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Superinsulation: Saving Money on Heating

by: sahil | last updated: April 26, 2010
Category: Green Savings | Tags: superinsulation, energy costs, energy bills, utilities, eco friendly, environmenally friendly, heating bills, homes, insulation

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Superinsulation: Saving Money on Heating

Superinsulation is a way of cutting costs on fuel that is used for cooling and heating a residence. Such type of insulation is parallel to the concept of passive solar or passive buildings that do not use any mechanical apparatus or fuel for its cooling and heating needs. However, superinsulation may be only required in colder conditions and weather; especially areas away from the equator or in mountainous regions where it is cold almost all year round.

Such type of insulation requires expertise on the part of the architect, plumber or the builder since conscientiousness of construction is also a prerequisite in homes where superinsulation is used. The super-insulated home would typically require airtight construction (windows and doors), smaller windows, extremely thick insulation, detailed insulation, and no conventional heating system except for a back-up heater in cases of emergency.

A superinsulated home or dwelling derives all its heat from the other mechanical apparatus and people in the home. This means that the heat generated by a computer, a light source, humans, stoves, or even fireplaces can be trapped inside the home. This heat remains inside the home for long periods of time thus maintaining the temperature of the home to a livable steady level.

The concept of superinsulation originated in the late 1970’s when a low-cal house was developed by scientists in Illinois. This paved the way for further developments including the Saskatchewan house which was constructed in 1978 and was the first such house to publicly demonstrate its capabilities. However, it is a fact that even today most of the homes (especially in UK) are not properly insulated. This leads to energy and heat loss which in turn means more money spent on heating than is required.

Superinsulation can also be used in homes that are normal; this means that homes can be retrofitted so that they become superinsulated homes. However, retrofitting homes to be superinsulated can require skill and is not a very easy task. Improperly retrofitted homes may face problems such as moss and mildew which can further lead to health problems. Retrofitting can be employed by installing vapor barriers outside or even inside the house so that they trap moisture and avoid the diffusion of the same.

The costs of retrofitting or building a home that is superinsulated are apparent and long-lasting at the same time. A superinsulated home does not require too much fuel for heating needs and money can be saved on the same. Moreover, such homes are partially off-grid and may not be affected during natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes, and even war when utilities may be disrupted. Moreover such insulation is more permanent in nature and relieves the owner of many responsibilities and also increases the price of the property.