SAVING ENERGY

Incorrect ventilation (e.g. by tilting the windows) increases heating costs because when the cold outside air flows in through the window, the thermostat head opens and the heating tries to immediately heat up the cold air coming from outside.
It’s therefore best to carry out inrush ventilation, and to do it several times a day! That way, almost all the heat stored in the building components is conserved!
The previous pleasant indoor air temperature is restored after just a short time.

Please note: A lowering of the room temperature in the living area by 1°C lowers heating costs by approx. 6%.

VENTILATING “CORRECTLY”

The letting in of fresh air through window ventilation during the heating season is always bound up with massive energy losses. During that period, it is particularly important to ventilate “correctly”. The colder and windier it is outside, the shorter the ventilation time should be. Moisture and used indoor air are as quickly as possible exchanged for cold, dry outside air. When it heats up, this can again absorb moisture from the room, which
is later ventilated anew. By means of this ventilation method,
the used air is exchanged within just a few minutes,
without causing the walls and furnishings to cool down.

MAINTENANCE JOINTS

Due to their elasticity, joints of silicone or acrylic should be regarded as maintenance joints and not as sealing components (Austrian Standard ÖNORM – B2207). Their function must be checked at regular intervals and they must be renewed if necessary, in order to avoid any possible subsequent damage to your apartment, as well as to adjoining apartments. Wherever increased moisture forms in the area of joints, e.g. the edges of bathtubs and in showers, moulds can more easily form if they are not immediately cleaned and dried. Although the joint material, which contains fungicide, hinders this infestation, its anti-fungal substances do get washed out in time. It is therefore necessary to check these joints at regular intervals and to renew them if necessary.

TIPS FOR PREVENTING MOULD

Don’t dry your washing in the apartment. If that is unavoidable, ventilate the room where you often dry your washing.

Reduce the number of indoor plants. Avoid aquariums and indoor fountains in rooms that are at risk of mould.
Tip: The potting soil of indoor plants can also be a source of mould. Covering the soil with 3–5 cm of quartz sand prevents any mould from forming.

Drain off any moisture that arises. Remove the residual water from the shower cubicle, bathtub or tiles immediately after use, by means of a squeegee or cloth. Cook with a lid, or install an extractor hood with an outdoor outlet.

Heat side rooms. The temperature difference between individual rooms in your living area should not exceed 3oC, otherwise the risk of condensation formation increases. Important: Do not simultaneously heat side rooms via doors that are left open.