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Reducing Heat loss In the Home

  • 21-10-2010 10:40pm
    #1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,199 ✭✭✭


    Hi Folks, I'm thinking of doing a few things to reduce the household heating bills etc. It's a new house, with the walls and attic insulated; so I'm looking at other things and would appreciate any suggestions.

    1. Putting in place a chimney ballon.
    2. Putting in radiator panels.

    After this I'm a bit stumped..


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,422 ✭✭✭dathi


    300mm insulation in the attic, and full fill the cavity wall with insulation are the two easy things to do. after that you could look at your heating system do you have separate control of heating and hot water room thermostats, cylinder thermostat, and 2 or more zones then you have things like putting stove instead of fireplace


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 5,433 ✭✭✭sinnerboy


    Get an air tightness test done . May cost €500.00 . Identity all leaks and you will find that another €50.00 - €75.00 spent on silicone and foam spray to seal leaks will go a long way .


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,199 ✭✭✭Firblog


    Cheers guys, appreciate the advice :D will prob put in a bit more insulation in the Attic for a start, and try an gather a few sheckels for the others...


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 26 ConnectDJs


    dathi wrote: »
    300mm insulation in the attic, and full fill the cavity wall with insulation are the two easy things to do. after that you could look at your heating system do you have separate control of heating and hot water room thermostats, cylinder thermostat, and 2 or more zones then you have things like putting stove instead of fireplace

    I have heard very mixed reports on the safety of putting a stove into a fireplace in terms of the chimney. What's your take on that? It's something I want to do but not sure how to go about it.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 65 ✭✭The Sponge


    I have one in my house and its the best thing I've ever done. There is an nob that adjusts the ventilation that controls how quick the fire burns.

    If your worried about the ventilation not being good enough you can put spinning turbine onto your chilmley which will suck the air out.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 110 ✭✭The Kurgan


    Hi ,

    just a quick question (silly maybe..)

    I'm also looking at reducing heat loss in the house and can avail of the Seai Grants.
    Am looking at getting Cavity Wall insulation & attic inuslation ,
    The attic insulation is a no brainer as i have less than 50mm there currently .
    AS regards the Cavity Wall insualtion I was wondering if I'm getting it filled and a few years down the line look to replace my single glazed windows with double glazing , will I loose a lot of the beads while removing the windows ..gravity and all that ...has anyone any experiences ???

    I would like to replace the windows but as there's no grant for that and the cost of replacing isn't an option at the moment. Am i putting the cart before the horse ??

    thanks a mill,


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 807 ✭✭✭Jim Martin


    ConnectDJs wrote: »
    I have heard very mixed reports on the safety of putting a stove into a fireplace in terms of the chimney. What's your take on that? It's something I want to do but not sure how to go about it.

    Don't think there's any problem. I had it done, contractors put in stainles steel flue & then poured in polystyrene type granules down chimney to insulate between chimney & flue. For some reason, to do with draughting I presume, they insisted on exiting flue from back of stove rather than top (there is a choice of both with my stove - a Stanley Waterford), I suppose had it been fixed to the top of the stove, the draught would have been excessive. This means that the stove is further forward into the room than would otherwise be the case! Good - because it circulates the heat more efficiently round the room, bad - because it takes up a little more space. It could also have been to put a soot box in (for gaining access with a brush).


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 807 ✭✭✭Jim Martin


    Jim Martin wrote: »
    Don't think there's any problem. I had it done, contractors put in stainles steel flue & then poured in polystyrene type granules down chimney to insulate between chimney & flue. For some reason, to do with draughting I presume, they insisted on exiting flue from back of stove rather than top (there is a choice of both with my stove - a Stanley Waterford), I suppose had it been fixed to the top of the stove, the draught would have been excessive. This means that the stove is further forward into the room than would otherwise be the case! Good - because it circulates the heat more efficiently round the room, bad - because it takes up a little more space. It could also have been to put a soot box in (for gaining access with a brush).

    Forgot to mention, I also had to put in plates in the top of the fireplace arch to keep the insulation in!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 590 ✭✭✭maddragon


    To The Kurgan,
    Don't worry about replacing the windows at a later stage as the beads that are pumped into the walls bond together preventing the scenario of beads falling out when the window frames are removed.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 93,567 Mod ✭✭✭✭Capt'n Midnight


    Re air tightness test, for those of us who don't smoke what is a good alternative to see the path of drafts ?

    would incense work ?


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  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 6,376 Mod ✭✭✭✭Macha


    I think you need something you can see. Perhaps put a slip of paper at the bottom of door etc. Often, in this weather, you can just hold your hand to an area and you can feel the cold coming in.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 153 ✭✭rayh


    Macha wrote: »
    I think you need something you can see. Perhaps put a slip of paper at the bottom of door etc. Often, in this weather, you can just hold your hand to an area and you can feel the cold coming in.

