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Facade insulation

Old buildings are often originally uninsulated. By insulating the facade, cold and heat loss are reduced, as well as heating costs. It can also have an effect on noise nuisance. Applying facade insulation requires a great deal of expertise. It is important to pay attention to possible condensation, for example with beamends in the facade.

Do you start restoration work on the inside or outside, use this moment to improve insulation as well. Facade insulation is not always permitted in old buildings because it can affect historically valuable elements. Match the choice of insulation and detailing with the facade structure. Consult experts and the municipality to discuss the possibilities.

Exterior wall insulation

With exterior wall insulation, insulation material is installed against the existing masonry or plaster and finished with new plaster or stone strips. The (wooden) construction of the building is ‘wrapped’, as it were. This form of facade insulation is not always desirable and, in the case of historical buildings, it is usually not permitted because it changes the facade considerably. Sometimes it can be applied to the rear and side walls, which are not visible from the public road. The advantage is that no space is lost inside and a historically valuable construction remains visible. With facade insulation on the outside, the risk of moisture problems is nil. And with good detailing at window frames and eaves, thermal bridges and leaks are prevented.

  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • No loss of space on the inside
  • The interior can be retained
  • It is possible to achieve very good insulation value
  • This is a drastic measure
  • Never apply insulation both inside and outside because of the risk of moisture problems
  • The face of the facade changes
  • Insulating your building is always work for a professional company
  • It is advisable to consult a monument advisor of your municipality in advance
Regulations

Generaly

  • Permit required in most municipalities.

Monumental

  • Not allowed with a national monument in most municipalities.
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Continue reading Read less

With exterior wall insulation, insulation material is installed against the existing masonry or plaster and finished with new plaster or stone strips. The (wooden) construction of the building is ‘wrapped’, as it were. This form of facade insulation is not always desirable and, in the case of historical buildings, it is usually not permitted because it changes the facade considerably. Sometimes it can be applied to the rear and side walls, which are not visible from the public road. The advantage is that no space is lost inside and a historically valuable construction remains visible. With facade insulation on the outside, the risk of moisture problems is nil. And with good detailing at window frames and eaves, thermal bridges and leaks are prevented.

  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • No loss of space on the inside
  • The interior can be retained
  • It is possible to achieve very good insulation value
  • This is a drastic measure
  • Never apply insulation both inside and outside because of the risk of moisture problems
  • The face of the facade changes
  • Insulating your building is always work for a professional company
  • It is advisable to consult a monument advisor of your municipality in advance
Regulations

Generaly

  • Permit required in most municipalities.

Monumental

  • Not allowed with a national monument in most municipalities.
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Interior wall insulation

Pre-war buildings often do not have a cavity to insulate, but it is possible to insulate the facade on the inside with an insulation wall. With an insulation wall, a second wall is placed on the inside of the facade. The insulation wall consists of a wooden or stainless steel construction with insulation material in between. This measure requires a careful approach at so-called junctions in the facade, such as wooden floor beams that have been incorporated in the facade. By applying insulation material, these are sensitive points for moisture accumulation and problems such as mould and wood rot can occur. This can be prevented by seeking proper advice beforehand and by having the work carried out by a professional company. You will notice a difference in the comfort of your building after your facade has been insulated.

  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • The face of your building will not change
  • It is possible to achieve very good insulation value
  • Customisation is possible
  • Installations and pipes can be integrated
  • Requires specific detailing and construction
  • Only possible if no historically valuable parts are affected
  • Loss of space on the inside
  • Radiators and sockets have to be moved or modified in many cases
  • Do not apply vapour-tight insulation walls if there is a vapour-tight paint or finishing coat on the inside or outside.
  • Insulate the most frequently used rooms
  • Insulating your building is always work for a professional company
Regulations

Monumental

  • Permit required in most municipalities.
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Continue reading Read less

Pre-war buildings often do not have a cavity to insulate, but it is possible to insulate the facade on the inside with an insulation wall. With an insulation wall, a second wall is placed on the inside of the facade. The insulation wall consists of a wooden or stainless steel construction with insulation material in between. This measure requires a careful approach at so-called junctions in the facade, such as wooden floor beams that have been incorporated in the facade. By applying insulation material, these are sensitive points for moisture accumulation and problems such as mould and wood rot can occur. This can be prevented by seeking proper advice beforehand and by having the work carried out by a professional company. You will notice a difference in the comfort of your building after your facade has been insulated.

