1.9 - Heating and insulating buildings Flashcards
Why do most people want to minimise the rate of energy transfer out of their homes?
- To reduce fuel bills
- So they don’t waste energy
What are two things you can fit into a home to reduce energy transfer by conduction?
- Fibreglass loft insulation
- Double glazing
What are two things you can fit into a home to reduce energy transfer by convection?
- Cavity wall insulation
- Draught proofing
What is something you can fit into a home to reduce energy transfer through infrared radiation?
Aluminium foil behind radiators, which reflects infrared radiation back into the room
Why does cavity wall insulation reduce energy transfer by convection?
It traps air in small pockets, which prevents convection currents
What does the U-value of a material tell us?
How much energy per second passes through it
How can we compare different materials using their U-values?
The lower the U-value, the better an insulator the material is
What do solar heating panels contain?
Water, which is heated by radiation from the Sun
What are two advantages to solar heating panels?
- They are cheap to run because they do not use fuel
- They are a renewable source of energy
What are two disadvantages to solar heating panels?
- They are expensive to buy and install
- Water is not heated at night
