A lot can be done in the way ot insulation to reduce the amount of heat lost through a floor. A very simple way to insulate all types of floors is to lay aluminium foil or foil-backed building paper under a heavy rubber foam-backed carpet. Solid floors A solid floor that feels cold is quite … Read more
In loft rooms, in flats and maisonettes, and in houses with flat roofs, it may not be possible to go into the loft to lay insulation between the ceiling joists. The solution is to fix insulation to the ceiling. The simplest method is to stick expanded polystyrene or insulating board tiles directly to the ceiling. … Read more
You can save up to 17 pence in every £1 spent on home heating by having effective insulation in the loft, which means having 100mm thick insulation. Usually the insulation will be placed directly between the joists over the bedroom ceilings. Where the loft space is used, as a workroom or darkroom, say, it will … Read more
Ill-fitting doors and windows are the main sources of draughts, but other points of entry are via chimney flues and floors. Warning Beware of total draughtproofing if the room contains a fuel-burning appliance, unless it is a balanced flue type in which case it automatically draws its air from outside. For other appliances, particularly paraffin … Read more
You wouldn’t deliberately throw money away, so why do it unintentionally? This is just what you could be doing if your home is not properly insulated. In fact, for every E1 you spend on heating, 75 pence could be going straight outside. That is a waste of both money and heat. Of course, many people … Read more
Self-adhesive plastic-backed foam strips can be bought to put around door frames, sealing wide gaps. Peel off the protective strip and press the foam into place. Similar strips can be used in window joints. A more permanent way of achieving the same result is to use metal or plastic hinged strips which have to be … Read more
A significant source of heat loss which should be considered is single glazed windows, and this amounts to round about 20 per cent, according to the area of glass. Although glass is a poor conductor of heat, a window pane is so thin that warmth escapes through it at two or three times the rate … Read more
After much thought you may have installed the system of central heating ideal for your type of home. All that remains is for you to sit back and enjoy its benefits. But wait! Nothing is perfect in this imperfect world. Do you now suffer from sore throats, headaches or sinus trouble? Is your woodwork warping? … Read more
As information on how to install central heating is available from the suppliers of various fuels, each competing against the other to get your business, we will confine the present section to discussing heating in general, giving the relative merits of the four methods: solid fuel, oil, gas and electricity. Not that this is easy, … Read more
Ceilings can be insulated (to a degree only) with cork or by applying an anti-condensation paint which not only warms the surface but absorbs what moisture there is — and this absorbed moisture will evaporate when conditions are more favourable. The property of absorption, though supplying an immediate remedy, has the disadvantage that the coating … Read more
A creeper or climbing plant grown up the side of your house to provide some insulation will have to be a permanent feature, so colourful annuals such as morning glory and nasturtium are no good. The choice of creeper will depend on personal preference, on the speed of growth required, the type of soil and … Read more
Detecting draughts Sealing up the cracks and holes through which draughts enter your home is a cheap and simple way to save fuel; at least it is a lot simpler than insulating a solid wall or building a solar heating system. Before you rush out to buy great lengths of draught excluder you need to … Read more
If the floors of a building, whether concrete, suspended timber or brick on earth, are in really poor condition (dry rot, wet rot, furniture beetle, subsidence) you may decide to replace them. In this case the new floor will inevitably be of concrete and can be insulated when it is being laid. The techniques described … Read more
The ground floor of a house does not lose as much heat as, say, the walls or roof, but in a thorough insulation scheme the floor should not be forgotten. Ground floors are usually made of concrete laid direct on to the earth or of wooden boards nailed to joists with a ventilated air space … Read more
Tanks If you put insulation on top of the ceiling of the top floor, it follows that the attic will become colder: the amount of heat that rises into the roof from the rooms below will be greatly reduced by the insulation. Any water tanks or pipes in the roof will be much more likely … Read more
In many cases roofs are the easiest part of the house to insulate, and it is even possible to get a government grant to put in roof insulation. Before you do anything else, go to the local council office and ask about insulation grants; you will not be eligible for one if there is already … Read more
The most expensive way to insulate a solid wall is to apply the insulation to the outside. The expense is caused by the need to provide a strong waterproof facing to the insulation instead of the plasterboard used internally. The advantages and disadvantages of external insulation are many. Assuming you have decided to go for … Read more
If you can see both headers and stretchers on the outside of your house, your walls will probably be solid and therefore rather more difficult to insulate. Before you try to insulate them you must be sure that they are protected by a damp proof course. If you cannot find one or if you are … Read more
Before you can insulate your walls you must find out what kind you are dealing with. As a rule, houses are built of brick and most recently built homes have cavity walls, which are made of two thin skins of brick with a gap between. These walls can be recognised by their thickness, usually 270mm, … Read more
It is easy enough to measure the air temperature of a room with a thermometer but it is far more difficult to say at what temperature a person feels comfortable in a room. Whether internal good feeling predisposes us to comfort and emotional upset causes us to be more critical of our environment is something … Read more
Draughts A typical house may lose up to 15 per cent of its heat through draughts. The warm air inside the house is replaced by cold air from outside coming through the gaps that inevitably exist in any building around doors and windows. The incoming cold air must then be heated if the temperature of … Read more
The Building Research Establishment has estimated that up to 50 per cent of the total primary energy consumption of the UK is used to service buildings: for heating, lighting, providing hot water, cooking, and running appliances. Of this energy use about half is required to keep the buildings warm. It seems obvious that the reduction … Read more
The savings and comfort benefits of good insulation, once installed, are continuous. The cost of insulating all or part of the house is soon offset by the savings in heating bills. Other benefits include reduced likelihood of condensation, improved comfort and even a cooler home in summer. In a typical home, 25 per cent of … Read more
Winter is everyone’s nightmare, with raging draughts and uncontrollable fuel bills taking the leading parts. But there’s a lot you can do to make your home warmer — and reduce your heating bills as well. If your house is cold in winter, or you find your fuel bills are too high, then thermal insulation may … Read more
INSULATING THE LOFT The job of laying loft insulation is not a difficult one and it provides very worthwhile savings in fuel costs. Preparation Apart from clearing the loft of anything you have stored there, little preparation work is necessary. However, this is the time to tackle repairs you’ve been putting off — closing any … Read more
INSULATING FLOORS Surprisingly enough, the heat loss from a floor area can be quite considerable — cutting it down is a worthwhile job. Heat escapes from nearly every part of a house — roof, walls, windows, doors, even the floor adding substantial amounts to your fuel costs. Insulating the major problem areas can make a … Read more