shiny plastic bubble insulation

Posted By Castelo Construction Lda in Building in Portugal, buying property in portugal, Living in Portugal, low cost build, property problems May 6, 2014

shiny plastic bubble insulation

Builders Portugal — shiny plastic bubble insulation

You may have seen this attractive, easy to use insulation, oh and its very cheap too! Don’t all rush off to your nearest Leroy Merlin

I was at a friend’s house and a little like people asking doctors or lawyer professional questions in social situations my friend was eager to show me his new home office that had been constructed under his roof slope in the loft of his house.

As many roofs here in Portugal have a concrete floor/bedroom ceiling it’s easy to take advantage of the free space and install a hobby room, guest room or as in this case attic office. Being in a roof of course it is subject to a massive amounts or radiant heat from the sun which passes into the loft or roof space sending temperatures soaring.

The work was not quite finished and my friend proudly showed me his “highly insulated” shiny bubble wrap insulated ceiling/underside of the roof tiles. Previously the roof was not insulated at all.

At the same time I was actually thinking to myself “ It’s so hot in here I must get out very soon”

I took a better look at the reflective bubble insulation that was being used in the ceiling as it obviously was not working.

I though at the time its failure to insulate properly was probably because it had gaps in it and in other areas it was compressed by ceiling joists. I left the office being decidedly unconvinced about the level of insulation that it offered.

Bursting the bubble

Then recently I read this – http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/community/forum/energy-efficiency-and-durability/30705/why-reflective-insulation-still-being-sold-hd

All became clear.

So my advice to you home owners and DIY fans is not to buy it and certainly don’t let your builder use it. My reason is it’s almost impossible to install it so that you get real insulation.

Believe it or not ! Only yesterday I had a quote from a builder where he had specified the same product. I called him to make sure that it was in fact silver coated bubble wrap and he started extolling the virtues of this new high-tech wonder product to lay under a concrete floor. This is the worst possible use for the product. But as it say insulation on the pack and its cheap why not use it.

I will let him down gently but he won’t be doing any work for our clients.

Tags central portugal Wood Worm damp english speaking builder portugal ideal refurbishment property insulation insulation home Maintaining or increasing your home value in Portugal Outside Dining Rooms portugal refurbishing property shiny plastic bubble insulation traditional What to look for when buying an old house in Portugal

About Castelo Construction Lda

Castelo Construction Lda are builders in Central Portugal. We have 12 years’ experience of working with and delighting clients in Portugal. Tel 00351 927168247 or kelvin@casteloconstruction.com If you need an English speaking builder for renovation or new build work we will provide free estimates, fixed prices and carry out your work to a very high standard. Many of our clients are not in the country full time so rely on our regular photographic updates and written reports. They are always surprised when they make inspection visits. New Construction and Refurbishment of Portuguese Property It’s exciting for both our team and of course our clients to mark out on the earth the site of a new home. We will have been with them during the design process and have spoken to the architect many times so we will be comfortable with what we are about to do. For many clients, this stage is a little daunting as it’s hard to see without experience just where the house is going to be in relation to other things on the property. Once the foundations are dug out the house normally looks smaller than they thought, As the pillars and foundation wall start to go you get a much better idea of scale. You can see with your mind’s eye the location of the kitchen, bedrooms and so on. Once the walls are up and the first floor is in place the rooms start to looks smaller again (something to do with the light absorbing properties of the bricks) once the walls are plastered the rooms look a lot larger and it starts to feel more like the home our clients imagined building. As the build progresses we are involved with many specialist subcontractors and it is our job the get them on site at the right time so that the trades do not overlap and time is not wasted. Once the roof is on and tiled it is traditional in this area to have a dinner on site. Everyone who is involved in the build is invited to share a suckling pig dinner with local bread, oranges and of course wine. This is a great way for the clients to enjoy some local hospitality and meet the craftsmen who are building their new home. We also invite the near neighbors so that they get a chance to see what’s going on (when the house is at a very basic stage) and it gives our clients a relaxed opportunity to make their acquaintance. As we always accompany our clients to choose, kitchens, tiles, bathroom fittings or whatever they want. We can help with translation and of course negotiation! As the house is coming to completion we always have them professionally cleaned so that when we hand over the keys it feels more like a home than a building site. 2 months after the house is finished we are back to check for any small faults that may need attention and of course we are available to help and advise should that be needed. Central Portugal builders