"Insulation" Plays a Key Role in Summer Home Maintenance

Temperatures are rising, and within a few months vacationing in summer homes will begin. When carrying out maintenance, paying proper attention to building insulation prevents mold and bacterial growth, prevents the interior from heating up during summer months, enabling cooler and more comfortable living while reducing electricity consumption.

As spring arrives and summer preparations begin, renovations and improvements to summer homes rank high on the agenda for many families. Summer homes emerging from winter, especially in humid regions, deteriorate after harsh winters and almost need to be refurbished every year. İzocam informed homeowners that the lifespan of summer homes can be extended through insulation, preventing the need for annual maintenance and allowing indoor cooling to be preserved for long periods during summer. "Insulation," which ranks first among operations for more planned construction and better protection of summer homes, can prevent mold and bacterial growth in winter and keep homes cool during summer months. Insulation applications in summer buildings or buildings in hot climate zones result in energy savings while protecting the facades and roof surfaces that form the building envelope from the adverse effects of external atmospheric conditions, ensuring longer building lifespans. In summer homes that remain empty for long periods, humidity occurs due to differences in indoor and outdoor temperature. Humidity brings along unhygienic formations such as moisture, mold and fungi. These negative conditions that may occur in summer homes must absolutely be prevented for hygiene and indoor comfort. By applying insulation, building elements are protected, thermal bridges are eliminated, and moisture, mold and fungi that could form on ceilings and walls due to humidity and condensation can be prevented.

In our country, when thermal insulation is mentioned, it is mostly associated with measures to be taken against cold, and thermal insulation in hot climate regions is seen as unnecessary or not given sufficient importance.

However, in reality, since the cooling process in stifling heat is more expensive than heating, insulation in a hot climate is much more important than insulation in a cold climate. In summer homes without insulation or with insufficient insulation thickness, continuously operating air conditioning systems cause both high energy consumption and increased electricity bills. Using "thicker" insulation material, besides the comfort it provides, allows savings to be increased proportionally without raising other costs in the system. Noting that summer homes used only during certain periods require more insulation, and stating that the conditions of the homes where people live are decisive for healthy and good living, İzocam General Director Levent Gökçe said the following: "The conditions in our homes are extremely important not only for our physical health but also for our mental health and peace of mind. Through proper planning, we can create more comfortable living spaces and make them sustainable. For example, summer homes that stand abandoned throughout winter are affected more by winter's adversities and external environmental conditions that vary over wide temperature ranges. Falling rain can cause leaks on roofs, some walls can draw water inside, and homes can remain in this state for long periods. Such situations not only increase repair and maintenance costs but also cause damage that is difficult to remedy in homes. The best solution against these adverse conditions is to insulate all external walls throughout with İzocam Manto Panels in accordance with TS-825 Thermal Insulation Rules Standard for Buildings, and to insulate roofs with İzocam Glass Wool Roof Board for sloped roofs used between rafters and İzocam Rulopan or İzocam Between-Rafter Board depending on use or non-use, and for flat terrace roofs, the proper use of İzocam Foamboard thermal insulation panel (XPS) together with water insulation in a single system.

Insulation will also prevent the wide temperature range at which building elements work in summer and winter, day and night, and consequently damage that could occur from thermal stresses." Gökçe continued, "Thick insulation reduces energy consumption from air conditioning use during summer months.

A home in Bodrum, Antalya or Çeşme needs at least as much insulation as those in Istanbul. When looking at insulation thicknesses, these values vary according to the locations of provinces and even districts. For example, in a summer home in Datça, a minimum of 6 cm insulation on walls and at least 10 cm on roofs must be applied. These thicknesses also apply to our other districts that are summer favorites such as Fethiye, Datça, Marmaris and Gökova. To provide more energy savings and achieve better indoor conditions, thick insulation applied in accordance with seasonal conditions must absolutely be applied in line with regulations, even exceeding the figures determined by these regulations. With thick insulation applied in this way, complete protection can be provided and summer homes can be owned that offer more comfortable, healthy and better living conditions," he said.