls.

The problem:

Radiators on external walls throw a lot of heat into the walls that leaves the house and is a waste of money.

The solution:

A tin foil surface between the rad and the external wall will bounce back the heat into the room and not heat up the wall. Either buy these at your local hardware store (I have seen these at B&Q) or make your own. To do this, measure the height of the rad and the distance between the wall brackets. Now get some hardboard and reinforced kitchen foil (will not tear as easily as standard foil). Cut your hardboard so that you create a slot for each radiator wall bracket, tape the foil (with shiny side out) to one the hard board and then slide down over wall brackets to sit neatly behind the rad.

The hardboard keeps the foil rigid. You will not see it, but you will certainly feel the difference! Don't bother with internal wall radiators as the house benefits from heating up internal walls - will radiate out the heat back to the house anyway.

Ecodev provides energy efficiency consultations particular to your situation. Our written report can be used as a 5 year plan to ensure all improvements undertaken compliment the work already done. The Energy Efficiency Report can also be used as a step by step guide to know what to tackle next.
Visit our site for more detail.

Combining Traditional and Renewable Heating Systems

2010-09-03T10:37:00.000+01:00

Traditionally, the solution to heating our homes and its hot water was using oil boilers, topping up with electricity, as needed, and a roaring open fire (with or without back boilers) in the sitting room. There is nothing wrong with an oil boiler, as long as it is efficient - 10 year old boilers are not. Back boilers are an improvement in that you are at least getting more out of the fire than the little bit of heat it supplies the room. Electricity is the most expensive heating solution and should be avoided at all costs

Where am I going with this? Convergence!

In the past, we looked at heating solutions in isolation, ie: the oil for the water and the back boiler for those couple of radiators, etc. We need to start thinking about combining heating solutions in cost effective ways that benefits the most from each type individually so that the combined solution is efficient and effective.

Renewable energy sources like air source heat pumps (air to water) combine well with existing (efficient) oil boilers. The expensive part of heating water is the first 20-30 degrees (just listen to your kettle struggling at first). After that, the water’s temperature is easier and therefore cheaper to raise and happens more quickly. Have a look at the Ecodev renewable energy page for a practical description of what these are and how they can help you

Air to Water Heat Pumps use the same technology as fridges and effectively draw the heat from the air, even at -3°C. They are cost effective up to 30°C; the expensive part of heating by oil or electricity. At 30°C, the oil boiler fires up and heats the water for the existing radiators up to the 60°C+. Add solar panels into the mix and annual savings add up even more.

Geothermal aka Ground Source Heat Pumps do the same job as Air Source Heat Pumps, they just get their heat from the ground or ground water. To be effective, you either need the long ground loops placed below frost level at around 1.5m or sink a couple of bore holes to take the benefit from the more constant heat of the water deeper in the earth.

Condensing Boilers are up to 97% efficient compared to the 60-70% of standard boilers (and worse if older than 10 years. Even if 75% efficient, you are still throwing away one quarter of each tank of oil, about €150, each time you fill it. Condensing boilers re-use heat that is given off in the process of heating up the water and together with improvements in the way they operate makes them that much more efficient. They also happen to be a lot quieter!

Solar Panels come in many shapes and forms and some are more efficient than others. Evacuated tube panels are the most efficient, flat bed are the most aesthetically pleasing. In the northern hemisphere, optimum orientation is within 15 degrees of south and a 30 degree pitch is the most efficient, followed closely by a 45 degree pitch roof.
If evacuated tube type, check that the tubes are at least 60mm diametre and compare how many tubes you get per metre length.
For all types, check if they use copper tubing in the manifold? What insulation is around the pipe carrying the water to the cylinder? Is the cylinder a well insulated stainless steel type. Is there provision for a third coil in the cylinder for future upgrades? Is the cylinder at least 300litres (for averge family)? Ask for proof of the kW output of the unit, per metre squared, so you can compare apples with apples.

You need to use hot water to make a solar panel work for you. Eg: If you only shower and have a Triton type shower that produces it's own hot water, you will not be needing much hot water apart form the washing machine (if it does not heat it's own water). Payback periods will be that much longer and you will be better off improving some other aspect of efficiency in your home.

Heat Pumps are very efficient and they cost more than conventional oil/gas heating systems.

