Houses built since the 1930's are cooler

Posted: 03 Aug 2006 16:05:10 GMT

Many people often assume that insulation is only useful for keeping heat in and saving on energy bills in the winter. However it can also be useful for controlling temperature in the summer and helping to keep rooms cool.

Property developer Lindon Homes has looked at the insulation in homes built before 1930, after 1930 and up to the present day. The results show that homes without cavity wall insulation are more likely to get hotter in the summer; whereas homes built since 1930 all have the insulation and provide cooler living.

More modern homes can have improved insulation and thus tend to be cooler in the hot months. However another factor to consider is the space in which a property is built in. Many new homes can be close together and trap warm air; older homes can have more space and areas of shade.

Philip Davies, chief executive of Linden Homes, stated: "Most homeowners think high levels of insulation will only benefit them when keeping their property warm in winter, but in fact the opposite is also true.

"With summers becoming warmer each year, thermally sound new homes will become even more attractive to homeowners who suffer during the hot summer months."

Insulation keeping homes cool can also help the energy companies who are put under extra strain in the heat. Notably many homes were left without power in an outage in London recently; this was due to over-use of air conditioning.




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