I already have a house and want to improve it
Describe the house as well as you can. Šapice gives an order of work; it does not calculate a thermal estimate because a description of an existing house is not precise enough.
What to do and in which order
- PRIORITY 1Stop water getting in
A warm house that gets damp can be worse than a simpler house that stays dry. The roof and joints come first.
Materials: Bituminous membrane, Sealant - PRIORITY 2Raise the house off the ground
A floor on damp or cold ground loses heat and gets wet. Stable supports separate the floor from the ground.
Materials: Concrete blocks - PRIORITY 3Protect the entrance from direct wind
Turn the entrance away from the prevailing wind and add a flap or an interior baffle for an L-entry.
Materials: Flexible entrance flap (rubber, PVC strip), Interior plywood lining - PRIORITY 4Add insulation once the house is dry
Fit insulation boards inside the walls, roof and floor only once water and raising are solved.
Materials: XPS foam board - PRIORITY 5Protect the insulation from the animal
Foam gets chewed and scratched, and mineral wool must never be reachable. Cover the insulation with a lining.
Materials: Interior plywood lining - PRIORITY 6Provide service access
A house that cannot be opened is hard to clean and dry. Roof hinges or a cleaning door make maintenance easier.
Materials: Hinges, Latch - PRIORITY 7Ventilation without random holes
If condensation appears, add a small protected opening high at the rear, away from where the animal lies. Do not drill holes at random.
Materials: Wire mesh
- No thermal estimate is calculated: a description of an existing house is not precise enough for a credible U-value.
- The order is deterministic: structural safety and water first, then raising, the entrance, insulation and maintenance.