Conventionally, heat loss in a private home can be divided into two groups:

• Natural - heat loss through walls, windows or the roof of a building. These are losses that cannot be completely eliminated, but they can be minimized.
• “Heat leaks” are additional heat losses that can most often be avoided. These are various visually invisible errors: hidden defects, installation errors, etc., which cannot be detected visually. A thermal imager is used for this.

Below we present to your attention 15 examples of such “leaks”. These are real problems that are most often encountered in private homes. You will see what problems may be present in your home and what you should pay attention to.

Poor quality wall insulation

Insulation does not work as effectively as it could. The thermogram shows that the temperature on the wall surface is distributed unevenly. That is, some areas of the wall heat up more than others (than brighter color, the higher the temperature). This means that the heat loss is no greater, which is not correct for an insulated wall.

IN in this case bright areas are an example of poor insulation performance. It is likely that the foam in these places is damaged, poorly installed or missing altogether. Therefore, after insulating a building, it is important to make sure that the work is done efficiently and that the insulation works effectively.

Poor roof insulation

Joint between wooden beam And mineral wool not compacted enough. This causes the insulation to not work effectively and causes additional heat loss through the roof that could be avoided.

The radiator is clogged and gives off little heat

One of the reasons why the house is cold is that some sections of the radiator do not heat up. This can be caused by several reasons: construction garbage, air accumulation or manufacturing defect. But the result is the same - the radiator operates at half its heating capacity and does not warm the room enough.

The radiator “warms” the street

Another example of inefficient radiator operation.

There is a radiator installed inside the room, which heats up the wall very much. As a result, part of the heat it generates goes outside. In fact, the heat is used to warm the street.

Laying heated floors close to the wall

The underfloor heating pipe is laid close to external wall. The coolant in the system is cooled more intensively and has to be heated more often. The result is an increase in heating costs.

Cold influx through cracks in windows

There are often cracks in windows that appear due to:

• insufficient pressing of the window to the window frame;
• wear of rubber seals;
• poor-quality window installation.

Cold air constantly enters the room through the cracks, causing drafts that are harmful to health and increasing heat loss in the building.

Cold influx through cracks in doors

Gaps also appear in balcony and entrance doors.

Bridges of cold

“Cold bridges” are areas of a building with lower thermal resistance compared to other areas. That is, they transmit more heat. For example, these are corners, concrete lintels above windows, junction points building structures and so on.

Why are cold bridges harmful?

• Increases heat loss in the building. Some bridges lose more heat, others less. It all depends on the characteristics of the building.
• At certain conditions Condensation forms in them and fungus appears. Such potentially dangerous areas must be prevented and eliminated in advance.

Cooling the room through ventilation

Ventilation works in reverse. Instead of removing air from the room to the outside, cold air is drawn from the street into the room. street air. This, as in the example with windows, provides drafts and cools the room. In the example given, the temperature of the air that enters the room is -2.5 degrees, at a room temperature of ~20-22 degrees.

Cold influx through the sunroof

And in this case, the cold enters the room through the hatch into the attic.

Cold flow through the air conditioner mounting hole

Cold flow into the room through the air conditioner mounting hole.

Heat loss through walls

The thermogram shows “heat bridges” associated with the use of materials with weaker resistance to heat transfer during the construction of the wall.

Heat loss through the foundation

Often when insulating the wall of a building, they forget about another important area - the foundation. Heat loss also occurs through the foundation of the building, especially if the building has basement or a heated floor is installed inside.

Cold wall due to masonry joints

Masonry joints between bricks are numerous cold bridges and increase heat loss through the walls. The example above shows that the difference between minimum temperature(masonry joint) and maximum (brick) is almost 2 degrees. Thermal resistance the walls have been lowered.

Air leaks

Cold bridge and air leak under the ceiling. It occurs due to insufficient sealing and insulation of the joints between the roof, wall and floor slab. As a result, the room is additionally cooled and drafts appear.

Conclusion

All this typical mistakes, which are found in most private homes. Many of them can be easily eliminated and can significantly improve the energy status of the building.

Let's list them again:

1. Heat leaks through walls;
2. Ineffective operation of thermal insulation of walls and roofs - hidden defects, poor-quality installation, damage, etc.;
3. Cold inflows through air conditioner mounting holes, cracks in windows and doors, ventilation;
4. Ineffective operation of radiators;
5. Bridges of cold;
6. The influence of masonry joints.

