Our house was completed at the end of 2005. At that time, the regulations regarding thermal insulation were certainly not as strict as they are today, yet I still find the insulation to be, in my opinion, completely excessive.
A few weeks ago, when the mornings were still pleasantly cool, I tried ventilating the ground floor by cross-ventilation to lower the temperature to 20°C (68°F). After closing all the windows, it took less than an hour for the temperature to rise back up to 24.4°C (76°F). It goes without saying that
- all the heating systems were turned off
- such temperatures are not healthy over the long term.
The insulation craze is especially noticeable in the attic, where temperatures of 30°C (86°F) under similar outdoor conditions are common.
After careful consideration, I recently had an inverter air conditioning unit installed in the attic (I work exclusively from home), which has definitely greatly improved the living comfort.
However, to what extent this is compatible with the fundamentally good idea of reducing energy costs—especially considering the expected rise in peak temperatures due to climate change—is something I still wonder about...
Are there other ways to lower the basic indoor temperature to a healthy level (21-22°C / 70-72°F)?
P.S.: There are plenty of search results when looking up “insulation madness”... it makes you wonder if someone suspects something.
A few weeks ago, when the mornings were still pleasantly cool, I tried ventilating the ground floor by cross-ventilation to lower the temperature to 20°C (68°F). After closing all the windows, it took less than an hour for the temperature to rise back up to 24.4°C (76°F). It goes without saying that
- all the heating systems were turned off
- such temperatures are not healthy over the long term.
The insulation craze is especially noticeable in the attic, where temperatures of 30°C (86°F) under similar outdoor conditions are common.
After careful consideration, I recently had an inverter air conditioning unit installed in the attic (I work exclusively from home), which has definitely greatly improved the living comfort.
However, to what extent this is compatible with the fundamentally good idea of reducing energy costs—especially considering the expected rise in peak temperatures due to climate change—is something I still wonder about...
Are there other ways to lower the basic indoor temperature to a healthy level (21-22°C / 70-72°F)?
P.S.: There are plenty of search results when looking up “insulation madness”... it makes you wonder if someone suspects something.
W
WilhelmRo31 Jul 2018 07:48kaho674 schrieb:
22°C (72°F) thanks to passive cooling via underfloor heating. Does that mean using a ground source heat pump?
What setting is it running on?
Because heating all year round wouldn’t be very cost-effective, right? xD
kaho674 schrieb:
22°C (72°F) thanks to passive cooling via underfloor heating. That would already be too cold for me to wear shorts and a T-shirt; it stays that warm during winter here.
Best regards,
Sabine
WilhelmRo schrieb:
Does that mean with a ground source heat pump?
At what "setting" does it run?
Because heating all year round isn’t exactly cheap? xD The energy used for cooling is more comparable to a small circulation pump, kind of like in an aquarium. The water comes from the ground at about 5°C (41°F) and is then only slightly warmed. You need hot water anyway. Cooling is correspondingly much cheaper than heating. And right now, every cent saved is worth it, if you ask me.
W
WilhelmRo31 Jul 2018 08:28@kaho674 good to know 🙂 I still have to dream about it for a while, but a ground source heat pump is my favorite.
At the moment, I’m experiencing what is described here:
With the windows closed and everything shaded, it stays cool for a long time (25°C (77°F) until about 7 pm), and then it starts—the insulating effect is broken, or the bricks heat up so much that the warmth passes through. For the rest of the evening and night, the bricks release the stored energy again, resulting in 29°C (84°F) in all rooms 🙁
At the moment, I’m experiencing what is described here:
With the windows closed and everything shaded, it stays cool for a long time (25°C (77°F) until about 7 pm), and then it starts—the insulating effect is broken, or the bricks heat up so much that the warmth passes through. For the rest of the evening and night, the bricks release the stored energy again, resulting in 29°C (84°F) in all rooms 🙁
S
Steffen8031 Jul 2018 09:59Yesterday outside: 36°C (97°F)... inside 22 to 23°C (72 to 73°F). In the bedroom, a constant 20°C (68°F).
When the mail carrier arrives and I open the door, she slows down intentionally so she can get some cool air.
Thanks to the air conditioning... as my wife says, "Air conditioning is the best investment in the entire house!!"...
When the mail carrier arrives and I open the door, she slows down intentionally so she can get some cool air.
Thanks to the air conditioning... as my wife says, "Air conditioning is the best investment in the entire house!!"...
C
chand198631 Jul 2018 10:01Steffen80 schrieb:
Thanks to the air conditioning...Exact quote from my wife: "Air conditioning is the best investment in the whole house!!"...You obviously ordered this century's summer too, so you can celebrate now .
Seriously though, you’re really happy about it now, and I’d love to have one in the bedroom as well.
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