Air Tightness London

London residents and business owners can turn to Metropolitan Insulation Services for advice and proven solutions for air tightness problems.

Air tightness is defined as the resistance of the building envelope to inbound or outbound air leakage. Too much air leakage impacts upon energy consumption and leads to a cold and draughty building.

Air leakage is determined by differential pressures across the building envelope. The differences in pressure are created by the internal warm air rising (stack), the external wind and any existing mechanical ventilating systems. Together these put positive and negative pressures on the building envelope.

Part L1A/B of the Building Regulations Part L applies to dwellings while Part L2A/B applies to non domestic buildings. Current Building Regulations Part L include air tightness as part of the Government’s commitment to significantly reducing CO2 emissions.

The goal is to achieve a 60% reduction in all UK CO2 emissions by 2050, as outlined in the Energy White Paper. Energy used within building’s interiors accounts for around 50% of all UK CO2 emissions. There are two key factors in the design and performance of building materials that impact upon energy usage – these are air leakage and continuity of insulation.

As Metropolitan Insulation Services advises, due attention to air leakage and appropriate insulation bring significant cost savings to property owners over the long term. Lower energy bills are the ideal incentive to strive towards air tightness. Moreover, controlling air leakage makes buildings much more comfortable to live and work in.

For all your enquiries regarding air tightness, London home and business owners should contact Metropolitan Insulation Services today.

A little more about Part L

Part L has been enforced since April 2002 and its latest revision was in April 2006. This was when air tightness testing became a legal requirement for almost all new non-domestic buildings. A sample of new dwellings also must be tested for air tightness.

London clients – and all associated with a project, from contractors to site staff - need to appreciate the implications of air tightness and how it impacts upon their part of the project in hand. Just one small area of leakage can cause non-compliance and in turn this can lead to costly time delays and expensive remedial works.

Metropolitan Insulation Services believes that all parties involved must be educated in air leakage and teamwork is a must. Every building needs design to include stringent details; ensuring air tightness and continuity of insulation are appropriately addressed.

Metropolitan Insulation Services’s air tightness London clients can rest assured they are in expert hands. Building Control inspectors will accept our air test results and if any dispensation should be required (on any part of your project) we are well placed to negotiate on your behalf.

Air tightness London? Contact Metropolitan Insulation Services for further information now.