DIY Heating
While heating your home as effeciently and as economically as possible is the objective, you also need to take care and not over heat your home.
DIY Heating-Avoid Overheating: It is important not to have too much glazing on the east and, to a lesser extent the west sides of the house. Windows need to be shaded in summer, with wide eaves, verandahs or deciduous plants. A grapevine or wisteria grown over a pergola is an attractive solution that is most effective for shading south-facing walls. Vertical shading, such as louvers or tall trees, is more efficient for shading western and eastern walls than overhangs. However, it should be noted that even bare, deciduous trees or vines can shade 20-30% of the sun. Windows and doors should be located and opened in the direction of the prevailing summer breeze. Locating another opening on an opposite wall will help to bring cooling breezes through the house. In very warm areas, roof vents, opening clerestory windows and ceiling fans can help remove excess heat. Skylights can also improve solar gain and, when opened, improve ventilation.
DIY Heating Conservatories can be effective for collecting heat for other areas of the home, but they need careful planning. To maintain comfort in summer a conservatory needs exterior shading, exposed brick, tile or other heavy mass flooring and plenty of openings for ventilation, preferably at both a low and a high level. In winter, conservatories can overheat during the day and freeze at night. If they have exposed thermal mass, and insulation to conserve heat, they can be made to work well. During winter, warm air from a correctly designed conservatory can provide much of the heating requirements for the rest of the home. The cost of conservatories can be high but if they provide other amenities (such as an indoor/outdoor living space) as well as being designed for solar heating, they can be an option worth considering.
http://www.energyefficientsolutions.com/ - Your online source for Radiant Barrier
|
