Busy times

Sorry about the long delay between blog posts. Yes, the house is still proceeding at a healthy rate. So much so that I have little time to spend on anything else hence the weeks of blog absence.
I have spent much of the past few weeks insulating the attic roof. This has been a very time consuming process as I have devised my own insulating method based on multiple air spaces, bulk insulation and concertina reflective foil batts. Most of my nights have been spent on site working by the light of an electric lantern. Consequently my design & drafting work has suffered a bit lately but thankfully my clients have been very patient.

The external walls have been insulated with reflective foil concertina batts. This type of insulation has a thermos-flask effect and works by creating 2 air spaces and creating a greater surface area because of its shape. It also reflects radiant heat and does not hold or emit heat.

I had the wardrobe insert5s built by the joiner at work. Mates rates.

A couple of weekends ago I enlisted the help of a first year carpentry apprentice. He built the bath hob and cut in some shower recesses. The plumber has also been to do his in-wall plumbing prior to plastering.

Upstairs in the attic I have insulated the perimeter walls with concertina batts and bulk insulated internally.

The attic roof has had a lot of thought ad attention bestowed upon it. An attic roof, as a rule, is a hot box in the summer. The temperature inside a roof in summer can be over 70 degrees Celsius, so building a roof in one can be troublesome. The main problem with summer heat gain is RADIANT HEAT. To combat this I devised my own insulation method. Firstly there is a layer of reflective concertina batts suspended 100mm from the underside of the roof. Then there is a layer of R2.0 Bulk insulation suspended on reflective foil sisilation 100mm below the concertina batts and 100mm above the plaster ceiling. This method creates 3 air gaps and prevents the bulk insulation touching the ceiling.

This is an excerpt from my daily planner when I first devised my insulating method. If you want to understand the importance of air gaps for insulating, try this practical demonstration.

Next time you have a cup of coffee, touch the side of the cup with your fingers. As you hold your fingers there notice how unbearably hot it is.......can't hold it for long can you? Now move your fingers only 1 millimeter away from the side of the cup........

The problem with bulk insulation in ceilings is that in summer it heats up and transfers that heat directly onto the ceiling and into the house. Providing an air gap and blocking the radiant heat in the first place will dramatically reduce the summer heat gain.

Electricians have roughed in in readiness for the plasterer.

The scaffolding was off-hired a few weeks ago and the site fence will also disappear soon. The site toilet made an early exit as it was blown over in a wind storm.

A lot more has happened but that's all I've got time for tonight. Must do some drawing work for those patient people.

Greg