Winterising your house

luckat

Is there any reliable body doing surveys of houses to see how to insulate and draught-proof them better?

My house, lovely though it is, is a bit of a colander, with the winds whistling through, and I'd love ot get advice on how to make it use its heat more sensibly.

CJhaughey

I have no connection to this guy but picked up his card at a show.
He is called McCormack Energy, and his card says that amongst other things he does energy audits.
PM me for his details.

Archeron

I am amazed at how much warmer our whole house is now that we've started using a draught excluder at the bottom of the hall door. Basically its just a big fuzzy pole that you kick into place when the door is shut. Its gotten rid of the single biggest air intake we had.

Del2005

Archeron wrote: »

I am amazed at how much warmer our whole house is now that we've started using a draught excluder at the bottom of the hall door. Basically its just a big fuzzy pole that you kick into place when the door is shut. Its gotten rid of the single biggest air intake we had.

Agreed, buy draft exluders and put on the bottom of all doors and buy the faom strips for around the jams. You can also you the foam to give a better seal on windows. If the wind is blowing through vents buy vents that you can close, but be carefull of this if you have gas/solid fuel fires/stoves/heating. If the house is old maybe add extra insulation to the attic and also some form of insulation to the attic trap door making sure it seals well also.

luckat

An tigh seo 'gainne has those beautiful old Crittall steel windows from the 1930s in some places, and layers of paint have built up, forming gaps for the wind to whistle through - anyway, they were built for a tougher model of man than today's.

I was half thinking of getting a big solid window outside one huge french window that's particularly draughty, a kind that I could slot on in winter and take off again in summer. Don't know how feasible this is, though. For now I may go for that sticky plastic cellophaney stuff, if I can find a place to buy it.

muckety

'If the wind is blowing through vents buy vents that you can close, but be carefull of this if you have gas/solid fuel fires/stoves/heating.'

That is our problem - the vents that the builder installed were to the correct specification, apparently, but they are huge and seem to let a lot of cold air in! We have not covered them as we understood that was dangerous to do. Is there a happy medium?

CJhaughey

Install HRV and forget about vents.
That is the solution.

Del2005

luckat wrote: »

An tigh seo 'gainne has those beautiful old Crittall steel windows from the 1930s in some places, and layers of paint have built up, forming gaps for the wind to whistle through - anyway, they were built for a tougher model of man than today's.

I was half thinking of getting a big solid window outside one huge french window that's particularly draughty, a kind that I could slot on in winter and take off again in summer. Don't know how feasible this is, though. For now I may go for that sticky plastic cellophaney stuff, if I can find a place to buy it.

The plastic on the windows doesn't keep much heat in and won't stop the drafts. All it really does is stop condesation on the windows. If the windows are old and draughty buy heavy full lenght curtains and maybe even add extra lining to the back. That will stop the wind blowing through and also create an air pocket for insulation, heard someone on the radio say that ages ago.

davidoco

muckety wrote: »

'If the wind is blowing through vents buy vents that you can close, but be carefull of this if you have gas/solid fuel fires/stoves/heating.'

That is our problem - the vents that the builder installed were to the correct specification, apparently, but they are huge and seem to let a lot of cold air in! We have not covered them as we understood that was dangerous to do. Is there a happy medium?

If not fitted already you can get adjustable grilles for them. You would need them open in summer and in winter when the fire is lit. When there is a gale blowing outside you can close them fully (no fire lit) although remember to open them again.

luckat

Curtains are grand at night, but I work beside the window during the day.

Kenjd

If you have unused open chimneys in your house try this:
http://www.chimney-balloon.co.uk/
Also make sure your attic is insulated. Its cheap and easy to do!

seamunkey

I'd be afraid water would build up, as I'm sure if your sit by the fire tonight with the wind and rain were gettin you will hear it land in the back of the fire.. We have a simular problem..

We taped plastic around ours and even tried a deflated football but I came across another solution to stop wind and rain and possibly drafts recently. I think good old Duncan Stewart had it on his programe before and gave it great praise so I have been told. I seen it in a magazine before and cant for the life of me, think where I left it ! Must be all the christmas dri_ turkey!
It was chain opperated from the fireplace, by using a hook. When pulled it closed the cowel over the chimney pot above, sealing it shut. The chain could be pulled again (the other way ) and t'would open! Simple, but a little dirty I thought as it was within beside the sooty chimney. The whole assembly could be dropped into the chimney flue, and the chain let down the chimney to the apropiate level for operating within.

Anybody seen this, or know or a link ?
Sorry I havn't the name!

s2_ireland

hi luckat,
www.pkenergycontrols.ie did a report for use some time ago which was excellent,
s2

bakerbhoy

seamunkey wrote: »

I'd be afraid water would build up, as I'm sure if your sit by the fire tonight with the wind and rain were gettin you will hear it land in the back of the fire.. We have a simular problem..

We taped plastic around ours and even tried a deflated football but I came across another solution to stop wind and rain and possibly drafts recently. I think good old Duncan Stewart had it on his programe before and gave it great praise so I have been told. I seen it in a magazine before and cant for the life of me, think where I left it ! Must be all the christmas dri_ turkey!
It was chain opperated from the fireplace, by using a hook. When pulled it closed the cowel over the chimney pot above, sealing it shut. The chain could be pulled again (the other way ) and t'would open! Simple, but a little dirty I thought as it was within beside the sooty chimney. The whole assembly could be dropped into the chimney flue, and the chain let down the chimney to the apropiate level for operating within.

Anybody seen this, or know or a link ?
Sorry I havn't the name!

I have one of these and it is excellent.We haven't used our fire this winter and this baby is closed. €250 of oil in october topped up again two weeks ago €250.
I will ask herself where we got it , i know it was from a flyer but i think the unit came from cork and i self installed.That was about 3 - 4 years ago.
One thing when installing lubricate the sliding spring / shaft with a heat resistant anti seize.

kravist

On a similar point, some windows nowdays have vents in their frames, which basically amounts to 4-5 drill holes through the frame and a cover that can be opened or closed.
Do these allow for enough ventalation instead of vents in the wall for rooms where a stove is lit?