The use of breathable materials, which
would allow vapour transfer through the
insulating layer, was essential and the
Lime Green Warmshell system, which
uses wood fibre board as the insulation
layer and lime render as a weatherproofer, was judged to fit the bill.
When insulating externally, the thicker
the insulating layer, the warmer the
house will be. The cost of fixing the
insulation boards and applying the lime
render is the same no matter how thick
the boards and so the owner chose a
board thickness of 160 mm as a suitable
compromise between cost and benefit.
The benefits
For the Warmshell system at Houlston
Manor, wood-fibre insulation boards
were fixed directly to the brickwork
externally after excavating down around
the sides of the house at ground level
to ensure that there were no cold areas
at the internal floor level – a precaution
taken as the house had different floor
levels internally. The house eaves
were also extended to ensure that the
roof had significant overhang over the
insulation board and lime render.
The wood-fibre insulation boards were
then covered by two coats of lime render
– a basecoat (with reinforcing fibreglass
mesh) and decorative finishing coat.
The owner’s family have changed and
improved the aesthetic appearance
of the house – far from the first time
this has happened in its history – but,
importantly, the Manor is now ‘fit for
purpose’ for the 21st century and
beyond, a warm and cosy family home
that will last for many more generations
to come.
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Houlston Manor is now secure, warm
and weather-proof for decades to come.
In the first three months following
the Warmshell installation (OctoberDecember 2015) the property used
2800kWh for heating, compared to
6821 kWh in the exact same period
the previous year. This represents an
incredible 59% reduction in energy
costs! As the original brick walls dry
out and warm up over time, the owners
expect to see even greater energy cost
savings.
For information on Warmshell
Insulation Systems please visit
www.warmshellinsulation.co.uk or
call Lime Green on 01952 728611
for technical advice.