The biggest problem that most people face when they come to improve the energy efficiency of a building is the bewildering amount of options available to them. There are literally hundreds of products and methods for saving energy and reducing equivalent CO2 emissions. Given the large amount of options available to them, how should someone go about choosing the best way to save energy?

Costs Versus Savings

If your goal is to save money on bills by using less energy, and consequently outputting less equivalent CO2, some of the key things to look at in potential methods are the cost of purchase/installation and the amount of money potentially saved each month. If you divide the cost of purchase/installation by potential monthly savings, for a particular method or system, then you can work out what is called the ‘payback period’.

The payback period of any energy saving system is the amount of time it takes for that particular method to recover its purchase and installation cost through the savings made. Take the example of an energy efficient light bulb. If the light bulb costs £4 to buy and install and saves you £2 per month on your lighting bill, the payback period would be 2 months. Any money saved after that point becomes a direct saving to you.

The Biggest Target

For most people, their largest energy expenditure goes to their heating bill. Most energy saving products and systems are designed to reduce the amount of energy required to sufficiently heat a property. The most popular methods are:

• Double Glazing – Double glazed windows are, on average, about 50% more efficient at stopping heat loss than windows with single glazing.
• Insulation – There is a wide range of different insulation methods available to the householder, such as cavity wall insulation, roof/loft insulation and solid wall insulation. All of these reduce heat loss from the home.
• Waterproof Coatings – Dry masonry and brickwork have far better insulating qualities than when they are wet. A coating of water repellent can keep masonry and brickwork dry.

With so many methods available it is logical to implement the methods with the shortest payback period first. There are also many other small things the homeowner can do to save money on their heating bills that have no significant outlay, such as lowering your thermostat by 1°C or installing heavier curtains.

Seeing Through Double Glazing

Double Glazing is commonly one of the first energy saving methods people implement. Whilst it is true that double glazed windows can be much more efficient at stopping heat loss than single glazed windows, they often have a small overall effect on the total heating bill. 

Given the average cost of £5000 for the purchase and installation of double glazed windows in a 3 bedroom house, the 10% energy bill savings made afterwards mean that the payback period is often very long. Using figures presented by the Energy Saving Trust, the best case scenario for double glazed windows in a gas heated house is a payback period of 28 to 50 years.

Most of the advantages of double glazed windows can be achieved by correctly draught proofing and secondary glazing any original window frames, at a fraction of the cost. As long as they are properly maintained, single glazed windows are not necessarily a large drain on heating bill costs.

A Better Solution

Insulation in combination with a waterproof coating, such as Stormdry, is a far more cost effective way of cutting heating bill costs, when compared to double glazing. A third of all heat in a property is lost through the walls, so it makes sense to insulate your walls before considering double glazed windows.

One of the most cost effective methods of wall insulation is cavity wall insulation. For a relatively small outlay it is possible to save an average of 20% on your energy bills. There are, however, drawbacks to this form of insulation. Cavity wall insulation is often installed without proper attention being paid to the porosity and condition of the wall itself.

If steps aren’t taken to ensure that rain water does not penetrate the bricks, there is a risk that cavity wall insulation will get wet. Once the insulation is wet, the majority of the thermal benefits it would normally provide will be lost.

A deeply penetrating, long lasting and effective water repellent, such as Stormdry, can protect cavity wall insulation and even enhance its performance for up to 30 years. When using Stormdry, it is important to make sure that any necessary masonry repairs are carried out on cracks or major defects. 

The Ideal Solution

The ability of a wall to insulate is determined by its thermal resistance. A wall with a high thermal resistance will lose less heat than a wall with low resistance. The thermal resistance of brickwork and masonry can be very dependent on how wet it is. Tests show that the thermal resistance of a Stormdry treated brick is over twice that of a wet brick. 

Depending on the weather, a wall treated with Stormdry alone has been proven to save between 7% and 27% on energy bills. On average, a Stormdry treatment on a 3 bedroom house will cost of £500 to apply and give a payback period of 6 years, making for a significantly better return of investment than that provided by double glazed windows.

