Browse Forums Building A New House 1 Aug 30, 2012 9:16 am Hello there ... Newbie owner builder here. Can't find any info on brick colour choice that isn't about aesthetics. Do you know/think/experienced anything to explain or suggest that brick Colour will affect insulation properties in a house. In particular in brick veneer construction (in our case we're having a steel frame - maybe that will also have some effect)? Would love your advice, experience or thoughts on this thanks. We are choosing a Colorbond roof in a light colour to keep heat absorption down and this makes me think dark bricks might absorb heat in summer - but they might help keep house warm in winter. Re: Brick colour - thermal qualities 2Aug 30, 2012 5:04 pm Hi, Good on you for asking the question, so many people still don’t get it with their dark roofs and dark bricks and then try to keep the house cool with reverse-cycle air-conditioning. Insulation is a lot cheaper than reverse-cycle air-conditioning unless you’ll need it for heating. A lot depends on where you will be building. The brick supplier should have Solar Absorbance Ratings for their bricks. They’re usually placed in three categories being light, medium and dark. You may not use Austral Bricks however the link should explain things. http://www.australbricks.com/au/nsw/Sus ... ce-Ratings Yes the colour of the bricks will make a difference and in my opinion no matter what the colour of the brick, the maximum wall insulation (usually 1.5 R-value) is a must. It depends on your frame size what thickness insulation batts you can use. Check this link: http://www.aboutthehouse.com.au/switch/377-3844-8 As far as the colorbond roof is concerned the lighter the better. Ceiling insulation a must as well as a 50mm Anticon blanket or the Kinspan roof insulation (can be purchased at Bunning’s). Consider placing static vents (like the e-vents) on the roof ridge to prevent condensation problems. Roof condensation occurs when moisture becomes trapped between the roof and the insulation. Usually, this problem stems from either poor workmanship in installing the roof or insulation, insufficient ventilation, or excess moisture in the building. Cheers PS 2 8358 I should have followed up on this thread. So, the pier foundation wasn't large enough on the side it was leaning towards, and the NBN cable went through the pier, just… 8 12127 Just be careful with building stability during construction, that is when the structure may be weakened, refer to your engineering drawings for stability methodology. 1 7226 |