Improving energy efficiency of homes is one of the keys to sustainable living. Armidale has many old weatherboard homes that add a lot of charm to the city but are a challenge to retrofit for energy efficiency. One of the most important additions home-owners can make to an old home is insulation. In Armidale, most household energy costs are associated with keeping a house warm in the colder months and insulation helps lower these costs (insulation also helps keep a house cooler in summer). Ceiling insulation is the best-known application of insulation and uninsulated ceilings result in about 25-35% of a typical house’s winter heat loss. Floors contribute about 10-20% of winter heat loss, which is about the same as windows.*
There are various options for underfloor insulation, including foam insulation that is sprayed onto the undersurface, creating an energy efficient seal. This suits older houses on stumps with at least 50 cm clearance. There are no local providers of this type of insulation, but a Sydney firm – EasyInsulation – is interested in coming to Armidale from Sydney if there is sufficient interest.
A few Armidale householders are keen but the more households on-board makes it more cost-effective overall. If you are interested, you can contact EasyInsulation directly at info@easyinsulation.com.au or (02) 8000 3777 or via this website: https://www.easyinsulation.com.au/sprayfoam/
*Heat loss figures from the Energy Smart Housing Manual (Sustainability Victoria, 2020) https://assets.sustainability.vic.gov.au/susvic/Guide-Energy-Smart-Housing-Manual.pdf
