Hey, are you looking for the details on external Wall Insulation? If yes, you are on the right track. External wall insulation is a layer of insulation that is fixed to an existing wall, either with a coating or with an alternative cladding, to protect it from the outer environment.
It is a rough estimate by experts that our walls cause one-third of all heat loss in a home every day. To ensure as little heat loss as possible is the main idea behind the external wall insulation. Insulating material acts as a barrier between the internal and external environment of our home and helps to maintain the home environment even during harsh weather.
Here in this article, I will tell you what is external wall insulation. How it is installed and how much it will cost you. In addition, we at the Iraye Group will show you what the seeming advantages and disadvantages of this insulation are. After reading this article, you will be able to make up your mind about your wall insulation. So why are we waiting here? Let’s start.
How is External Wall Insulation Installed?
External wall insulation depends on if your external wall’s facing is made of solid bricks, or if it has a coating of render. A rendering test will be carried out to make sure that your walls will support the weight of the insulation. Failure in the render test leads to the removal of render before insulation. The second step is to remove all pipework from the wall and reapplied it at the end of the installation.
After removing all pipework or cables, the insulation panel will be attached to the wall using adhesive mortar. That will then be secured into your wall around their perimeter with mechanical fixings. An insulating mesh will be sunk by coating it with another layer of mortar. All this insulation will be finished with a cost of render such as silicone. There are multiple alternatives to rendering, such as textured paint, tiles, brick slips, etc.
What kind of external wall insulation is sustainable for solid brick walls?
This depends on the quality and permeability of solid bricks. Spalling is a fairly common phenomenon and an indication of the freeze-thaw. Through spalling, moisture penetrates the brick, and freezes which in turn leads to this increasing level of flaking.
A brick wall is not a breathable wall and, therefore, any rigid foam insulation will be suitable. While for stone walls insulation, the installation can be mechanically fixed to the wall and clad with render, timber, etc.
What are the advantages of external wall insulation?
- It reduces heat loss and provides us with excellent savings on our heating bills.
- It prevents draughts and maintains the comfort of our home with little cost.
- It does not shrink of walls of our rooms as insulation is being done outside.
- It is both weather-proofing and sound-resistant. Hence, enhancing the living environment of your home.
- It helps to improve the appearance of your home’s external character as you can have a design you want. Thus it increases the value of your home by giving it a more attractive appearance.
What are the disadvantages of external wall insulation?
- It is a bit expensive. So you can find it hard to manage your budget.
- You cannot install it yourself, you would need to hire a professional to insulate your walls.
- It will not be suitable for you if the external walls of your home are dilapidated. If the existing walls of your home are damaged, a prior repair is needed.
- It can change the outer appearance of your home, which might not be cool for you.
- All pipework and other fittings in your external wall will need to be removed and replaced.
How Much Does External Wall Insulation Cost?
As far as this question is concerned, the cost of external wall insulation will be higher than internal wall insulation. A small semi-detached home is likely to cost £5,000 to £9,000, with a fully-detached home in the range of £8,000 to £15,000. Also, the cost of insulation depends on the area in which you reside. Similarly, it also depends on the external pipework home that matters to estimate the cost, as there will be a cost involved in erecting scaffolding and removing or replacing all of the pipes and cables that are fixed to the wall.
Final Thoughts
While there are multiple issues that need to be addressed before installing external wall insulation, the advantages are numerous. As we concluded from our cost evaluation that external wall insulation is a bit expensive, but it is effective. But even with the higher cost, the advantages that external insulation offers over internal insulation make it less likely to be disregarded. We at the Iraye Group hope that this blog post will help you a lot to understand the external wall insulation.