Payback periods are as follows:
Ground Source Heat Pumps: about 18 years
Air to Water Heat Pumps: about 11 years
Efficient Condensing Oil Boiler & rads: about 7 years
Solar Panels: about 3 years

Of course these payback times are dependent on the efficiency of the rest of the elements making up the house - the building envelope needs to be seen as a unit, made up of different parts that need to complement each other and the whole. Effective controls need to be put in place to determine and check how much heating is being provided and only when you need it. This prevents unneccesary heating and waste

One week link and the rest are affected, eg: build a very efficient timber frame or ICF house, with Geothermal heating, Solar Panels and Heat Recovery Systems, but save money by putting in single glazing (or any non A-rated windows and doors) and all the heat will leave via this weak link

So why these heating systems not commonly done?
Necessity for more efficient systems has recently created more effective, cheaper solutions. Lack of understanding of the individual elements and how it all fits into the bigger picture has created a wariness to start. Regulations have only recently started inforcing implementation in new builds and the escalating price of fossil fuels will do the rest

Ecodev provides energy efficient designs, energy usage consultations and BER certification.

Summer can be free

2010-07-26T22:39:00.000+01:00

Can we forget about being energy efficient for a while, as it is now warmer?
Unfortunately with many homes, you still need to heat at least one radiator in order to get hot water from your boiler. What is worse is the cylinder does not tell the boiler that its water has reached the desired temperature, so the boiler fires away for the period set on the timer, wasting costly fuel.

Ah, you don't use the boiler in summer, but switch on the immersion heater instead?
In fact, using the boiler would be cheaper. When comparing the cost of fuels to the amount that is required to do the same job, electricity is more than twice the price of any other heating solution, per unit of measurement, and produces more carbon dioxide as well. The fact that we often forget to switch off the immersion and leave it running for a couple of hours compounds this expense dramatically.

Am I being flippant? Well, yes, and I am using it to drive home the point that we often do things out of habit or because its the way we grew up doing it and don't consider any other way unless it is pointed out clearly to us.

The solution:
Add a cylinder thermostat (cylinder-stat) onto the hot water cylinder to measure it's temperature and then seperate out between heating the rads and the hot water (zoning). This is a fairly simple procedure. With this in place you will only heat the hot water in summer. What's more important is the cylinder will tell the boiler to stop working, even though the programmable timer may be set to run for longer.

If it suites your lifestyle, solar panels would now be giving you free hot water and there would be no need to use either the boiler or electricity to boost the heat. Solar panels are fantastic value for money and have the shortest payback period of all renewable energy products - if you use stored hot water.
Examples of using stored hot water would be if you use the bath regularly or have showers that are not electric power showers.
The more you use stored hot water, the bigger the savings, for example a family of four would benefit more from solar panels than an elderly couple, purely by the way they use hot water. Children tend to bath more when young and teenagers are forever in and out of the shower, often for lengthy periods.

Think about how you use your home and what you are using to provide heat to the various components. This will help you identify where the cost savings can be made most effectively and the order they should be tackled in. Ecodev provides energy efficiency advise based on your particular situation, such as family needs, the materials your home is constructed from, your budget, etc.

While on the subject of water storage...removing the lagging jacket from the hot water cylinder, to dry the clothes in the hot press, is an expensive route to take. If you upgrade to solar panels and the associated dual-coil cylinder (or even just installing a factory insulated hot water cylinder as part of boiler upgrades) consider putting in a small radiator in the hotpress at the same time. This will do a better job of drying the clothes, when you can't hang them outside, and be much cheaper on the pocket in the long run.

Windows have more than one purpose

2010-06-30T11:00:00.001+01:00

10% of the heat in houses escape through poor quality windows and frames.

As anywhere else, you get what you pay for with windows and considering the area of glass in modern homes, can you afford to go cheap?

Areas to investigate when purchasing windows include:

1. Do they have soft ”E” coated glass? Soft “E” coating lets the heat in but not out.
2. Do they have Diamante glass for the external pane? This is very clear glass allowing even more sun through, thereby allowing the house to further benefit from solar gain. Solar gain is the natural warming of the house by heating up the thermally massive areas like concrete floors, which then give off the heat when the house starts to cool down.
3. Are they argon or krypton gas filled? These gases further aid their insulation.
4. Do they have the, now required, airtight membrane pre-fitted?
5. How many chambers are in the frames? Chambers act as air pockets improving the insulation.
6. Are the frames steel reinforced to prevent buckling? This is especially important in larger openings.

