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Contractors Can Improve Your Home

Hello! I would like to give you the warmest welcome to my blog. My name is Pete and last year, I decided to carry out some home improvements. Somewhat foolishly, I decided to try and carry out the work myself. As you can imagine, it was a bit of a disaster as I do not have many skills. Thankfully, I have a friend who works in the construction and contracting service. He called in some of his friends who were able to come in and fix up the mess I had made. I am really pleased with the results so I thought I would write about it here.

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Contractors Can Improve Your Home

Key Trends in Residential Insulation Systems

by Regina Barnett

The role that technological advancement has played in the HVAC industry cannot be underplayed. Today, refrigerators are three times more efficient at saving energy than they were two decades ago. The same goes for building insulation, and that is why insulation installers must keep watch on the emerging technologies related to insulation. The insulation technologies have a significant impact on the energy efficiency of residential insulation. As an insulation installer, you have to keep yourself updated with the newest technologies. Read on.

Phase Change Materials

Phase change materials, or simply PCMs, are chemicals whose freezing and melting points are below or above water's freezing point of zero. The property makes PCMs the ideal materials for thermal management solutions. The reason is that they store and release thermal energy readily when they melt and freeze. For instance, when a PCM freezes, it releases significant amounts of heat. On the other hand, PCMs absorb an equal amount of energy from the surrounding environment when melting. Given the insulating capabilities, phase change materials will likely replace standard insulation materials, such as spray foam, since they perform better regarding energy usage.

Vacuum Insulated Panels

Vacuum insulated panels, or VIPs, are unique insulation materials in which a rigid, fumed silica core is enclosed in airtight aluminium material. The absence of air makes vacuum insulated panels several times more efficient than conventional insulation. Furthermore, the panels are coated with a thin film of plastic polymers, which prevents gas from penetrating the core and affecting the panel's insulation properties. Another advantage of vacuum insulated panels is that they have the lowest thermal conductivity values in the market. Therefore, manufacturers can produce panels with the smallest thickness and still achieve the desired insulation level. Vacuum insulated panels can be used on walls and windows, as well as on ventilated facades.  

Reflective Roofing

Traditional roofing materials have a significant impact on insulation systems in a home. If the roof absorbs heat easily during the day, then it is more than likely that the insulation systems will work extra hard to ensure the temperature inside the house is not affected. That is why homes with heat-absorbing roofs have an air conditioning system to offset the heat that finds its way into the house. Fortunately, reflective roofing materials exist and do a great job at reflecting a majority of the sun's heat. The property ensures that heat coming from the sun does not penetrate the interior of homes, consequently keeping energy needs as low as possible.

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