The rising gas prices are prompting insulation and coal heating

In South Bohemia, the interest in insulating homes is growing due to expensive energy

ČESKÉ BUDĚJOVICE - People in the South Bohemia region are trying to save on heating and increasingly introducing energy-saving measures. Most often, owners are insulating their apartments and houses, thus regulating their heat consumption. The reason is the rising cost of heating, mainly due to more expensive gas and electricity. According to experts, thermal protection of a house can save up to 30 percent of heating costs. This is evident from a survey by ČTK.
Many interested in insulating their homes, mainly the building envelope and roofs, are still deterred by the initial cost, which ranges from around 150,000 to 200,000 crowns for a family house. However, specialists claim that the investment pays off in savings in a few years. For example, insulation of a larger family house usually pays off within ten years.
“We decided to insulate mainly due to the expensive electricity. Years ago, we were lured into electric heating, and now it is the most expensive heating option. Although it strained our family budget, after a year we were paying less for electricity,” said 44-year-old Jindřich Kouba from Prachatice, who lives in a family house.
Heating and hot water heating accounts for up to four-fifths of household energy consumption, according to analyses. The share of heating in annual energy costs ranges from 30 to 50 percent. Savings can also come from seemingly small measures. Proper sealing of windows and doors, installation of shutters, external blinds, or balcony glazing can significantly reduce costs, saving about 25 percent of heating expenses.
“Interest is definitely high. This year we have already insulated two houses, and we had to cancel two more contracts. Mainly those who heat with gas are insulating. Due to rising prices, they have it well calculated,” said Jiří Lojík, a construction specialist operating in the Strakonice area, to ČTK.
According to Pavel Meda from the Association for Building Insulation, the number of insulated square meters of houses is increasing by five to ten percent each year. Last year, builders insulated around nine million square meters, and this year it will be only about two percent more. According to Meda, the pace of work is hindered by the state's restrictive policies, which allocate little money for the remediation, especially of panel buildings. The Czech Republic still holds the lead in insulated areas per capita among the former Eastern Bloc countries. Domestic builders have even surpassed Germany.
“Among our neighbors, the Austrians are doing the best. They have been insulating for 20 to 25 years, while we have only been doing it for the last ten years,” Med pointed out. He believes it is positive that the thickness of insulation continues to grow, which significantly increases savings. The quality of the systems used for thermal insulation is also improving year by year.
Jan Běhavý

---

In the Highlands, coal sales are rising, people are also planning home insulation

JIHLAVA - Due to the planned October price increase for gas, coal sales are significantly rising in the Highlands these weeks. Coal depots in smaller towns have twice as many orders as last year. A survey by ČTK shows that residents are increasingly considering insulating their homes. However, for measures that can save up to a fifth of heating, they must first spend tens of thousands of crowns.
“Many people have switched back to coal; interest is 100 percent higher,” said Ludmila Šavlová from coal depots in Humpolec in the Pelhřimov region to ČTK. People are mainly buying the cheapest brown coal. “Those with cast-iron boilers are opting for coke. Then they produce less ash,” she noted. Due to concerns about coal shortages, people are negotiating with several companies. Residents of apartment buildings in large cities have little chance of changing their heating fuel. The coal depots in Jihlava estimate an increase in sales of about a third.
Burning coal will worsen the environment in communities. “I think it is necessary to save, not to heat cheaper,” believes Zbyněk Bouda from the Energy Agency of the Highlands. Insulating a family house with 120 square meters of usable space, built in the 1970s, costs about 150,000 crowns. An insulating layer of glass wool or polystyrene is added to the exterior walls, which is usually secured with mesh and plaster. This way, the household saves 15 to 20 percent of heating. According to Jaroslav Emmer from the agency, replacing windows is more controversial; he estimated the payback period for this investment at 50 years.
Construction companies are building houses according to standards. Extraordinary measures against heat loss are not being taken as they would increase housing prices. However, according to builders, houses are still being constructed better than in the last century.
The Jihlava company Tepiz is engaged in insulation. According to assistant Šárka Bauerová, demand has recently been growing. Residents of both family and apartment buildings want to save on heating. However, measures cannot be implemented in winter, so the company is also postponing contracts for next year.
Investment in insulation is planned by housing cooperatives if the tenants of the building agree and are willing to pay for it. The Rozkvět Construction and Housing Cooperative takes care of apartments in the Jihlava region. For panel buildings, they will use loans, where the state subsidizes four percent of the interest.
The cooperative is now starting to insulate four buildings on Demlova Street in Jihlava. They will also replace windows, entrance doors, and repair balconies. The investment for one building with 18 apartments will be around three million crowns. Each family will then have to repay about 150,000 crowns within 15 years. “Some want it, some don’t,” noted deputy Pavel Janisch. Recently, however, more and more tenants have expressed interest in the program.
Věra Stejskalová