The u-value of the window will tell you a lot, but please note that some companies are quoting the u-value of the glass only and not the glass and the frame together. Get confirmation of this. A-rated windows have an energy rating certificate.

Good window installation is vital as gaps cause draughts which makes all the above pointless.
Ecodev provides an energy audit service that will identify the areas in your home that can be improved for higher energy efficiency. The result is a plan of action that can be worked on as and when finances allow, but at least it is all in the right direction and no costly mistakes will be made.

There are companies offering to replace poor quality glass with A-rated glass. This is all good and well and will improve the existing situation somewhat, however, existing PVC frames would probably be of poor insulation quality with few air chambers, buckles and gaps and this is now where the heat will escape through. As with any other insulation, it is only as good as the weakest link. Heat will always find the easiest route to escape through. In addition, the frames would probably not be sealed to the wall properly creating another weak link. Existing timber frames (in good condition) will result in a better final u-value when using the glass replacement method.
My point is, improvements are improvements and will benefit you. My question is how much? Look at the existing windows objectively, look at the condition of the frames and make an informed descision.
You will never benefit from the A-rating of a window unless the WHOLE window is A-rated.

Do you want to improve window insulation without replacing?

1. Seal up all gaps (both externally and internally) between the window and the wall.
2. Check draught stripping and replace as needed.
3. Have your curtains lined and close these at night and then open during the day to let the sun in.

Draughts are the cause of 15% of the heat in our home escaping. Draught stripping in new windows and doors is a given these days, but what about vents in the frames and are these permanently open or trickle vents (closable). Vents are important if your house currently has no/poor natural ventilation. We need fresh air in our houses. Not only is this important for breathing, but fresh air reduced mould build-up. Being able to control the rate of ventilation into and out of our homes is the key to healthy and energy efficient living.

Let energy efficiency work for you

2010-06-10T15:40:00.001+01:00

A good approach to take when planning to implement any renewable system or improve on the efficiency of your home, is to see the bigger picture and then focus on the detail.

Consider who is using the home and how it is being used, ie: is someone around all day or are the occupants mostly there at night and evenings as this will affect the way the house is heated? Do you shower or bath? Do you like fires? Can you make use of solar gain? etc, etc. There is more information on renewable energy sources and what they mean to you on the Ecodev site.

Draw up an action plan, itemising the elements that will be improved and what the solution is to be. These improvements can now be completed as and when funds allow. You will feel secure knowing that everything to be implemented will compliment the rest of the planned improvements and all will work effectively together. This will be true, both while the (long term) plan is in progress and once all has been completed and is a sure way to avoid costly mistakes.
As carpenters say: "Measure twice, cut once!"

These issues will be discussed in a lot more detail in future blogs, from the roof, to the floor and everything inbetween.

Solutions for energy efficient designs, energy usage consultations and BER certification provided by Ecodev.

Loft Insulation

2010-06-10T13:58:00.002+01:00

Roof insulation (as all insulation) generally works by trapping air between fibres or cells and thereby acting as a buffer to slow down the heat transfer. In poorly insulated roofs, 25% of the rising heat from our radiators finds weak spots in the insulation and escapes through the roof instead of heating the house.

Common choices of flat ceiling loft insulation include rolls of mineral wool or sheep’s wool, spray foam and treated, recycled paper. So how do you choose which to use? Firstly find out how effective the insulation is. This is identified by it’s u-value. A u-value is the measure of how quickly a material lets heat escape through it. The lower the u-value, the better it is. Secondly decide if you want to DIY the improvement, based on what is already present in the loft. Thirdly, compare the prices and weigh this up against the other improvements you want to make.

300mm total insulation depth is desired with fibre insulation. Most houses will at least have one layer of 100-150mm mineral wool insulation between the rafters in unconverted lofts. If still ‘fluffy’ and not moisture/rodent damaged, make sure all gaps are filled, but that there is still a 50mm gap at the eaves for air movement through the loft space. This air movement prevents condensation build up.

