What Does ‘Thermally Broken’ Mean?
The inclusion of thermally broken construction components in your home is a great way to ensure optimal insulation efficiency. Without measures in place to retain the internal temperatures of your building, low outdoor temperatures will make it feel colder, less comfortable, and harder to heat up.
In this article, we discuss how using a thermal break in your doors, windows, and rooflights is essential to maintain indoor temperature regulation. We will also cover how a thermal break works, why household insulation is important, and why it is vital to have sufficient ventilation to couple with your thermally broken structures.
What is a thermal break?
A thermal break is a material with low thermal conductivity, that is placed in between the outer structures of doors, windows and rooflights. For example, the thermal break in a window can be found between the inner and outer frames.
Essentially, a thermal break is intended to provide enhanced insulation affordably, quickly, and efficiently.
A door, window, or rooflight that is thermally broken will insulate your home far more efficiently than ordinary alternatives.
What is a thermal break made of?
The most common material used to make thermal breaks is polyurethane. Polyurethane is a material ideal for creating thermally broken doors, windows, and rooflights, as it has many of the protective qualities required to keep your fenestration in optimal condition.
Polyurethane is resistant to water. Thus, any water that may find its way into the frames of your doors, windows, or rooflights will not cause your thermal break to deteriorate and become less effective over time.
The strong bonding properties of thermally broken fenestration disallow the thermal break from coming away from either side of the frame and decreasing the overall thermal efficiency.
Lastly, thermal breaks are also resistant to harbouring mould development. With a thermal break in your door, window, or rooflight, warmth and moisture won’t be able to create mould.
Why are thermal breaks essential?
Thermal breaks are essential to enhance your household insulation and prevent drafts from interrupting the temperature regulation of your building. Several other aspects make thermally broken doors, windows, and rooflights a preferable option for homes.
- Cost efficiency
Inefficient thermal insulation in your building will encourage you to increase the intensity of artificial heating. Radiators and heat pumps are very efficient methods to use to heat your home, but the cost to run them adds up very quickly.
Investing in more thermally efficient building materials may negatively affect your bank balance at first. But you will notice the change high-quality insulation systems make to your bills at the end of each month, quickly.
- Thermal efficiency
Efficient household insulation can improve thermal regulation throughout your home and generally make the space feel more comfortable. Cosy temperatures can help you to sleep throughout the night, and maintain a good quality of sleep which will vastly improve your physical and mental state.
- Lower chances of mould
A thermal break will help to seal your doors, windows, and rooflights to prevent water ingress and allow better ventilation. Water combined with high temperatures leads to humidity, which can encourage mould to grow in your rooms.
Mould can have an incredibly detrimental effect on your health, and the structural integrity of your building. Mould damages your brickwork, plastered walls, paint, and tile grout. So it is vital to do what you can to prevent mould from spreading inside your home.
A thermal break in your doors, windows, and rooflights provides what is effectively a seal between the indoors and outside. So if you want to reduce the probability that mould will develop around your fenestration, changing them for thermally broken alternatives is advisable.
Here at Lonsdale
Here at Lonsdale, we offer a collection of bespoke rooflights for home, business, and retail use. Each of our rooflights includes a built-in thermally broken frame to provide optimal insulation and an effective barrier between inside and out.
Quality is key. So we use only the best materials from which to manufacture our rooflights. Furthermore, we follow all current industry standards to ensure your rooflight is compliant and fit for use.
Whether you’d like an electric opening rooflight for ease of use in a busy shopping centre, or you need help designing your ideal bespoke rooflight, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
We’re happy to do what we can to provide you with the perfect rooflight for your building.