Start of Autumn! The Reality of a Vintage Hebel Haus Built in 1972, Part 01
With the Obon send-off fires finished, we have entered the season (Risshu) where the coolness of morning and evening signals the arrival of autumn.
I have summarized the key points regarding living environment comfort, temperature/humidity management, and ventilation equipment that I have realized while living in my 54-year-old heavy steel-frame (Hebel Haus) home.
The atmosphere after Obon and the changing of the seasons Last night, we safely lit the send-off fires and saw off our ancestors. Once Obon is over, you start to feel a pleasant, autumn-like breeze. This morning at 5:00 AM, the room temperature was 26 degrees Celsius (outside temperature 25 degrees, humidity 70%), making it very comfortable, and just opening the north-facing windows allows a pleasant breeze to pass through.
Benefits and effects of installing double-pane (inner) windows In steel-frame houses that have aged, retrofitting with double-pane windows is extremely effective.
Role according to the season: It has a tremendous effect in suppressing the strong summer sun and winter cold. It proves its true value during cold periods and extreme heat.
Early installation is recommended: Even when utilizing subsidy programs, material and labor costs have been rising in recent years. If you are considering it, I recommend an early implementation.
Differences based on structure: You can obtain a very high insulation effect in structures such as steel-frame, RC, apartments, and housing complexes. (*In the case of old wooden folk houses, etc., professional diagnosis is necessary because of the influence of drafts specific to the structure.)
The importance of introducing a "heat-exchange ventilation fan" in the bedroom As airtightness increases with double-pane windows, indoor carbon dioxide levels can rise, leading to lethargy upon waking. The solution to this problem is a heat-exchange ventilation system.
Mechanism of heat-exchange ventilation: It performs exhaust (removing dirty indoor air) and supply (taking in fresh outside air) simultaneously, ventilating while suppressing indoor temperature loss.
Simple individual installation: There is no need to build a large-scale air conditioning system for the entire house; sufficient effects were obtained just by installing a standalone heat-exchange ventilation fan (such as those made by Panasonic or Mitsubishi Electric) in main rooms like the bedroom.
Future ways of living
Steel-frame buildings constructed from the late 1960s to the 1970s that have been maintained are structurally very robust. Rather than "scrap and build" by demolishing and rebuilding, the method of utilizing the existing solid structure and renovating by incorporating modern insulation and ventilation technology (double-pane windows and heat-exchange ventilation) offers excellent cost performance and can realize a very comfortable home.
With appropriate equipment selection and ingenuity in airtightness and ventilation, it is possible to live comfortably throughout the year even in older buildings.