Well into December, low temperatures also take over our home if we do not have it prepared for the coldest season of the year. Here are some tips on how to renovate your home so that it adapts not only to your needs, but also to the environmental conditions of your area. By carrying out a comprehensive renovation with quality materials, insulating their enveloping capacity, a sustainable home is capable of saving up to 90% in energy. We can say that a house in the future is not conceivable that will not take this into account, and although other countries are ahead of us, in Spain we are beginning to become aware of the social and economic benefits of building houses with insulating materials. It is true that there are more than 28,000 properties around the world that have the passive housing certificate but they are not entirely homes (office buildings, schools…) although more and more people are proposing that their house be ecological. In Spain, the first passive house was built in Granada in 2010, and today there are more than 120 certified projects with the ultimate goal of having a higher quality of life and contributing to the reduction of environmental impact. Thanks to the materials with which they are built, the common areas of sustainable houses can maintain a constant temperature of 25°C for most of the year. In other words, we have a temperature-controlled home, without having to use external heating. This results in a total energy consumption of less than 120kWh per year. Other specific tips for
Windows
We must check all the places that are in contact with the outside, since they are possible sources of air intakes. They act as contact with the outside and are the key element when it comes to correctly insulating a house. We have to take into account that almost 40% of heat escapes through small cracks in windows and door enclosures, as well as through cracks and gaps arising from the passage of time or through carpentry of dubious quality. First of all, we have to detect the points where there is a loss of thermal insulation and proceed to hinder the passage of air into the interior of the house. It is important that the windows fit well to the gaps in order to forget about the air leaks that we can find in the winter. Choosing good insulating materials can save up to 90% on electricity consumption.
Check your home’s insulation
The walls and ceilings of our home can generate heat loss. If we make improvements and insulate our walls correctly, we will be able to increase the comfort of our home, since we will not only make thermal insulation, but we will also obtain extra acoustic insulation.
Take advantage of sunlight
Sunlight is the oldest source of heat we have and we can enjoy it at no cost. Move the curtains and awnings aside during the day making the most of the sun’s entry into the house, on the other hand you can also invest in installing solar panels and take advantage of it and convert it into electricity, this source of energy is renewable, inexhaustible and non-polluting, reducing the cost of bills. Once the day is over, we recommend lowering blinds and covering the windows with curtains, so we can make better use of the heat we have obtained during the day.
Take advantage of the decoration
Going into design particularities, one option to keep the pavement safe and your feet is the placement of rugs that provide warmth. In fact, the first purpose of this object, before being a decorative element, was always to insulate the floor from currents and temperature filters. Take advantage of materials such as wool, velvet or artificial leather, as they are warmer and will help maintain warmth in the home.
With the arrival of Venetian blinds and blinds, curtains passed into better life in many homes in Spain, losing sight of a natural isolation. In a thicker format capable of generating folds that retain sunlight, curtains allow you to insulate windows and keep you warm at home for much longer. They act as a wall that prevents heat from escaping through the cracks that form around the window frames.
Are you looking to renovate your home with the right thermal functionalities and qualities? At Kaleidoscope, we help you from the creative approach to the completion of the work so that the comprehensive renovation of your home is undertaken in the time and qualities set. Plan your renovation and start the journey of rediscovering your home.
