Tips for a warmer house

Yorky

I'd like some tips too as I don't know what more to do:

House three years old
Had cavity filled with bonded bead on top of existing insulation
250mm of insulation in loft
Covered up disused wall vents
Upgraded the radiators where single panel to double panel

When the heating is on there is still a draught at leg level so therefore discomforting. When the heating goes off the house goes cold rapidly.

The garage is integral and the builder 'forgot' to put insulation in the garage ceiling cavity. This was subsequently opened up and filled with 200mm of rockwool but it hasn't made much difference as the room above is barely warmer than the garage below .

The only options I can think of are:

Build porches in front of all external doors
Dry line the walls and clad the garage ceiling with a composite board.
Install secondary glazing.


Apart from the major disruption, I don't like the idea of using those well known high-density insulation boards as they are apparently toxic due to the chemicals they contain which are gradually emitted.

Has anyone any thoughts on the above and is there a natural version of the insulation boards?

RKQ

Yorky wrote: »

Apart from the major disruption, I don't like the idea of using those well known high-density insulation boards as they are apparently toxic due to the chemicals they contain which are gradually emitted.

Has anyone any thoughts on the above and is there a natural version of the insulation boards?

If you want the properties of foil insulation you have to use it. Other insulation can achieve the same value but they'll need to be much thicker, using up room space.

I have heard that rumour but haven't seen any evidence of the material being toxic!

What do you mean by "blocking up disused wall vents?"
Wall vents were installed for a reason, do not block them up. Seek professional advice- wall vents are for room ventilation, gas fires, ventilating under timber floors. Blocking them can be unhealthy, promoting dry rot & mould growth in rooms or with gas heating - cardon minoxide poisioning!

IMO Insulating all attic spaces to 300mm thick fibre glass and drylining with foil insulation is your best option. (I'd question the use of secondary glazing systems)

Sealing all gaps at window boards, skirting boards, window frames, door frames etc will help eliminate draughts. Fit brush draught excluders to all doors. Use mastic, acrylic and decorators chaulk to fill small gaps.

10-10-20

I think that my first question to you would be - where specifically is the draft coming from and have you made an attempt to reduce it?
There should not be anywhere which allows air to pass freely into a building other than the air-vents, so start tracing the draft to the source!