We are unsure whether to insulate the exterior walls of our house. There are many opinions about it — some say it can cause mold problems inside, make the indoor air unhealthy, or damage the walls over time because the masonry can no longer breathe... How have you handled this? Did you insulate your walls, and what has been your experience?
H
Hubertus-110 Mar 2013 22:59A house does not develop mold because of thermal insulation. In the past, there was already mold on walls even before systems like external wall insulation existed.
What bothers me is the large amount of plastic on the house; eventually, disposal will be necessary and it definitely won’t be cheap. External wall insulation systems don’t last that long anyway.
Thick walls give me a better feeling—more like a real house and less like a backdrop for the latest building trends.
What bothers me is the large amount of plastic on the house; eventually, disposal will be necessary and it definitely won’t be cheap. External wall insulation systems don’t last that long anyway.
Thick walls give me a better feeling—more like a real house and less like a backdrop for the latest building trends.
There are statistics showing that since the increased use of external thermal insulation composite systems (ETICS), the risk of mold growth indoors has risen. You sometimes come across comments referring to an "insulation craze forced by the eco-mafia" and similar expressions. I don’t want to go that far, but it does create uncertainty. On one hand, there is evidence and recommendations highlighting how effective and important proper thermal insulation is, and on the other hand, these so-called "mafia" claims and studies opposing thermal insulation.
M
MODERATOR12 Mar 2013 19:56Hello everyone,
Hubertus is right that adding insulation to exterior walls does not cause mold; for mold to develop on a wall surface, both the surface temperature and indoor humidity levels must be in a critical range. Incidentally, insulation actually raises the interior surface temperature of walls, which tends to reduce the risk of mold.
What can become problematic is the airtight envelope of modern houses. Airtightness is important to retain heating energy inside the building. Used, humid indoor air (from plants, bathrooms, kitchens, pets, and people) must be properly ventilated. If ventilation is insufficient, overly humid air can condense on cooler wall surfaces, increasing the risk of mold.
I am familiar with claims like “eco-terrorism,” “insulation mafia,” or “insulation madness.” These are populist statements aimed at laypeople, which a professional can only shake their head at. They belong in the same category as 9/11, moon landing, and other conspiracy theories.
If you choose not to insulate your house, that is fine; you can build using insulating masonry units or construct thick exterior walls instead.
Hubertus is right that adding insulation to exterior walls does not cause mold; for mold to develop on a wall surface, both the surface temperature and indoor humidity levels must be in a critical range. Incidentally, insulation actually raises the interior surface temperature of walls, which tends to reduce the risk of mold.
What can become problematic is the airtight envelope of modern houses. Airtightness is important to retain heating energy inside the building. Used, humid indoor air (from plants, bathrooms, kitchens, pets, and people) must be properly ventilated. If ventilation is insufficient, overly humid air can condense on cooler wall surfaces, increasing the risk of mold.
I am familiar with claims like “eco-terrorism,” “insulation mafia,” or “insulation madness.” These are populist statements aimed at laypeople, which a professional can only shake their head at. They belong in the same category as 9/11, moon landing, and other conspiracy theories.
If you choose not to insulate your house, that is fine; you can build using insulating masonry units or construct thick exterior walls instead.
Hello,
I am very interested in ecological building; ecology means sustainable management. This is also the main focus when insulating our homes.
When reading pamphlets from insulation opponents, it often becomes clear that they argue the cost of insulation and energy-efficient windows is not worthwhile and therefore pointless. They are looking at the economic investment only in terms of a single house or owner. It is indeed quite possible that the economic return on a well-insulated house does not pay off within a reasonable time—but thermal insulation has a purpose that goes beyond purely economic considerations!
The total of all modern buildings that manage heat energy efficiently and ecologically helps us preserve non-renewable energy sources for longer.
For the same reason, today we also drive cars that use less fuel—to conserve resources as far into the future as possible.
I am very interested in ecological building; ecology means sustainable management. This is also the main focus when insulating our homes.
When reading pamphlets from insulation opponents, it often becomes clear that they argue the cost of insulation and energy-efficient windows is not worthwhile and therefore pointless. They are looking at the economic investment only in terms of a single house or owner. It is indeed quite possible that the economic return on a well-insulated house does not pay off within a reasonable time—but thermal insulation has a purpose that goes beyond purely economic considerations!
The total of all modern buildings that manage heat energy efficiently and ecologically helps us preserve non-renewable energy sources for longer.
For the same reason, today we also drive cars that use less fuel—to conserve resources as far into the future as possible.
When we choose a fuel-efficient car, we save money, but when it comes to insulation, we have to spend money. In Germany, this is required by law. In my opinion, the prices for insulation materials are overpriced, and this is tolerated—or even encouraged—by the lawmakers. It's essentially economic support at the expense of homeowners. Just my opinion.
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