When we’re planning for renovations, we often first think about style. Of course, the future colour of your floor covering should be in perfect harmony with your walls, but there is another aspect that is just as important to consider, to better appreciate the comfort of your home without dreading the electricity bill: insulation.
To improve the energy efficiency of a building, you must consider its entire envelope:
The floor
The walls
The roof
Then, ask about the parts that may present insulation problems. We detect their signs better in winter:
- Walls that are cold to the touch
- A cold floor
- High heating costs
- Poor heat distribution in rooms
These could be due to construction materials nearing their life cycle and needing to be replaced. However, there are times where quality may be at stake. When you choose your new construction materials, never compromise on these qualities:
- Watertightness. All materials must be 100% waterproof to block air currents and not leave any chance to water infiltrations.
- Sustainability. Most floors have a life cycle of 10 to 20 years. Concrete, epoxy or polyurea floors are exceptions, with a life cycle of 25 years or more.
- Solidity and resistance. Certain materials are more fragile than others. Make sure that your choice is adapted to how much you’ll use it.
More requirements for the basement
The floor is an important contribution to ambient temperature inside the home. If it’s placed directly on a foundation, such as in the basement, it should highly insulating. Epoxy or polyurea concrete floor coverings are both completely watertight.
Installers also have a role to play
Whatever the quality of the material, if it isn’t properly installed, its function will not be guaranteed. Before using an installer’s services, ask him about his experience.
With a team of seasoned installers, Surfacex has completed more than 1,000 garage floors, basements and concrete kitchen flooring projects.