15 hidden heat leaks in a private home that you didn't know about

The main goal of energy saving is to save money on home maintenance. Following this concept, a building with minimal costs for heating, electricity and ventilation. In a passive house, solar energy entering through the windows, together with internal heat sources, compensates for almost all heat losses.

The essence of a passive house:

Maximum reduction of heat loss;
- optimization of heat input.

Only careful improvement of thermal insulation makes it possible to build a passive house. A building with a weak thermal protection loop offers only a short-term warming effect when used passively solar energy. Yes, rooms having big windows on the south side, on sunny days they undoubtedly enjoy pleasant temperatures, but when it starts to get dark, they quickly cool down. However, in the case of reducing heat loss, even a minimum sun rays V winter months will make your stay in the room cozy and comfortable.

Heat loss at home can be divided into two groups:

• ventilation;
• a consequence of the thermal conductivity of building materials.

If you take into account some points during the construction or renovation of a building, you can reduce heat loss to such an extent that even in the cold January-February cold, the very minimum of heat input compensates for the inevitable heat outflow.

Minimizing heat loss

To reduce heat loss you need:

1. Make the shell of the house completely airtight ().
2. Take care of maximum walls, floor and roof.
3. Install special windows for passive buildings (with gas filling and low-emission double-glazed windows).
4. Establish stable heat recovery from the air.
5. Create a minimum of thermal bridges during the construction process.

When building a passive house, it is not necessary to use the latest fashionable building elements. It is enough to use natural insulation materials (for example, wood or flax) and, if necessary, improve existing structures.

All specific features passive house must be taken into account at the design stage. Its construction requires enormous attention from the performers, but it is on their strict adherence to all the rules that future comfort and efficiency depend. However, even if the building was originally planned as ordinary house, no problem. It can be transformed and then all residents will experience the benefits of natural insulation, which make the house warm and cozy.

How to reduce heat loss

Dramatically improving the insulation of the roof and walls will increase the temperature in the building without increasing heating costs. However, the easiest way to start minimizing them is by checking the condition of the windows. Adjusting mechanisms and sealing gaps between windows and walls will help improve the situation. Don't forget to apply a reflective coating to your glass. Entrance doors also need to be insulated, or even better, installed additional protection from the cold and an excellent sound insulator - a second door.

Mainly, the house loses energy due to temperature leakage. It occurs not only due to the low temperature of the environment, but also due to the design features of the building itself ( large quantity doors and windows, the huge external surface of the building). Thus, to reduce heat loss you need to do the following:

1. Carefully calculate the parameters of the future building and design a structure that will have a relatively small area outer surface. By reducing it, you will simultaneously reduce energy costs.
2. Choose carefully Construction Materials, focusing not only on their quality, but also on color. The fact is that heat transfer also depends on the color of the surfaces. So, the best option houses are considered light walls and a roof with numerous mirror coatings.
3. Doors and windows must be installed with maximum tightness. The latter are recommended to be installed on the south side.
4. Walls and foundations must be made of materials that have low heat exchange with the external environment. At the same time, to insulate a passive house, you should use exclusively natural insulation materials, jute, seaweed, wool...
5. When installing ventilation, it is necessary to provide an underground air duct, which, taking the temperature of the ground, will carry out preheating (or the necessary cooling).
6. Follow the recommendations and they will help you reduce heat loss in a passive house.

Heat loss is the heat loss of a building, apartment, house, room.

Most of the time, especially in winter period we spend at home. After the frosty air you want to be in warm apartment. But when we come home we feel disappointed. It's cold in the apartment! The heating must have been turned off again! We touch the batteries. No, everything is fine, the batteries are hot. So why isn’t the apartment warm enough, we ask ourselves as we pull on a second pair of socks and a woolen sweater.

It turns out that our house, like any physical body, loses heat. That is, the lower the outside temperature, the more heat is lost. Heat leakage occurs through the enclosing structures.

These are attics, roofs, ceilings, windows and doors in hallways, basements and floors. Significant amount heat escapes through ventilation. In addition, the walls themselves, most apartment buildings old building have low thermal protection. It should be noted that the walls are made of different materials Therefore, they have different properties, including thermal properties. The main characteristic is heat transfer resistance. In general, heat transfer resistance shows how much heat will be lost through square meter enclosing structure at a given temperature difference. Significant losses go to heating the outside air entering the room (scientifically called infiltration, popularly known as draft).

Thus, most of the incoming thermal energy is used to cover heat losses. The heat we paid for goes outside. Simply put, we are “drowning the street.”