  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • The face of your building will not change
  • It is possible to achieve very good insulation value
  • Customisation is possible
  • Installations and pipes can be integrated
  • Requires specific detailing and construction
  • Only possible if no historically valuable parts are affected
  • Loss of space on the inside
  • Radiators and sockets have to be moved or modified in many cases
  • Do not apply vapour-tight insulation walls if there is a vapour-tight paint or finishing coat on the inside or outside.
  • Insulate the most frequently used rooms
  • Insulating your building is always work for a professional company
Regulations

Monumental

  • Permit required in most municipalities.
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Insulate thick walls from 40 cm

It is possible to insulate a solid exterior wall (>40 cm thick). This saves energy and increases comfort inside. Insulating these solid walls requires a specific approach. The walls are affected by moisture from the outside due to precipitation and moisture from inside by e.g. people, appliances and bathrooms. Some of the moisture in the wall evaporates to the outside, but due to the thickness of the wall, part will dry by evaporation to the inside. It is important that this moisture can still evaporate after the insulation. Therefore, have the insulation carefully applied by a specialist. And choose a breathable insulation material that can absorb, retain and release moisture. We call this type of material surface active.

  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • The face of your building will not change
  • Customisation is possible
  • Installations and pipes can be integrated
  • Requires specific detailing and construction
  • Radiators and sockets have to be moved or modified in many cases
  • Only possible if no historically valuable parts are affected
  • Insulate the most frequently used rooms
  • Insulating your building is always work for a professional company
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Continue reading Read less

It is possible to insulate a solid exterior wall (>40 cm thick). This saves energy and increases comfort inside. Insulating these solid walls requires a specific approach. The walls are affected by moisture from the outside due to precipitation and moisture from inside by e.g. people, appliances and bathrooms. Some of the moisture in the wall evaporates to the outside, but due to the thickness of the wall, part will dry by evaporation to the inside. It is important that this moisture can still evaporate after the insulation. Therefore, have the insulation carefully applied by a specialist. And choose a breathable insulation material that can absorb, retain and release moisture. We call this type of material surface active.

  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • The face of your building will not change
  • Customisation is possible
  • Installations and pipes can be integrated
  • Requires specific detailing and construction
  • Radiators and sockets have to be moved or modified in many cases
  • Only possible if no historically valuable parts are affected
  • Insulate the most frequently used rooms
  • Insulating your building is always work for a professional company
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Insulating with a timber frame construction

A wooden facade loses a lot of heat, so it is profitable to provide this facade with insulation material. Because these are wooden facade parts, extra attention is required when detailing and implementing this measure. The best way to insulate also depends on the situation. For example, it is unwise to simply fill a double-walled wooden facade with cavity insulation, because it must be possible to ventilate the wooden facade on the outside to prevent wood rot. Therefore, seek proper advice and always have insulation measures carried out by a professional company.

  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • The face of your building will not change
  • Customisation is possible
  • Insulating your building is always work for a professional company
  • Let an expert advise you well in advance
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Continue reading Read less

A wooden facade loses a lot of heat, so it is profitable to provide this facade with insulation material. Because these are wooden facade parts, extra attention is required when detailing and implementing this measure. The best way to insulate also depends on the situation. For example, it is unwise to simply fill a double-walled wooden facade with cavity insulation, because it must be possible to ventilate the wooden facade on the outside to prevent wood rot. Therefore, seek proper advice and always have insulation measures carried out by a professional company.

  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • The face of your building will not change
  • Customisation is possible
  • Insulating your building is always work for a professional company
  • Let an expert advise you well in advance
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Cavity wall insulation

Cavity walls are relatively rare in historical buildings. If you have a building built from the 1920s onwards, there is a chance that a cavity wall will be present. A cavity wall has an open space – the cavity – between the solid outer and inner wall. This cavity can be filled with insulating material, which is a quick and relatively inexpensive way of insulating. For historical buildings, this requires a careful approach. Have a check carried out to ensure that the cavity is at least 5 cm wide and clean and that there are other connections between the outer and inner wall. After insulating, these connections are considerable thermal bridges and can cause mould formation. This can be prevented by seeking proper advice beforehand and having the cavity wall insulation carried out by a professional company. If the cavity wall is not suitable, consider an insulation wall on the inside of the facade.

