Good day,
We are currently planning our single-family home and have received two quotes for a KfW 55 energy-efficient house.
The two providers differ, among other things, in their wall construction, which is quite important in our considerations—especially regarding sound insulation.
I know wall constructions with their advantages and disadvantages have already been discussed many times in terms of soundproofing, fire protection, thermal insulation, climate, kitchen cabinet installation, etc. I have studied the matter in detail but would still like to hear your opinions.
Exterior walls:
Provider 1: Brick veneer, air gap, ETICS (external thermal insulation composite system), sand-lime brick + gypsum plaster (wall thickness approx. 50 cm (20 inches), further details pending)
Provider 2: 11.5 cm (4.5 inches) brick veneer, 2 cm (0.8 inches) air gap, one layer of 6 cm (2.4 inches) and one layer of 8 cm (3.1 inches) offset mineral wool insulation mats (hydrophobic/water-repellent), thermal conductivity 0.035 W/mK, 17.5 cm (6.9 inches) aerated concrete with compressive strength PP2, thermal conductivity 0.10 W/mK + lime mortar plaster => wall thickness approx. 46 cm (18 inches), U-value 0.16 W/m²K.
Interior walls are sand-lime brick on both offers.
The different wall thicknesses do not matter much to us. Since both must meet KfW 55 standards, we assume adequate insulation is provided in both cases (especially with winters becoming generally milder).
A major deciding factor for us is sound insulation because we prefer a quiet environment and do not want to hear everything from outside with closed windows (the highway is about 500 meters (550 yards) away, with only fields in between).
With the sand-lime brick, provider 1 should offer absolutely sufficient sound insulation. But how does provider 2 compare? Since aerated concrete contributes less to sound insulation, how effective are the combination of the insulation mats, the air gap, and the brick veneer? Can a rough comparison be made?
Another point in favor of provider 1 is that both exterior and interior walls are made from the same material, ensuring uniform shrinkage behavior.
In terms of price, both offers are roughly equal (with minor differences in other trades that can initially be ignored).
Perhaps a brief question about the interior plaster as well: Lime mortar plaster (hopefully without cement) used by provider 2 might be somewhat better because it eliminates the risk of mold. However, with controlled mechanical ventilation, gypsum plaster should be equally suitable and completely sufficient. Am I correct in this assumption?
Looking forward to your opinions.
Riepirat
We are currently planning our single-family home and have received two quotes for a KfW 55 energy-efficient house.
The two providers differ, among other things, in their wall construction, which is quite important in our considerations—especially regarding sound insulation.
I know wall constructions with their advantages and disadvantages have already been discussed many times in terms of soundproofing, fire protection, thermal insulation, climate, kitchen cabinet installation, etc. I have studied the matter in detail but would still like to hear your opinions.
Exterior walls:
Provider 1: Brick veneer, air gap, ETICS (external thermal insulation composite system), sand-lime brick + gypsum plaster (wall thickness approx. 50 cm (20 inches), further details pending)
Provider 2: 11.5 cm (4.5 inches) brick veneer, 2 cm (0.8 inches) air gap, one layer of 6 cm (2.4 inches) and one layer of 8 cm (3.1 inches) offset mineral wool insulation mats (hydrophobic/water-repellent), thermal conductivity 0.035 W/mK, 17.5 cm (6.9 inches) aerated concrete with compressive strength PP2, thermal conductivity 0.10 W/mK + lime mortar plaster => wall thickness approx. 46 cm (18 inches), U-value 0.16 W/m²K.
Interior walls are sand-lime brick on both offers.
The different wall thicknesses do not matter much to us. Since both must meet KfW 55 standards, we assume adequate insulation is provided in both cases (especially with winters becoming generally milder).
A major deciding factor for us is sound insulation because we prefer a quiet environment and do not want to hear everything from outside with closed windows (the highway is about 500 meters (550 yards) away, with only fields in between).
With the sand-lime brick, provider 1 should offer absolutely sufficient sound insulation. But how does provider 2 compare? Since aerated concrete contributes less to sound insulation, how effective are the combination of the insulation mats, the air gap, and the brick veneer? Can a rough comparison be made?
Another point in favor of provider 1 is that both exterior and interior walls are made from the same material, ensuring uniform shrinkage behavior.
In terms of price, both offers are roughly equal (with minor differences in other trades that can initially be ignored).
Perhaps a brief question about the interior plaster as well: Lime mortar plaster (hopefully without cement) used by provider 2 might be somewhat better because it eliminates the risk of mold. However, with controlled mechanical ventilation, gypsum plaster should be equally suitable and completely sufficient. Am I correct in this assumption?
Looking forward to your opinions.
Riepirat
I can’t help you technically, but I have a suggestion for you:
Visit some show homes and test the noise levels. Use a smartphone to measure the decibel level at your property (500 meters (550 yards) from the highway means a) extremely high background noise and b) high peaks caused by loud trucks, motorcycles, and exhausts).
Take a song or car sounds to the show homes and have someone play the song or car sounds at the right volume in front of the wall—this will give you a fairly good impression.
Visit some show homes and test the noise levels. Use a smartphone to measure the decibel level at your property (500 meters (550 yards) from the highway means a) extremely high background noise and b) high peaks caused by loud trucks, motorcycles, and exhausts).
Take a song or car sounds to the show homes and have someone play the song or car sounds at the right volume in front of the wall—this will give you a fairly good impression.
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