How to deal with heat loss? Moreover, heating fees are rising every year, but we still don’t feel any heat. What does a person do when he freezes? Drinks hot tea, puts on a warm sweater and woolen socks. That is, it is insulated. Thus, it does not allow its natural heat to escape. It's the same with the house. It is necessary to reduce heat loss as much as possible. How to do it? Of course, you can’t get by with plastic windows alone. An integrated approach is needed. That is, insulate the house both from the outside and inside the apartment.

Let's look at what you can do in your apartment. First of all, we install plastic windows. If it is not possible, we insulate it wooden frames- we seal all the cracks, replace cracked glass, check window latches. A balcony or loggia plays an important role in the thermal protection system. The first step is glazing the balcony. When installing plastic windows, do not forget that in most cases the installation of sealed plastic windows leads to disruption of air exchange in buildings where the system traditionally exists natural ventilation. This is often the result high humidity indoors. Hence the mold on the walls. An increase in air humidity in the room forces frequent opening of the windows, and this reduces the intended effect of increasing the heat-insulating qualities of windows by 50-70%. One way out is installation new system ventilation. In addition to the glazing of the balcony, it also needs to be insulated, both from the outside and from the inside. For this there are special technologies and materials.

Now let's move on to insulating the front door. How is insulation carried out? entrance doors? First, the door must be removed from its hinges and all handles, locks and other additional functional or decorative elements. Secondly, removed door placed on special supports, which can be used as ordinary stools or chairs. Thirdly, the material for insulation is selected. It could be traditional version- insulation with cotton wool, or you can also use foam rubber or felt. Fourthly, after installing the filler, a special film, leatherette or plastic is attached. If finances allow, it is advisable to install a second door. This will protect you not only from heat leakage, but will also provide additional sound insulation and protect against penetration unpleasant odor to the apartment.

On the wall behind the batteries central heating You can stick on special heat-reflecting screens, which will help ensure that the heat goes to heating the room, and not the section of the wall in the immediate vicinity of the radiator.

We have reviewed the main heat-saving measures carried out in the apartment. Let's see what activities can be carried out at the level of the house as a whole.

How to avoid heat loss at home?

As world experience shows, important step in reducing heat loss apartment building is the insulation of the external building envelope (roofs, walls, basements) using modern heat-efficient materials and advanced technologies.

Let's start with the entrances. Just like in an apartment, it is necessary to insulate the entrance doors and, if possible, install door closers. The installation of double vestibules and double glazing on the windows will also reduce heat loss in the entrances.

Separately about wall insulation. There are 2 ways to insulate walls: internal (i.e. inside the apartment) and external. Construction experts do not recommend insulating the inside of an apartment; with this method, heat loss from the outer part of the wall will be 6 times higher than with the external insulation method. In addition, deformations and cracks may occur. load-bearing walls, which will lead to moisture condensation in these places. In addition, you will have to move the heating system and electrical wiring. This method is used more often in old houses, where changing the external facade is prohibited.

The most optimal way is external thermal insulation walls Existing technologies And modern materials will significantly save heat, protect the wall from external temperature fluctuations, thereby protect against corrosion, create a favorable comfortable climate in apartments, and also improve appearance facade of the building.

The thermal conductivity of the flat roofs of most buildings is 3-4 times higher than the standards, so the roofs also need insulation, which can reduce the heat loss of the building by 20%. There are many technologies for roof insulation. Insulation flat roof made using mineral materials basalt wool increased rigidity. The final choice of roofing insulation for installation technology or system repair flat roof home is determined by the requirements project documentation, design features devices soft roof, operating conditions of the flat roof system.

Just like roofs and walls, basements also need insulation. One of the measures is to reduce cooling or freezing of the ceiling technical basement. Most suitable material for insulation of basement walls there are slabs of extruded polystyrene foam, which are attached to outer surface walls on top of the waterproofing layer.

Since heating costs account for 40% or more of the population’s total expenses for housing and communal services, the conclusion arises that saving thermal energy is a priority over saving other types of energy resources. Although apartment-by-apartment metering of heat consumption is not yet available, heat saving in apartments remains a priority for many owners, which allows them to avoid additional waste of electricity and gas to heat the air in the apartment to a comfortable temperature.

An article about how to make your home as warm and energy-independent as possible.

When designing a house, in addition to convenience, strength and beauty, its energy-saving properties come to the fore. And it is very advisable to estimate your maintenance costs before starting construction.

