Browse Forums Heating, Cooling & Insulation Re: How much R Value is good for roof insulation ? 23Oct 31, 2009 2:12 pm Consider the exterior. Can you plant deciduous trees or vines? These will allow the sun to warm walls and paving in winter - but cool the areas in summer. Suitable vines include grapes and bougainvillas. Grapes grown on a pergola provide a wonderful area to relax - in both winter and summer. Pull-down blinds (exterior and interior), film on windows, screens (of various sorts), shade sails, heat-reflective curtains - all assist in controlling temperature gains and losses. A whirly-bird or other type of roof venting can make quite a difference also. Make sure all gaps are sealed around doors, windows, etc. Make sure vents close correctly when needed. If your climate is humid, and you want to cool a small area e.g. a bedroom, you could buy a portable refrigerated air-conditioner. They are available in wheeled versions - or as window-fitted. These are ideal if you are renting, as you do not need to make any alterations to the building, and you can take them when you leave. Evaporative air-conditioners are effective if you have dry-heat, but not in humid conditions. They will build up humidity in a room if left running for longer periods. Re: How much R Value is good for roof insulation ? 24Nov 01, 2009 11:02 pm Some cool easy gardening ideas (pun intended) came out recently and many are simple, some too costly but the main aim is taking advantage of available space. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kV8YfhFT ... re=related Grow Beans, pumpkin, Melons, passion fruit or grapes. On your north / western wall or just jazz it up. Use aquaponics and solar pump or if that is too elaborate use succulents and cacti. Succulents will grow on the breeze of a wet tea towel http://www.thegrowspot.com/know/f5/vert ... 53838.html http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NzBvbdIPKA Put it on wheels and move it away in winter.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddesgTmf ... re=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpM3cb_E_-Y http://www.youtube.com/user/GardenGirlt ... HOPg5hDvsA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NzBvbdIPKA Supplier http://www.elmich.com.au/home.php http://www.elmich.com.au/VGM/about.php You could make it out of crates, wire in frames, Treated pine, an old fence. http://www.autopot.com.au/default.aspx? ... 3845639db8 http://www.floragrubb.com/newsletters_2 ... Email.html Succulents are easy to grow and propagate, cut & plant. You can buy the tubes for as low as $1.50ea. Another one is weeping baskets full of weeping or climbing Geranium. Very Spannish. http://www.caithness.org/caithness/cast ... =7&image=2 http://www.lachieanderson.com/lal/ http://www.southernliving.com/home-gard ... 000009356/ And Espalier - training fruit trees to grow as fences and walls. Apples, lemon - actually all citrus. Even some nut trees. Deciduous liquid amber or cherry. Natives like Callistemon, Tea tree, Mertyl, Lilly Pilly and Malaluka. dymonite69 BTW Imperial R values is about 5 1/2 x SI unit R values. The equivalent are R 6-7 batts (which are available here locally). Americans. Still back in 1940. Only Them and Nigeria use Imperial now? My bad. Most cavities are stuffed with expanding foam now. Particle board and then foam with render. Hate to be an electrician.They also use a diferent roofing system, sarking - particle board - sealing - stick on or screw on shingles. It conducts 30% less than metal or tiles? and it seals the roof cavity. Even still, they use black shingles, rarely white except Bermuda. Still they are producing products like expanded polystyrene cement, hempcrete and airogel as you know and ceramic wool - not to be confused with rockwool. There is also the ceramic render materials and paints that reflect 80 to 90% of heat or better. All fairly standard and you can hardly get it here. Re: How much R Value is good for roof insulation ? 25Nov 04, 2009 11:54 am So if I have R4 insulation in my roof already, and I'm building in Melbourne, with roof area of no more than 150sqm, adding sarking at a cost of $2,000 doesn't seem like a good investment from an energy efficiency perspective. I'll very likely be dead before it pays itself off Metricon Riva 33 - http://herlihy-riva.blogspot.com Site start 15/03/2010 - Handover 23/12/2010 9 months and 8 days (284 calendar days) from site start to handover Re: How much R Value is good for roof insulation ? 26Nov 04, 2009 2:00 pm Hi, thank you all very much who replied to my query. Wouldn't you know it this damn government again changed the rules mid way and reduced the rebate - typical knee jerk reaction to something that should have been regulated from the start - same as they did cancelling the solar rebate on the spur of the moment leaving people in the lurch. Anyway, I'll go with the R4 glasswool as I think, given my circumstance, it will suffice. I can't afford now to go to the higher cost polyester product even if it would be the better choice. Thanks again for all your good advice, cheers Re: How much R Value is good for roof insulation ? 27Nov 04, 2009 4:11 pm We suggest you for cellulose insulation. Cellulose Fibre via the roof to a depth of 100mm providing you with a minimum R3.5 rating, giving you a home insulation solution above recommended levels. Cellulose Fibre is made from recyclable waste paper. Cellulose Fibre is treated with two non-irritant, non-toxic, and safe to handle allergy free agents; Borax and Boric Acid which make them vermin resistant and highly fire retardant. It contains no asbestos, formaldehyde or fiberglass. It is 100% environmentally friendly home insulation. Cellulose insulation is extremely cost-effective to install and installation just takes 2-3 hours Re: How much R Value is good for roof insulation ? 28Nov 04, 2009 10:22 pm No offense but I disagree with loose cellulose fluff. Every house I have seen it in it has slumped, lost its mass and its thermal qualities. It gets worse in tile roofs as over the years it tends to wander about a bit. If you have a pine roof, placing batts can be a tedious process but a couple of boards and sticks will make it easy for you. Just be aware of any downlights and other fittings like junction boxes. Don't move them at all if you can. Fiberglass is good but it needs PPE to install. Tontine use recycled product in their insulation. Mostly spun plastic bottles though clothing colours have appeared recently. I used it here and its good. R 3.5. Larger than standard rooms used 1.6 packs. Total was 11 packs including a dwell wall. Pricing Fiberglass http://www.getprice.com.au/buy-best-ton ... lation.htm Recycled Bunnings - R 3.5 $52 R 1.5 $48. You can get it cheaper (lowest prices = just a saying = 100% beef) The Smith family also recycle it too. http://www.tsfblueskyinsulation.com.au/ If you can put this in yourself and claim the rebate for solar hot water if that is your intention. You don't get it for both. They make the room much easier to clean for one, reflect more light (if light colour tiles are used), and you dont end up with dust on the top edge of tiles (cause most… 3 9571 As a tradesmen get a private inspector although I don't think there worth it in their profession themselves the reminder they serve to the tradesmen doing the work is… 3 27344 The last home I lived in didn't have a pool and when i went to sell it the agents were not happy, even telling me to put one in to sell the place. The agents weren't happy… 2 4221 |