If Stormdry was to be applied to a 3 bedroom house, along with the installation of cavity wall insulation, at an average price of £850 (£500 – Stormdry application; £350 – cavity wall insulation installation), an even faster payback period of just over 4 years can be expected. A long term energy bill saving of over 25% is possible with cavity wall insulation that has been protected by Stormdry.

Less Common Methods

If your property does not have a cavity wall, similar results can be obtained through the use of loft or roof insulation. Stormdry can also be applied to gable ends, chimneys and roofs to make sure the same level of protection is provided to the loft or roof insulation. 

In the case of single skin walls, Stormdry can also be a less high cost alternative to solid wall insulation, which has a long payback period of at least 14 years in a gas heated property. Solid wall insulation, either internal or external, can provide high levels of insulation but the installation cost and level of disruption to the householder is very high when compared to other forms of insulation. 

Further Information

Each building is different and it is always advisable to get an expert opinion on your particular property. If you wish to obtain advice on waterproof coatings or find contractors able to carry out Stormdry applications, contact Safeguard Europe’s technical department on 01403 210 204.

To continue research into insulation methods, there is a wealth of information on both www.confusedaboutenergy.co.uk and www.energysavingtrust.org.uk. All figures and estimates from this article were gathered from these sources.

Stormdry has also been subjected to extensive testing by Safeguard Europe and all findings can be viewed on the test reports page, the energy saving analysis and insulation protection report are of particular note.

This means that, if you’re experiencing damp problems that are immediately identifiable on the first viewing, 70% of your potential buyers would be immediately discouraged from making an offer. Those that would make an offer would still have to consider things carefully, after the customary survey had been performed and the costs to rectify such problems assessed.

If you’re planning to sell your house but it has either visible damp patches inside or mould growth, brought on by condensation, then those problems could dramatically reduce the sale price of your home. It is best to fix any damp problems you may have, as the money spent will more than likely be less than the amount you will gain in the final sale price, not to mention the amount of time and stress saved as a result.

Fixing the Problems

So, how does this relate to Stormdry? Well, the majority of damp issues experienced by the home owner either relate to penetrating damp or condensation. Stormdry has been proven to effectively help treat these issues, both of which can be highly interconnected. The good news is that Stormdry is a quick and cost effective way of dealing with damp issues properly.

Penetrating Damp

Penetrating damp is where water manages to penetrate through a wall, either due to the porosity of the building materials or due to defects on the exterior, such as cracks, letting water in. The resulting damp patches can be unsightly and can eventually cause structural problems. Stormdry was designed to stop water from penetrating through bricks and masonry and, as long as any cracks or defects to the surface that it’s being applied to are fixed, will eliminate penetrating damp after application. The source of any penetrating damp, however, can sometimes be difficult to diagnose and repointing is often required. It is best to seek the advice of a professional if you are unsure of the source of your damp issues.

Condensation

Condensation, and the resulting mould growth, is one of the most common problems faced by the homeowner today. Mould is unsightly, produces unwanted smells, ruins clothes and many people are concerned about the potential health hazards of continuous exposure to it. Most people are unsure of how to deal with condensation and and there is a perception is that it’s very difficult to combat. Sight of mould or condensation during a viewing could be an instant turn-off to a potential house buyer.

In the increasingly wet weather that the UK is experiencing every year, the average home now has wetter and, consequently, colder walls. Buildings are also more air tight than they used to be and the rising costs of gas and electricity are forcing people to be more careful about their heating use. People are producing moisture at the same rate they always have but are perhaps more reluctant to spend money on expensive heating bills and less likely to ventilate their properties by opening windows. All these contributing factors mean that the moisture in the colder air of a property has nowhere to be vented to and is deposited as condensation on the coldest surfaces.

Stormdry can help combat condensation in two ways. First of all, by stopping water from penetrating into any weather facing walls, Stormdry stops the cooling effect of evaporation and increases their temperature in wet weather. Condensation is far less likely to appear on a warmer surface, such as a Stormdry treated wall. Secondly, due to the increased thermal efficiency of a treated wall, a homeowner would stand to make up to a 29% saving on their energy bill, meaning that they would be able to set their thermostat at a higher temperature without spending more money. The resultant warm air can deal with far more moisture than cold air, without causing condensation or mould growth.

