‘The biggest pitfall is condensation’: Keep this in mind if you’re self-isolating your home | MyGuide

If you want to insulate your home, you’d better start with the roof. Up to thirty percent of the heat generated escapes through the roof. An insulated roof will save you more on your energy bill. Next is the interface. By gluing sandwich panels to the exterior wall and covering it with new facade cladding, you limit heat loss by another twenty percent.

When renovating, also choose high-efficiency glazing or triple glazing instead of normal double glazing. This way you can save another fifteen percent on your energy bill. Then you can also insulate the floor, for example across the crawl space. This way you can save another ten percent.

But how do you know you’re isolated enough? You are ideally aiming for the 2050 energy goal. Hence, labeling energy A or A+ is the norm. This makes your home nearly energy neutral. You can know your home’s energy score by getting an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) put together by an expert. Prepare this EPC before starting insulation work. You will find recommendations on it to make your home or apartment more energy efficient.

What financial benefit does isolation provide? You can save on this with ceiling, floor and wall insulation.

So you start with ceiling insulation. It’s also the only job you can do yourself relatively easily. When insulating the roof, it is very important to ensure that the insulation connects seamlessly with the roof construction. If there are cracks, you will later have to deal with cold bridges which cause condensation problems. For the same reason, you should always provide a vapor barrier.

for work: This step-by-step guide shows you how to do a file Sloping roof insulation And how are you Flat roof insulation.

In terms of insulation materials, you can choose PUR board or PUR foam, but also EPS, XPS and mineral wool. If you want to use environmentally friendly insulation materials, you can use cellulose. The higher the lambda value of the insulation material, the better the insulation and the less you need. If the space is somewhat limited, choose the best insulation material so that the panels take up less space.

If you also want to isolate the interface, there are two options. Either you fill the cavity wall with insulation, or you put sandwich panels on the exterior walls. Exterior wall insulation is the most efficient and the only job you can do yourself. Here’s how to do it.

When insulating an exterior wall, you must take particular account of the extra space occupied by sandwich panels. Your house will be at least ten centimeters wide. We recommend choosing PUR or PIR because these materials have the best lambda value and therefore you need less of them. You then cover the sandwich panels with a new facade cladding, such as crepe or brick slips.

Is there no space to insulate the outer wall? Then you can also fill in the cavity wall. This requires professional knowledge; It is not a DIY job. The cavity wall should first be checked with a camera for any debris or other obstructions in the building. The insulation itself is also done using professional equipment. Moreover, not every cavity can be isolated. So contact an expert here.

Does your home have a crawl space and is it high enough for insulation to be installed? Hence it also pays to minimize the heat loss through the floor by using PUR or EPS insulation boards. Always provide adequate ventilation in the crawl space to avoid condensation problems after insulation work. For a wood subfloor, always choose a vapor-permeable sealant to prevent wood rot.

From installation to material selection: These are the ten biggest floor insulation mistakes.

It all starts with good preparation. Before insulating the roof, you may need to install additional beams to provide enough space for the sandwich panels. When insulating the exterior facade, you first have to clean up the old bricks and repair the cracks.

However, the biggest pitfall when you self-insulate your home is condensation. Make sure that there are no gaps between the sandwich panels. There not only will you suffer from heat loss, but cold air can also come into contact with a hot surface. For example, condensation forms, which leads to moisture problems and mold formation. In addition, always use vapor barriers to insulate the roof and attic floor to avoid these moisture problems.

Read also: Ten tips for installing and finishing vapor barriers correctly.

When insulating the ceiling, you must meet the minimum standards. The R value of the roof insulation shall be at least 0.75 K/W. So be sure to check if your isolation plans comply with this rule. The BEN standards apply to newly built homes, where an E level of E30 or lower must be achieved.

You can insulate your home yourself with insulation panels or blankets. If your insulation job requires polyurethane foam, for example, it’s best to call in the services of an expert.

Exactly how much you pay to self-insulate your home depends on many factors. Of course you can save a lot by starting yourself, but there is also a downside to this savings.

The Flemish government reduces the costs of insulation with Mijn VerbouwPremie, but you only get that if you have work done by an expert. Thus, those who do odd jobs themselves lose this bonus.

And as a do-it-yourselfer, you are of course not entitled to the warranty that contractors give in their work. Mijn VerbouwPremie covers roof, floor and facade insulation as well as the installation of new windows.

Read more on Livios.be:

Actively Renovating Your Home: This step-by-step plan will get you started

Lowering your energy bill with high-efficiency glass: fun for you?

Are you required to isolate? And what is “isolated enough”?