  • Fairly easy to implement
  • No loss of space on the inside
  • The face of your building will not change
  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • Have an expert examine the cavity for joints, such as mortar residue, protruding lintels, floors or balconies to prevent thermal bridges and moisture problems
  • The insulation material cannot be removed without permanent consequences
  • Only possible if no historically valuable parts are affected
Regulations

Monumental

  • Permit required in most municipalities.
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Continue reading Read less

Cavity walls are relatively rare in historical buildings. If you have a building built from the 1920s onwards, there is a chance that a cavity wall will be present. A cavity wall has an open space – the cavity – between the solid outer and inner wall. This cavity can be filled with insulating material, which is a quick and relatively inexpensive way of insulating. For historical buildings, this requires a careful approach. Have a check carried out to ensure that the cavity is at least 5 cm wide and clean and that there are other connections between the outer and inner wall. After insulating, these connections are considerable thermal bridges and can cause mould formation. This can be prevented by seeking proper advice beforehand and having the cavity wall insulation carried out by a professional company. If the cavity wall is not suitable, consider an insulation wall on the inside of the facade.

  • Fairly easy to implement
  • No loss of space on the inside
  • The face of your building will not change
  • Increases the comfort of the building
  • Have an expert examine the cavity for joints, such as mortar residue, protruding lintels, floors or balconies to prevent thermal bridges and moisture problems
  • The insulation material cannot be removed without permanent consequences
  • Only possible if no historically valuable parts are affected
Regulations

Monumental

  • Permit required in most municipalities.
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Moisture-regulating paint

In addition to the application of insulation material, moisture-regulating paint can be a low-threshold measure to insulate the facade a little better. The paint regulates the moisture, which improves the insulation value of the wall. Dry air heats up faster than humid air, which reduces the heat demand. In addition, the risk of flaking paint is reduced. Consider using moisture-regulating paint when you next paint your walls.

  • Better moisture management of the walls and a reduced risk of flaking paint
  • Can be applied both indoors and outdoors
  • Not much more expensive than regular paint
  • This paint is not an alternative to insulation, but a supplement
  • Remove older layers of paint first for optimal effect
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Continue reading Read less

In addition to the application of insulation material, moisture-regulating paint can be a low-threshold measure to insulate the facade a little better. The paint regulates the moisture, which improves the insulation value of the wall. Dry air heats up faster than humid air, which reduces the heat demand. In addition, the risk of flaking paint is reduced. Consider using moisture-regulating paint when you next paint your walls.

  • Better moisture management of the walls and a reduced risk of flaking paint
  • Can be applied both indoors and outdoors
  • Not much more expensive than regular paint
  • This paint is not an alternative to insulation, but a supplement
  • Remove older layers of paint first for optimal effect
Financing possibilities

Nationwide

Tip
Heat loss through the facade

Heat loss through the facade

Did you know that it is fairly easy to gain insight into the heat loss of your building? By having thermal images taken of your facade, you can immediately see where heat is being lost. This insight helps you to better insulate and ultimately save money and energy.

Point of attention
Moisture problems

Moisture problems

If there is mould, condensation on the windows or other visible moisture problems in your building, there is a good chance that there is a moisture problem. First resolve the moisture problem before you start working with insulating measures. Common causes of moisture problems are leaks and insufficient ventilation of crawl spaces and basements.

Tip: Humid air and a damp construction costs more energy to heat, so solving a moisture problem will save energy and increase thermal comfort.

Innovation
Films

Films

This is a relatively new technique. Instead of a conventional insulation material, two or more layers of heat-reflecting film are stretched against the inside of the outer wall. The film is finished with a plasterboard insulation wall on wooden slats or metal profiles. This is also available with a plasterboard finish as a ready-made package, this package is just as thick as a traditional insulation wall. Films are only possible if no historically valuable parts are affected, and are subject to permits.