15th Jan 2020
Weather Sealing Tapes for Energy Efficiency in the Home Environment
For home insulation and ensuring energy efficiency, draught-proofing is one of the cheapest ways to save energy and money, as well as being one of the most effective. Draught-proofing helps to control indoor temperature by blocking any unwanted gaps and loose seals around the home that let the cold air in and warm air out. By capturing the warm air in your home, less energy will need to be used to heat rooms and thus money is saved long-term.
According to the Energy Saving Trust, Draught-proofing just around windows and doors can save around £20 per year for a typical gas-fuelled semi-detached property in England, Wales and Scotland. It’s worth considering the type of home you live in, as some homes such as a Victorian terrace or those with wooden window frames and single glazing, can be much more difficult to draught-proof and could require the help of a professional fitter.
Draught-proofing sealing tapes come in a range of densities, foams, rubbers and compression, to ensure that tape is optimal for the space it’s filling. At Zouch, we have a vast range of draught seals dependant on the application and can create bespoke weather sealing tapes for both indoor and outdoor sealing.
Generally speaking, draught-proofing is only required between spaces where warm air circulates, so between rooms that are heated, it’s not a necessity. Doors that lead outdoors, windows and rooms that are unoccupied, will let the cold air in and so need the added barrier.
Semi open cell foam is often used for doors, walls and windows as an air, dust or draught seal. Our ZOUCHseal product line, and particularly the ZOUCHseal 90 is a great example.
ZOUCHseal 90 is a semi open cell PVC foam with a very low density and a low force to compress. The special design of this tape allows a quick application without problems. ZouchSeal 90 is designed to create a watertight seal with a minimal amount of force.
This ability allows it to conform easily to rough or irregular surfaces. It is also ideal for sealing thin gauge metals or plastics which could deform easily under greater pressures. To create an adequate seal, the foam must be compressed a minimum of 30% in the thermal joint. Once in place, the foam will be able to handle normal joint movement due to thermal expansion or environmental forces.
Suitable for a huge range of uses, our bespoke self-adhesive foam and rubber tapes have excellent sealing and insulation properties, protecting against water, air, dust, noise and weather damage. We offer soft, medium and firm closed-cell foams and sponge rubbers, with a variety of adhesives, substrates and liners.
Depending on the combination, they provide cushioning, insulation, slip resistance, sound absorbency, weatherproofing and ozone resistance. Our Zouch tape is pressure-sensitive, easy to apply and clean to use, with no drying time. They’re available as sheets, log rolls, slit rolls, die-cut shapes, gaskets or washers.
All of our Self Adhesive Foam Tapes are designed to be economical, consistent and highly effective components you can rely on in even the most demanding situations. Whatever your project, our expert team will work closely with you to understand your challenges and advise on the very best product to meet them. Simply get in touch to discuss.
