Two good tips for lower heating costs
We all know: dampness in buildings increases heating costs, damages the building’s structure and is the enemy of a healthy indoor climate. In times of constantly rising energy prices it is more than worthwhile to detect and eliminate the causes of dampness.
1. How to prevent dampness in basements and brickwork
High groundwater levels, floors with low water permeability or simply lacking or defective sealings lead to damp and thus cool basements with a noticeably higher energy requirement. If quick action is not taken, the building can in the worst case even become uninhabitable.
Restoration by exposing and sealing the external basement walls with membranes or filling compounds is time-consuming and costly. The uncomplicated and cost-effective solution is: sealing from the inside.
With the basement sealing system developed by Köster Bauchemie AG from Aurich, Germany, one of the leading experts for sealing and building protection products, the problem can be easily and safely solved.
Even if rotten wallpaper or flaking render near the floor show that the undesired dampness is already rising within the brickwork, a rapid remedy is still possible. In this case, the brickwork is first impregnated with special injection liquids. This damp proof course seals the dampness efficiently.
2. How to avoid dampness on internal and external walls
The formation of dampness in buildings is not restricted to basements. In building walls, thermal bridges can for example be the cause. These are locally restricted external wall areas with high heat dissipation from the inside to the outside. Typical examples are building corners or supporting pillars in walls. Here, the surface temperature of the interior wall decreases measurably. When the heated interior air then comes into contact with the cooler wall surface, precious thermal energy escapes to the outside. Moreover, the moisture captured in the warm air condenses due to the temperature difference and precipitates on the wall surface. This surface dampness again results in an increased energy requirement, and the risk of health-hazardous mould growth is higher. The moisture film adhering to the façade after rain can be another cause of heat losses due to dampness. The coldness caused by the evaporation of water during the drying process also leads to a decrease in temperature indoors.
Costly thermal bridges and moisture films on façades can now be prevented very effectively. External thermal insulation not only reduces general heat dissipation to the outside but also eliminates any existing thermal bridges. SOVA GmbH, a company of the Köster Group, has developed a new, particularly shock-resistant and durable external wall insulation system which also prevents the formation of moisture films: SOVATHERM Premium. “Sovasan“, an extremely water-repellent silicone resin paint, is then applied as topcoat. Important: basement sealing and external wall insulation systems must always be carried out by specialists!
For further information: www.sova-online.de, phone +49 (0) 6430 - 92 54 30