    It maybe best to view this problem from the other side. It is not the cold coming in, but the heat going out. Cold never moves to heat. Its always heat moves to cold.
    Our bodies sense cold air entering our living space, but this air is replacing heated air and you may find this route will yeild greater results. On the other hand if you stop the cold air from entering, you de facto stop heated air from leaving your living space while remembering that you need a fresh air supply to survive.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 40 nlpete


    I get what your saying and that info about colld/hot air movment info was great but doesnt heat that contacts the block walls disapate to 0.

    Im going to batten all the walls and insulate with two inch kingspan double foil on all the outer walls and one inch on the internals...with varying style finishes over that !

    I thought a fourty ish kilowat stove costing around euro1,800 and a bit of zoning with the heating, two double rads in two rooms one 12x26 and 17x20 double in hal 28x7 and three singles in three small ish rooms, and a couple in the attick space/work space.

    Using as much wood as pos for better sound..I mean insulation and lifespan

    First line of defence !!

    Pete


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    re running hand over surfaces.

    I done this last year and established where heat loss is around doors etc and quickly rectified the problems.

    just a quick question on the attic.
    I recently put some boards down across the joists which was to allow storage and access. the downside was it compressed the insulation. will this affect the insulation?

    Sorry for thread jacking :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 153 ✭✭rayh


    congo_90 wrote: »
    re running hand over surfaces.

    just a quick question on the attic.
    I recently put some boards down across the joists which was to allow storage and access. the downside was it compressed the insulation. will this affect the insulation?

    Generally if you are talking of Fibreglass its the thickness of the fabric, therefore if you compress it by say 50%, then you loose 50% of your thermal performance. You will have some gain from the wood fabric. As roof spaces account for a high proportion of our heat energy, we will have evaluate our priority for attic space for its storage or thermal performance and can I say in my experience of attic inspections, I have never found anything of value in an attic, but rather considerable quantities of junk


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    Thanks for the swift reply.
    I only really have junk up there, suit cases etc. I think I'll raise the floor to allow the fibreglass to do its stuff.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 153 ✭✭rayh


    congo_90 wrote: »
    Thanks for the swift reply.
    I only really have junk up there, suit cases etc. I think I'll raise the floor to allow the fibreglass to do its stuff.

    Can I suggest some further issues;
    1. Try to achieve at least 350mm of Fibreglass layer.
    2. Ensure that the bottom layer is fitting snug against the ceiling (between the joists).
    3. Apply the 2nd layer at right angles to the 1st layer (across the joists)
    4. Ensure that all power cables are above the insulation and in particular any to plugs or appliances.
    5. Make sure your eaves are clear and that no insulation is in contact with the felt (clear air passage).
    6. Ensure that all pipe work and tanks are insulated.
    7. Apply equivalent level of insulation to trap door, seal and clip down.
    8. Set down walkway above insulation from trap door to water tanks

    if you can achieve the above you will make a significant reduction on your heat loss.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭congo_90


    rayh wrote: »
    Can I suggest some further issues;
    1. Try to achieve at least 350mm of Fibreglass layer.
    2. Ensure that the bottom layer is fitting snug against the ceiling (between the joists).
    3. Apply the 2nd layer at right angles to the 1st layer (across the joists)
    4. Ensure that all power cables are above the insulation and in particular any to plugs or appliances.
    5. Make sure your eaves are clear and that no insulation is in contact with the felt (clear air passage).
    6. Ensure that all pipe work and tanks are insulated.
    7. Apply equivalent level of insulation to trap door, seal and clip down.
    8. Set down walkway above insulation from trap door to water tanks

    if you can achieve the above you will make a significant reduction on your heat loss.

    hi rayh,
    thanks again for the great response! the house is 2years old with 2layers of fibreglass insulation up to ~300mm all length ways. never actually thought about the thermal bridging factor from not crossing the insulation! I still need the storage space so I will raise the plywood floor.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 430 ✭✭littlemis


    rayh wrote: »
    Can I suggest some further issues;
    1. Try to achieve at least 350mm of Fibreglass layer.
    2. Ensure that the bottom layer is fitting snug against the ceiling (between the joists).
    3. Apply the 2nd layer at right angles to the 1st layer (across the joists)
    4. Ensure that all power cables are above the insulation and in particular any to plugs or appliances.
    5. Make sure your eaves are clear and that no insulation is in contact with the felt (clear air passage).
    6. Ensure that all pipe work and tanks are insulated.
    7. Apply equivalent level of insulation to trap door, seal and clip down.
    8. Set down walkway above insulation from trap door to water tanks

    if you can achieve the above you will make a significant reduction on your heat loss.

    This is where I come unstuck,I'm renting a council house 13yrs now cant get anything,heard all the excuses/reasons etc...anyway bought some rolls of fiberglass 170mm was the shops thickness on the day...Now I have followed steps 2,4,first half of 6,7,8 screwed 2x1 on top of joists so as not to flatten fiberglass.But I don't have enough wire space to be able to follow step 3. Any ideas???
    How do I insulate the beams.in part of the roof between the tile and the beam roof point timber.there is felt,then some that has felt hanging down and then just tile.i can see the ice when its frosty inside.....any advice here please...????


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