For properties built with solid walls or for non traditionally built properties, retaining heat can be extremely difficult as the thermal properties of the existing walls allow rapid transfer of heat from the inner face to the outer leaf. This can inflate energy bills and make budgeting through winter periods extremely difficult. Often the external walls of these properties can degrade quicker due to damp and moisture ingress leading to wider scale structural defects.
The easiest remedy to tackle both the poor thermal performance and increase the weather proofing is to wrap the building in an external wall insulation system which are available with a variety of insulation materials and finishes to compliment any suitable property. The most common and cost effective insulation material for most typical refurbishment projects is Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) coupled with a polymer enhanced dash or silicone finish. For high rise flats, premises with multiple occupation or timber frame properties, the insulation material most suitable would be mineral wool due to this material being non-combustible. Specialist finishes are also available including brick effect render, brick slips and feature details such as quoins and header courses.