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So what exactly is air tightness? The name is fairly self-explanatory - when something is air tight it means no air can escape through it. In relation to houses it is usually a term used to describe windows and doors. When windows and doors are air tight, no air or water or moisture can pass through them. This is useful for a number of reasons. New build houses are usually built with air tight seals around the windows and door frames, but older houses do not often benefit from this feature. Many people today choose to replace their traditional doors and frames with a more modern variety so they too can benefit from the air tight seals. This article explores what the benefits of air tightness are and why it is important in the home. The first benefit of having an air tight house is due to its insulation powers. If a house isn't insulated well it acts a little like a giant sieve through which heat and sound can escape easily. This means freezing winters and boiling summers. Most houses have insulation nowadays, but having air tight doors and windows make the insulation that little bit more effective. Heat can very easily escape through windows and doors, both through the glass itself and from around the frames. By using air tight seals however and a double layer of glazing, this cannot happen so the heat is retained inside. Having air tight seals can in fact reduce your heat loss by up to 35% which can dramatically reduce you heating bills. In today's world, saving money on electricity and other fuel costs is very important. The next benefit of air tightness in the home is sound insulation. As well as heat being able to escape easily, noise can travel too. Through the walls, through the doors and through the windows, noise from inside the house can travel outside. Additionally of course, sound from outside the house can travel inside. Seeing as the home is meant to be a person's haven, this is far from ideal. Having air tight seals really does help prevent these problems from occurring. Fire protection is another benefit of having an air tight home. Fire needs oxygen to burn, so cutting off this supply means that fire can be more easily prevented from spreading and causing destruction. Finally, air tight windows and doors mean that moisture is unable to cause any problems such as damp or mould. When water leaks into the home it can be extremely destructive, even if it is just a little dampness. Eventually damp walls start to deteriorate so it is very important that all water is kept out. So how do you make your home air tight? To get an air tight home the best course of action is to get some doors and windows that have air tight seals in the form of cavity closers. These are very effective at creating a barrier through which no water or air can pass. The best ones are made from the recyclable and sustainable material uPVC. This is cost effective, durable and also fire resistant. Most houses that are quite modern have a cavity wall which means there is a small air gap present between the exterior and interior walls. By using specialist insulation and fire proofing material within the cavity further thermal insulation and resistance against fire can be obtained. air tightness in the house is extremely important for insulation, sound proofing and fire resistance. For a little money, cavity closers can be used to make doors and windows air tight, and specialist insulation can be used in the cavity wall. These are just small costs but they add up to a big difference in the comfort and quality of your home. Chris Coxon writes articles for Cavalok, the first company to manufacture cavity closers entirely from 100 percent post-consumer PVC-U in the UK. A cavity wall usually has high insulating properties and low U-values. Thermal performance can be improved at window, door and wall junctions, by installing cavity closers to aid air tightness. The Cavalok team has worked with tape and sealant manufacturers to identify the best solutions available.
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air tightness, cavity wall, cavity closers,
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