A common question these days, especially with high energy bills, is: why is my home so cold?
The truth of it is that many homes in the UK have the same problem – they are too cold because of the poor state of insulation. Our existing housing stock is the oldest in Europe, which means that many properties don’t have any insulation – in fact, only about 50% have cavity or solid wall insulation. Heat loss happens faster in poorly insulated homes. So, with no insulation, existing houses aren’t as energy efficient as they could, and should, be. It’s generally considered that houses lose about 35% of heat through the walls and 25% through the roof. This means that cold, external walls are the chief culprit for heat loss because, without adequate -or, in fact, any - insulation, they don’t keep heat inside the home, which makes it harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. This, in turn, results in higher energy bills because thermostats are turned up higher and are left on for longer. And with the majority of heating systems being reliant upon fossil fuels, not only do energy bills increase but the impact on the planet is also significant.
CorkSol believe that it is possible to improve existing homes to ensure they are able to provide comfortable, healthy homes. And our award-winning product, SprayCork, can also be used on new build homes to ensure they are protected from the cold from the start. The thermal properties of cork reduce the requirements on heating systems, which are still predominately powered by fossil fuels. But another key advantage of cork is the sustainable way it is harvested and the regeneration process where the absorption CO2 significantly increases. The advantages of applying SprayCork is that it can be applied internally or externally and helps to retain heat by trapping the warm air in the room which makes heating the house much more affordable. And because SprayCork is a completely breathable material, it is resistant to moisture and therefore eliminates damp and mould – making your home healthier as well as cosier.
The unique honeycomb structure of cork is made up of countless pockets of air which makes it a natural material with a long list of natural qualities, including durability, flexibility, sound insulation and thermal insulation. And research has been done to back this up. When used as an internal wall coating, a sprayed cork solution has been proven to reduce heat loss through solid walls by 30%, which is a significant amount of heat staying within the property.