We accept the “passive house” standard as the standard to which we should strive in terms of energy savings, as the most demanding and supported by the whole world.

Its main criteria are the tightness of the building and annual energy consumption for heating< 15 (кВт/(м²·K*год)

For comparison:

Maximum permissible value energy consumption for heating for European houses - 120 (kW/(m²·K*year) (2017)

In Ukraine, a house made of 375 mm aerated concrete with standard insulation of the floor of the 1st floor and attic consumes - 156 (kW/(m² K*year)

So how can you optimize a project from an energy saving point of view?

As an example for optimization, we took the “Masha” project 132 m2 (as one of the most popular)

We have broken down the process of minimizing energy consumption during design into 6 stages:

Stage 1: Obtaining initial energy consumption data in the basic project.

1. Energy consumption for heating 156 (kW/(m²·K*year) or 21404 (kW/year)

2. A family of four spends another 5164 (kW/year) on hot water supply

Annual costs for heating and hot water supply when using gas (6.6 UAH/m3) will be 22,919 UAH/year.

Energy saving technologies are not used.

Stage 2: We insulate the house and check energy consumption.

We increase the insulation of the house according to European standards (a) and “passive house” standards (b).

Also, the house should be insulated as much as possible from heat leaks.

option (a): heating costs - 97 (kW/(m²·K*year), that is, for heating and hot water supply 9,603 UAH/year.

(the tariff for gas is already lower since we consume little of it)

option (b): heating costs - 72 (kW/(m²·K*year), that is, for heating and hot water supply 7128 UAH/year or about 600 UAH/month (at 2017 prices)

When calculating the balances of heat losses and gains at home, it is clear that greatest number heat is now lost through windows and ventilation. (this data is in the full report on improving energy savings)

Stage 3: We find the optimal placement of the house on the site in the cardinal directions to increase heat gain through the windows.

We consistently turn the house clockwise in 90° increments and check the heat gain and loss through the windows.

Let's start with Option 1 - this is how we would build a house without paying attention to the sun.

Most best option from an energy saving point of view, this is Option No. 5.

But it is far from optimal from the point of view of convenience for life.

Stage 4: We adjust floor plans to improve convenience.

We check heat loss and heat gain through the windows.

After adjusting the project, we began to receive more solar energy through the windows during the day than we lost at night.

The placement on the site and the layout of the house are convenient for use.

Now it is spent on heating and hot water supply - 5579 UAH/year.

Now there is an unresolved issue with ventilation in the energy balance.

Stage 5: We use energy-saving technologies. We optimize ventilation and increase the solar component to generate energy.

1. Replace natural system ventilation to ventilation with heat recovery and ground heat exchanger.

2. We optimize the roof for the placement of a solar system for hot water supply and placement of photovoltaic modules.

3. We use energy-efficient heating and household appliances.

By using the southern roof slope to accommodate photovoltaic modules, we can produce 8600 kWh*year.

Which covers the needs of the family by 1.42 times. The excess can be sold to the network at a feed-in tariff. In this case, the payback period for the investment will be about 7 years.

Results after optimization:

heating costs - 29 (kW/(m²·K*year), that is, 5.4 times less than it was.

Stage 6: Final finishing. We try to make the house “passive”.

For this:

a) We increase the thickness of the insulation. We use double-glazed windows and recuperative ventilation systems certified by the Passive House Institute. Reducing consumption hot water up to European standards.

b) We optimize window sizes and sun protection.

As a result: heating costs - 16 (kW/(m²·K*year)), for hot water supply and life activities another 37 (kW/(m²·K*year)), that is, for heating and hot water supply 8,961 UAH/year.

They fell a little short of the “passive house” standards :-(. This is due to more severe climatic conditions than in Germany.

1. They fell short of the passive house standards by 1 kW.

2. But the house became sunny, i.e. For heating, we receive more heat from the sun than from the heating system.

3. In Ukraine, at this time, the construction of a completely passive house is increasingly justified

4. The cost of energy resources is constantly growing and their quantity is decreasing. Therefore, rationality must be checked constantly.

5. We also monitor new technologies and economic initiatives to support green construction.

In 2017, we developed a project for a completely passive house “Passive”, it can be viewed -> here.

Remember! What takes a long time to pay off today can quickly pay off tomorrow.

