Energy Efficiency
SEALING THE ENERGY CRISIS THIS WINTER
In the midst of the current energy crisis , the need for more effective insulation and sealing of windows and doors must be an urgent priority , says Andy Swift , sales and operations manager for foam sealants specialist , ISO Chemie .
He says it ’ s not just the frames themselves that need attention when it comes to keeping out the cold this winter - it ’ s the entire installation which has to be addressed .
Most property owners probably don ’ t realise that they are among the majority with energy inefficient windows until they feel a cold draught from somewhere , or see their electric and gas bills rapidly escalate as they struggle to keep their properties warm .
“ With 25 % of the heat leaking from around windows it ’ s now even more important to effectively seal around the window to wall gap ,” Andy Swift says . “ Even before the current energy crisis , it was always an area requiring urgent attention but now it has become paramount because millions of people are struggling to heat their homes and stay warm this coming winter .”
“ However , by using modern foam sealants to create a thermal and airtight seal around the window , the amount of heat loss around frames is significantly reduced . Indeed , after only a few years against a leaky joint , investment in new sealing tapes will have paid for itself .
“ Retrofitting properties with products like Winframer , Vario SD and BLOCO ONE has become a direct focus for property developers and housing associations and is a cost-effective way to insulate existing properties very quickly . As they say the greenest home is one already built . It just needs proper retrofit insulation .”
A pre-compressed tape , ISO BLOCO ONE , which has been independently tested and is both BBA and Passivhaus certified , can be used on joints up to 42 mm , providing a high-performance weather tightness and thermal / acoustic insulation seal for fenestration applications as the weather gets cold .
Quickly applied by hand around the frame during fitting , ISO BLOCO ONE are energy rated weather tight thermal and acoustic tapes which reduce heat loss and noise ingress to a U value better or equal to the frame . This assures property and homeowners that a comprehensive ‘ A ’ rated installation can been completed rather than just an ‘ A ’ rated window supplied .
The tapes can be used to seal joints providing excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties . Product can accommodate a temperature range of -30 ° to + 90 ° and is impermeable to driving rain with a minimum of 600 Pa , making it one of the best performing tapes in its class . Once installed , a building will also be better protected from elemental factors like wind , dust and moisture ingress by accommodating the changes in structural movement caused by environmental , cyclical and settlement factors .
Quick and easy-to-apply , with excellent thermal and acoustic insulation properties , ISO BLOCO ONE can be used to provide effective gap seals to accommodate expansion and movement while remaining permeable to trapped water and water vapour in extreme weather conditions – in the same way as a flexible breathable style building façade material .
ISO-Chemie is one of Europe ’ s main producers of impregnated foam sealants , specialising in the manufacturer of foam products from polyethylene ( EPE ), polypropylene ( EPP ) and polyurethane ( PUR ) using the latest production techniques . More at https :// www . iso-chemie . eu / en-GB / home /
36 NOVEMBER 2022 CLEARVIEW-UK . COM