1. SAVE ENERGY
Even with well-insulated houses, up to 40% of energy can be lost due to uncontrolled air leakage through gaps and cracks in the building's fabric. Uncontrolled air leakage will harm many aspects of a building's performance, including thermal performance, comfort levels and energy efficiency.
Air leakage-infiltration and exfiltrations- means the heating system in most houses ends up having to heat 4–5 times more air than is needed to maintain a comfortable temperature. In this way, energy is wasted.
Airtightness - which can be described as a well-designed, specified and installed air barrier using tape membranes and adhesives- reduces or eliminates unwanted air leakage, which saves energy and creates a more controllable indoor environment.
INCREASE COMFORT
Air ingress, or drafts, through gaps in the fabric of a building, can harm one's comfort. The cold air drawn in at leaky joints and penetrations is heavier and moves to the lowest point in the room, the floor. The result is cold feet – an unpleasant sensation of drafts, difficulty maintaining consistent heat within the room and increased energy usage. Not even a good level of insulation can maintain a comfortable indoor environment if air from outside enters through these natural, hard-to-see joints between the building elements.
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IMPROVED THERMAL PERFORMANCE
Gaps in outer construction elements have a considerable negative influence on the insulation. For example, if a construction component measuring 1 x 1 meter and 14cm thick has a continuous gap of only one millimetre, the U-value deteriorates from 0.3 to 1.44 W/m2K. This is because warm or cold air escapes through leaks in the building’s envelope, and as it passes through the structure and insulation, it reduces thermal performance by extracting the stored energy. An airtight external envelope not only protects against cold in winter but also against heat in summer.
PROTECTION FROM CONDENSATION
Another aspect of air filtration/ex-filtration is the build-up of condensation within the construction element, or in most cases, within the insulation that it has passed through. As the air leaves behind the humidity that it carries, this initially results in a deterioration of the U-value (the insulation's ability to retain hot or cold.) A far more significant problem is that this leads to severe damage in the construction of the moisture that cannot dry out quickly. It is estimated that two-thirds of all damage caused by dampness in the building sector is a result and explained by lack of air-tightness.
IMPROVED QUALITY OF AIR
Leaky areas in the internal walls and around penetrations such as pipes, windows and building components are not advantageous to the atmosphere in a room, as dust and fibres from insulation can escape into the internal air. Walls sealed with Airstop Isocell products ensure indoor air quality when adequately ventilated or when functioning air conditioning/heat ventilation recovery systems are used.
NOISE STAYS OUT
Noise finds its way through even the smallest of cracks. Even if the elements surrounding the room have good acoustic insulation, gaps can considerably increase the noise level. With Airstop's Airtight Systems, you can also solve this problem and keep annoying noises out
MECHANICAL VENTILATION WORKS PROPERLY
If you have a mechanical air conditioning or ventilation system, your building must be exceptionally airtight. Otherwise, the mechanical system will not function properly. It will actually draw in cold or warm air from the outside in an uncontrolled manner, making it very difficult for the system to regulate the internal temperature, thus forcing the system to run at a higher rate to compensate for the variances. The maximum permissible value for air permeability, according to ISO-Norm 9972, is three times as high as for buildings without mechanical ventilation systems. For buildings with mechanical ventilation, an air tightness of 1.5 ACH@50PA is recommended in order for the system to operate efficiently, reducing this down to 0.6ACH@50PA or “Passive Standard” in conjunction with cold bridge elimination and proper levels of insulation and triple glazed passive certified can help to maximize the energy efficiency of your home.
YOUR COMFORT
At Airstop, the most important element of any structure is the external shell. It is only possible to achieve an energy-efficient, comfortable and durable structure by building it right. What is the point in bolting on renewables when the structure is not designed to maximize their benefits? Pound for pound, building right will get a better return for your money by ensuring proper insulation, air-tightness, and cold-bridging elimination. By building right and tight, clients get a better-built home and can take advantage of the benefits of air-tightness regarding energy ratings and overall comfort.
Isocell Airstop assists in building right and tight by providing a range of products designed to achieve the desired result. Using alternative solutions that are not designed for air-tightness can lead to problems in the short- to medium term as they lose their effectiveness and sealing properties due to settlement and movement within the building and elements. Isocell Airstop products are designed and manufactured to cater for this, providing a guaranteed system that will stand the test of time.
