What is an External Wall Insulation?

This discussion presents simple-to-understand information about how external wall insulation is done and the best method to approach it. External wall insulation helps in reducing the loss of heat through the walls of homes. This keeps the home warmer in winters and cooler in summers. The installation is hassle-free and doesn’t need any aftercare ore maintenance.

External Wall Insulation Basics

An external wall insulation usually consists of a thick insulating material and a weather-proofing finish—the two, basic ingredients of any external wall insulation project. This kind of work requires some calculations about the thickness of various components that constitute the insulating layer. The thickness impacts the degree of thermal or acoustic insulation the insulated wall will offer.

As a homeowner, you should also be aware about building regulations in your area. The process of insulating an external wall also includes layering wall surfaces with protective coatings. This helps to address insulation issues like wet patches, structurally weak areas, and cavities. Here, the base is often made of cement.

A weather-proof cladding and wrapping-up the project with synthetic or mineral-based finishing ensures a tough and smartly-dressed wall, indifferent to extreme weather patterns. Such walls minimize the loss of energy from the interiors, helping you reduce your energy bills.

Insulating External Walls Helps Aesthetics Too?

In certain scenarios, external wall insulation can yield multiple advantages. This might include the aesthetics too. Some external wall insulating applications provide a great finishing that conceals an aging building, giving it a refurbished appearance. The weatherproofing ensures that this refreshed appearance is maintained for years. The finishing is often done on tiles, decorative boards, or brick slips—boosting the entire wall’s lifeline.

Approach to Insulating External Walls

There are some choices in this niche. You can opt for dry finishes which are usually riveted to the substrate with timber battens. Cavity walls are not as useful as solid walls when it comes to preventing the heat from escaping the interiors of a house. Some homeowners don’t want to take chances with such cavities. They prefer refilling and strengthening all cavities for better results. Some folks are happy with a basic treatment executed to minimize the loss of heat through cavity walls.

Addressing Damp

Damps are often a result of using inferior wall finish materials. Insulation increases the temperature of the interior surface of the walls which neutralizes problems caused by condensation along the inner side of walls. It is always better to treat the damp areas before insulating them. If not done properly, this creates the risk of embedding the dampness within the walls that can worsen the problem.

Delving Deeper into External Wall Insulation: Wall Repairs & Finishing Options

Insulation of a solid wall from the outer side requires fixing aged walls with adhesives and mechanical installations. The treated area on the wall is covered with multiple layers of cladding or rendering. To ensure hassle-free maintenance, it is important that the finishing is painted, textured, paneled, tilled, smooth-painted, or it uses brick slips. The bricked, masonry brick finish also happens to be the most preferred option among homeowners for its exotic appearance!