Let's compare the costs of heating and hot water supply different types fuel for an energy efficient house 132 m2:

1. When using electricity directly (electric convectors) - 8961 UAH/year.

2. When using gas - 6207 UAH/year (depending on the boiler)

3. When using heat pump- 4500 UAH (depending on type)

4. When using a solid fuel boiler - 1800 UAH/year for heating + electricians for life activities about 2400 UAH

5. When using wooden pellets - 6057 UAH/year

If you decide to build a passive house or minimize energy consumption in the chosen project, contact us and we will help you carry out the necessary calculations and optimize your project.

P.S. In Europe (Austria) the price of electricity supply is 2.1-3 UAH/kW, the cost of 1m3 of gas is 15 UAH. (in terms of UAH 10/13/2017)

Since Ukraine has entered the pan-European energy market, such prices in Ukraine are not far off. You can accurately predict price increases of 30-50% annually.

You are here: Home >> Insulating a house with your own hands >> How to properly insulate a house with your own hands: home insulation technology >> How does heat escape through windows?

How does heat escape through windows?

In this article we list what affects heat loss through windows. And we list this so that, when insulating windows with our own hands, we do it with an understanding of what we are doing and why.

Factors influencing heat loss through windows

So, here's what affects heat loss through windows:

• size of windows and their number (light opening area);
• window block material;
• glazing type;
• location;
• compaction

Now let’s look at each factor separately and find out what it should be optimal for.

What should the area of ​​the windows be?

Obviously, the larger the area window opening, the more heat can leave the room through it. But you can’t do without windows at all... The area of ​​the windows should be justified by calculation: why did you choose this particular width and height of the window?

Hence the question: what is the optimal window area in residential buildings?

If we turn to GOSTs, we will get a clear answer:

The area of ​​the window opening must provide a coefficient of natural illumination (KEO), the value of which depends on the construction area, the nature of the terrain, orientation to the cardinal points, the purpose of the room, and the type of window frames.

It is believed that enough light enters the room if the area of ​​all glass surfaces in total is 10...12% of total area rooms (calculated by floor). According to physiological indications, it is believed that optimal condition lighting is achieved with a window width equal to 55% of the width of the room. For boiler rooms, the light opening area is 0.33 m2 per 1 m3 of room volume.

Individual premises (for example, boiler rooms) have their own requirements, which you need to learn about in the relevant regulatory documents.

How to reduce heat loss with a large glass area?

Heat loss through glass can be significant, which is why heating costs are high.

To reduce heat loss through windows, special coatings are applied to the glass with one-way transmission of short- and long-wave radiation (the long-wave part of the spectrum is infrared rays emanating from heating devices, they are delayed, and the short-wave part is ultra-violet rays- skipped). As a result, in winter sunlight passes into the room, but heat does not leave the room:

And in summer it’s the other way around:

Why is multi-layer glazing more effective?

Experience shows that increasing the thickness of the air gap between the glass panes in a double sash window does not lead to an increase in the thermal efficiency of the entire window. It is more effective to make several layers, increasing the number of glasses.

The “classic” double frame is ineffective. And the greatest effect can be achieved with triple glazing. That is, a double-chamber double-glazed window is more effective in all respects (thermal insulation, sound insulation) than a single-chamber one.

(Chambers here are the gaps between the glasses; two glasses - one gap, a single-chamber double-glazed window; three glasses - two gaps, two chambers... etc.)

Optimal thickness The air gap between the glasses is considered to be 16 mm.

When you are offered double-glazed windows, and you need to choose from several types, for example, from these (the numbers above the double-glazed windows are the thickness of the glass and the spaces between them):

Then the second and third are optimal.

Well, again, you need to keep in mind the glass seal. In modern double-glazed windows, not only the number of chambers has been increased, but also the air in the space between the glasses has been pumped out, some inert gas has been pumped in instead, and the chambers are sealed.

Location of windows and heat loss through them

Window glass almost completely transparent to solar heat, but not transparent to “black” radiation sources (with temperatures below 230 degrees).

Much more heat passes through the glass from the outside than can pass through from the inside. Such one-sided conductivity can lead to the fact that in winter heating rooms on the sunny side may not require significant expenditure. In the summer, on the contrary, we get overheating of the rooms, which creates the need to cool the rooms.

The least amount of light comes from the north, northeast and northwest sides.

Conclusion: you need to take into account the location of windows and their impact on the climate in the house at the stage of designing a house. Otherwise, all that remains is to “fight” with the help of blinds, films on glass, restoration of old frames or replacing them with new ones, insulation of slopes and other measures, which will be discussed in the following articles.

Return