The following is an overview of the energy conservation benefits of carrying out a basement conversion. At LABS we have 4 main offerings, starting from a straightforward pump install with a floor membrane, the purpose of which is solely to get water out of a basement. Although basic and not fully damp proofed, this measure is often requested when budget is of the essence and the individual simply wants not to be dredging through water when they are going to read the meters. Building on from this, we have our entry level storage basement, that has all the basic science that goes into waterproofing and damp proofing a basement. This is a very practical option for individuals who want to store items in a safe and dry place. A level up from this is our intermediate storage level conversion, that includes insulation to all the walls and plaster boarding in addition to the floor. This is for individuals that want a more aesthetically pleasing finish akin to other rooms in their respective property. Our fully habitable basement differs from this option in that it receives insulation to the ceiling also. The full conversion option is for individuals who want to add an additional living space to their property, to use as utility, extra bedroom, home gym and so forth for more information visit our website www.l-a-b-s.co.uk.
Insulating Ground Floors that sit Above a Basement.
The walls, floor and roof of a house are known in the insulating world as the thermal envelope and an uninsulated property has an ineffective thermal envelope.[1] The UK has roughly 27 million homes and the majority of them are poorly insulated.[2] This is because the housing stock in the UK is some of the oldest in the world. All new builds have to be insulated to the standard required by Building Regulation L1A. However, when these older properties were built, the same specification was not required and the only option available is to retrofit them. Insulating existing dwellings is guided by Building Regulation Part L1B.
10 million UK dwellings have suspended timber ground floor homes and most of them are not insulated. Local government studies have found that 10-15% of heat loss of a home is through the floor.[3] When you take into account that 30% of the UK’s carbon footprint derives from the energy consumption of dwellings; from an environmental perspective, that is quite a worrying amount of floors that are potentially uninsulated. Insulating the floor is a cost effective and noninvasive strategy to bolster the base of the thermal envelope. Depending on the size of the property it can take 1-5 working days to complete, and the home-owner won’t have to worry about disruptions to their domestic environment as the craftsman will be working in the cellar.
Property Heat Loss from a Basement
There are 100’s of thousands Basements in the UK, especially in Hilly areas like Sheffield. The 2nd law of thermodynamics is that heat will travel to cold. It is most commonly understood that heat will rise and this is correct. But the fact that heat is drawn to, and subsequently lost through, cold areas is often overlooked. A previous government initiative to improve the carbon footprint made by dwellings recommended that 200,000 suspended timber floors should be insulated to meet energy efficiency targets but the uptake was only 0.5%, or 9000. The overlooking of the second law of thermodynamics is the arguably the reason why. Furthermore, it is widely accepted in the damp proofing world that a wet wall is a cold wall. Having a damp cold space underneath a property is axiomatically going to affect the thermography of the property. A basement can become what is known as a ‘heat sink’. It can draw the heat of a home, creating discomfort and adding to energy bills. Creating a warm cushion of air under your property through a basement conversion is going to positively influence the thermography of your home. As a minimum you could just insulate the ceiling of your basement, regardless, any work in the cellar is going to have a positive impact on the carbon footprint left by your home.
No Insulation without Ventilation
Furthermore more, poor ventilation can create humidity and can make the space feel colder. Under PAS 2035, the new standard for insulating dwellings, adequate ventilation is required. Additionally, insulating a property can reduce the air flow so this must be compensated for with the installation of mechanical ventilation such as a Heat Recovery Vent. These have been specifically designed to eliminate excessive moisture and have heat retention cores that ensure any heat is retained and then extracted. They are fit as standard in all of our basement conversions. Another alternative is a Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) unit. The unit is designed to help ventilate a home using the well-established PIV principle. It works by drawing external air into the unit, which then passes through a filter before entering the home, removing moisture laden air from the property. Additionally, airflow and temperature of the air is regulated via an integral temperature sensor and heat exchanger. This optimises the energy benefit while ensuring sufficient air is supplied to help control moisture. With the combination of adequate ventilation in the basement and floor insulation, this can contribute to the decrease of heat loss through the base of the thermal envelope.
Summary
In summary, we have looked at the energy efficiency benefits of converting your basement. Floor insulation is an overlooked measure and the benefits of insulating suspended timber ground floors have been discussed in respect to the direct impact to the home-owner and to the national carbon footprint. The fact that basements are cold and damp contributes to the heat loss through the thermal envelope of a home as they can become a heat sink. Converting your basement into a warm and dry area will negate this problem. Also, insulating the floor is a cost effective and non-invasive way to tackle the problem. In order to prevent the exasperation of condensation resulting from the installation of energy efficient measures, a mechanical ventilation system in the form of a HR Vent or a PIV unit must be installed. Follow the link below to get in touch with a member of our friendly team today for more information www.l-a-b-s.co.uk.
[1] Thermal Envelope – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics
[2] [1] DECC, The Energy Efficiency Strategy: The Energy-Efficiency Opportunity in the UK, London, 2012
[3] 18] WCC, Retrofitting Historic Buildings, Westminster City Council, 2012, pp. 17.