A Smooth Sale

By treating your property with Stormdry and presenting potential buyers with a warm, dry, and damp-free environment, you are instantly regaining the interest of the 70% of people that would have previously been discouraged from making an offer. It doesn’t require time-consuming and costly re-plastering on the interior or for any construction work to take place. Just one coat of Stormdry with a paint brush or roller is all that’s required to treat an otherwise good condition brick or masonry wall. For a non-disruptive and effective method of ensuring that you are presenting your home to buyers in the best possible way, Stormdry is an ideal solution.

We always recommend that you give our technical department a call for details of coverage, price and the appropriateness of treatment. Our qualified technical advisors will be able to help you solve any damp issues that you may have. Call us on 01403 220130.

Safeguard Europe, the manufacturers of Stormdry, also supply the Brickfix range of remedial wall repair products. The Brickfix Crack Stitching System ensures that any existing cracks in a building are well repaired. The helical bars and CE1 Grout reinforce the wall you are treating to prevent cracks from reappearing and the filler mortar restores the surface. Complete visual restoration can be achieved with the Brickfix Colour Stain range. A full instruction video can be seen below:

Once all cracks have been repaired and reinforced, it is then possible to repoint and apply Stormdry to the wall. This gives you a secure and long lasting waterproof surface. Contact Safeguard Europe on 01403 210 204 with any technical enquiries or questions you may have. You can order both Stormdry and the Brickfix range of products from www.safeguardstore.co.uk or by calling direct.

• Vapour permeability: Stormdry stops water yet still lets walls "breathe"
• Flood protection: Stormdry prevents floodwater from saturating masonry
• Protecting insulation: independent assessment using Stormdry to protect insulation
• Energy saving: independent report on Stormdry’s green credentials
• Frost protection: frost damage can be stopped by applying Stormdry

These test reports and summaries are designed to give you deeper look into the scientific process behind the development of Stormdry. It is the culmination of many years research on the subject of damp-proofing and waterproofing by our research and development laboratory.

For more information or to ask any questions call our technical department on 01403 220 130.

All types of insulation materials will have an effect on the dynamics of moisture and vapour flow in any buildings to which they are applied and it is important that that this is understood by designers and installers of insulation systems if dampness issues are to be avoided. Typical dampness problems that can be caused when insulation measures are applied to existing buildings include

-       Rising damp – height of rise will be increased by reduced potential for evaporation of moisture from wall surfaces covered by insulation panels

-       Condensation – e.g. water vapour condensing behind poorly-sealed internal wall insulation (IWI).

-       Penetrating damp – e.g. incorrectly installed cavity wall insulation allowing rain to penetrate into the inner leaf.

Of these, Stormdry is primarily used to treat or prevent penetrating damp (although it also has a minor role to play in reducing condensation problems). Used in this way, Stormdry can allow insulation measures to be installed in situations where they would otherwise be unsuitable – e.g. allowing the use of cavity wall insulation in certain types of hard to treat cavity wall.

Because walls treated with Stormdry continue to be breathable, any moisture already inside the wall structure is able to evaporate. Stormdry’s deep penetration properties provide a further benefit when compared with other masonry water repellent products – providing protection from UV and other forms of environmental degradation.

Rising Damp and Condensation

Information on the prevention and treatment of rising damp and condensation can be found on the website of Stormdry’s manufacturer, Safeguard Europe, at www.safeguardeurope.com

Stormdry's classification as an energy saving material means the 5% VAT rate applies for both installation and product costs. The rate is for all residential properties and buildings used solely for a charitable purpose.

The reduced rate is uniquely for Stormdry, as masonry creams in general do not meet the criteria requirements. The special clearance is due to Stormdry's particular formulation and ability to save up to 29% of heat energy for a typical building. Several years of research and development have created Stormdry's unique formula, and its energy saving capabilities have been independently verified by Giraffe Innovation.

For further information on the reduced VAT rate contact HMRC or your accountant. More information on the energy saving properties of Stormdry can be found here.