Spot lights should not be in contact with fibre insulation. Use a simple timber frame around the spot, allowing about 50mm space all round the spot. If your rafters are deep enough, placing a piece of timber across two adjacent rafters will also work. Now place your second layer of 150mm insulation at right angles to the rafters, ensuring no gaps. Start at the eaves (leaving that 50mm gap) and work towards the centre. Do not insulate under the water storage tank, but up to it and even in a frame over it. This will prevent the water freezing in the tank.

Nothing should flatten the insulation as air pockets in the insulation are what make it work. For this reason, it is best to allow for a walkway from your loft hatch to the water tank. There are a variety of good quality rigid board insulations that can be used to insulate the walkway and as they are more efficient, an 80-100mm deep layer placed between the rafters does the same job as 300mm of fibre insulation. Now fix loft boards to the rafters over these insulation boards and you have your walkway. Apply the same technique when creating storage areas in the loft. These rigid insulation boards are not cheap and the walkway can easily cost the same as insulating the whole roof, so if you never go into the loft, use a roll off the 150mm fibre insulation as normal, but be sure to move it out of the way, if access to the loft is ever required, so you do not walk on it.

The benefits of loft insulation will be felt immediately and the typical bungalow can be completed in a day. Measure the outside walls to get your area and then divide by the coverage stated on the insulation to get the number of rolls required (if using fibre/wool insulation).
Don’t forget to insulate the access hatch, else this will become the weak spot. It is also a good idea to place a strip of diy draught proofing around the perimeter and use sliding bolts to secure the hatch in place.
Health & safety precautions must always be strictly adhered to and Ecodev cannot take responsibility for any actions taken as a result of this article. If in doubt, get the relevant help.
Ecodev provides energy efficient designs, energy usage consultations and BER certification.

Wall insulation for new & existing dwellings

2010-06-10T13:09:00.003+01:00

35% of a building’s heat escapes through poorly insulated external walls. Reducing this waste will have immediate results on comfort levels and on the pocket.

New builds:
Leave a gap between insulation panels, when building, and you might as well not have bothered – well almost. Wall insulation is best done properly during construction, and there are a multitude of options for all types of construction, from block build through timber frame and then ICF and hemp construction which forms it's own insulation and wall in one. Even for block built walls there is now polystyrene wall insulation which interlocks horizontally and vertically and therefore prevents gaps being left by the builder. The choice of wall construction and it's insulation to use will be governed by how you use your home, how efficient you want it to be and your budget. Ecodev provides sound advise during the design of your home or when providing a detailed build specification for existing design. This is an area that is best done right the first time.

Retrofitting insulation to existing external walls can be done externally, internally or through cavity fill.
Externally applied insulation is the most effective and quite expensive.
Internal insulation is done through “dry lining” and numerous options are available, including insulation-backed dry lining boards. This can be disruptive and you will lose some floor area in each room. The insulation backed boards with a breather membrane built in is the better option as this helps prevent mould building up behind the boards.

Cavity fill is the third option. Cavity fill has very little disruption & no loss of living space. Go for a reputable company offering a guarantee. It is well worth going for the Silver/Platinum option offering the best insulation. Properly fill any expansion or other larger cracks in the external plaster in advance. Do not under-estimate capillary action of moisture through plaster cracks. It is best to prevent any long term side effects up front.
Check the product installation guide and make sure that enough holes have been drilled, vertically, horizontally and under window cills. Be aware that cavity fill requires a minimum of 40mm available cavity space (left over after the initial insulation) to be effective. In a flat ceiling home, where loft space is not used for habitation, there is no need to insulate the cavities more than 300mm above ceiling level.

General best practise:
Always compare u-values for the various thicknesses of insulation. Google the product to view their specification documents. Effectiveness in insulation is dependent on both type and thickness. In insulation terms, small u-value differences can make a big difference to heating bills.
How do you choose? Together with the relevant u-value of the product and budget, the most important consideration is how to ensure that there are no (hidden) gaps in the completed insulated fabric. The current building regs require a maximum u-value of 0.27W/m.sq for the walls, but any improvements on this will more than pay-off in the long run.

Safety precautions must always be strictly adhered to and Ecodev cannot take responsibility for any actions taken as a result of this article. If in doubt, get the relevant help.
Ecodev provides energy efficient designs, energy usage consultations and BER certification.