Energy efficiency in the home Flashcards
How is energy efficiency in the home measured?
- Effectiveness.
- Cost-effectiveness.
What are the most effective methods of insulation?
The ones that give you the biggest annual saving (most money saved per year on your heating bills).
What is payback time?
The time it takes for the money you’ve saved on heating bills to equal the initial cost of putting in the insulation.
What are the most cost-effective methods of insulation?
This tends to be the ones that are the cheapest.
Why are some methods of insulation cost effective?
Because they have a short payback time.
What ways can the home be insulated?
- Cavity wall insulation.
- Loft insulation.
- Draught-proofing.
- Hot water tank jacket.
- Thick curtains.
What is cavity wall insulation?
Foam squirted into the gap between the bricks, with pockets of air in the foam.
How does cavity wall insulation reduce heat transfer?
The foam reduces convection and radiation across the gap, and the pockets of air reduce heat transfer by conduction.
What is loft insulation?
A thick layer of fibreglass wool laid out across the loft floor and ceiling.
How does loft insulation reduce heat loss?
By conduction and convection.
What is draught-proofing?
Strips of foam and plastic around doors and windows, which stop draughts of cold air blowing in.
How does draught-proofing reduce heat loss?
Due to convection.
What is a hot water tank jacket?
Lagging such as fibre glass wool.
How does a hot water tank jacket reduce heat transfer?
By reducing conduction and radiation.
What are thick curtains?
Big bits of cloth over the window.
