Adding outside wall insulation wall insulation is one of the most cost effective improvements you can make to your property. It increases the value of your home and makes living within it more pleasant and comfortable, whilst reducing energy consumption and improving environmental impact.

There are many different types of external insulation and cladding systems available, each offering specific benefits that cater to a range of tastes and design styles. From the traditional charm of brick to the sleek versatility of render and wood, each system can be finished with a variety of materials that suit your property.

Unlocking the Secrets of External Wall Insulation: Tips, Tricks, and Common Mistakes to Avoid

The cost of external cladding insulation can vary greatly depending on the type and level of finish you choose, as well as any additional works required to facilitate installation, such as adjusting windows, adding doors or replacing cladding. The most affordable system is rendered EPS EWI, with the more expensive options being timber cladding and wood based EWI with a high quality render coat.

Before installing an external wall insulation cladding system, it is important to ensure that the walls are suitable. If the walls are solid brick then a vapour closed insulation such as Stratco expanded polystyrene blocks or Kingspan Kooltherm K5 sandwich panels will be best suited. Vapour closed insulation will also help to reduce moisture penetration which can be damaging to the cladding and render finishes.

Imagine an ocean wave hitting a flat concrete storm wall, it’s going to bounce off and go back out to sea unaffected. That’s what a drywall or concrete wall, metal ceilings or any hard surface does to a sound wave that hits it. It takes a soft, porous material to slow down and absorb that sound energy.

Sound absorbing does just that, it allows sounds to be heard more clearly and reduces echoes and reverberations in your space. Absorbent foams and fabrics are ideal for acoustical control. While it is important to note that absorbing materials do not stop noise from travelling between rooms they are often used in conjunction with sound insulation which prevents noise from passing through walls and other partition surfaces.

Improving Acoustics: The Science of Sound Absorbing Materials

When sound waves hit a fabric or absorbent foam they enter the pores of the material, much like a sponge does with water. This enables the sound waves to lose some of their energy through friction against the pores, and some of that energy is converted into heat energy. This change in energy dissipation makes it impossible for the sound waves to bounce off the fabric and into another surface in your room, which causes reverberations and echoes.

The acoustic properties of a fabric or absorbent material are typically described using a rating known as the Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC) in a certain frequency range. A higher NRC number indicates a greater ability to absorb sound at that specific frequency. However, not all fabrics have the same acoustic properties and even the same fabric may perform differently in different settings.

Air conditioners are one of the biggest electricity users in Australian homes. They use around 50c an hour to run, compared to dishwashers (34c), washing machines (20c) and fridges (6c).

However, air conditioning running costs calculator Australia costs can be significantly reduced by installing a modern inverter system that’s the right size for your home. You can also reduce energy consumption by ensuring your house is properly insulated and setting your thermostat to 24C during the day. And by using zoning, you can save money on cooling only the rooms you’re using.

Regardless of what you do, it’s important to know how much your air conditioning is costing you and the best way to calculate it. This is especially true when you’re considering replacing your current air conditioner or purchasing a new one for your home.

Lighting the Way: Why Origin Electricity Could Be the Right Choice for You

To get an idea of the power input needed to run a particular model, refer to the air conditioning manufacturer’s brochure and find its ‘Power Input’ or ‘Energy Efficient Ratio’ (EER). You can also use your most recent electricity bill to calculate the average cost per kilowatt-hour in your local area.

As Australia’s climate zones vary, so too does the cost to cool and heat homes, with cooler cities having lower costs than warmer ones. With the summer heatwave in full swing, it’s important to keep cool without blowing your electricity bill. To do so, you should always consider your AC’s energy efficiency rating, zoning capability, insulation and temperature settings.