Soldato
While bricking up the old flue I discovered we do actually have cavity wall insulation (Urea Formaldehyde Foam) which is good I guess but it means I don't really have a lot left to improve.
Combating energy prices
- Thread starter Dirk Diggler
- Start date
So not much of an update, finished the two bedrooms off but then went on holiday for nigh on a month and now plasterer is busy, so cracked on with the last 2 bedrooms, especially as it was noticeable last week in the 2 rooms not yet done how much quicker it warmed up!
Always thought the room I started this week was a bit odd as it sits slightly proud at the front of the house, and is always always cold(somehow even more so than the rest of the house), so I start cracking, taking off the rad and realise the window wall is hollow, took out a couple of floorboards and ooh some ancient fibreglass insulation is coming down and under the floorboards, so cut a strip of the plaster out and as I expected it was a stud wall with probably 30mm of 1980s fibreglass insulation and then the tiles.... Explains a lot. Luckily the stud is 100mm deep so will be stuffing with celotex and will be bring it out another 50mm like the rest of the house. I probably don't need to, but for the sake of 5cm along that wall it's nothing. Still a bit of plaster to take off tomorrow, but will fill up the floor under the wall with celotex as you can actually see outside from above...
Always thought the room I started this week was a bit odd as it sits slightly proud at the front of the house, and is always always cold(somehow even more so than the rest of the house), so I start cracking, taking off the rad and realise the window wall is hollow, took out a couple of floorboards and ooh some ancient fibreglass insulation is coming down and under the floorboards, so cut a strip of the plaster out and as I expected it was a stud wall with probably 30mm of 1980s fibreglass insulation and then the tiles.... Explains a lot. Luckily the stud is 100mm deep so will be stuffing with celotex and will be bring it out another 50mm like the rest of the house. I probably don't need to, but for the sake of 5cm along that wall it's nothing. Still a bit of plaster to take off tomorrow, but will fill up the floor under the wall with celotex as you can actually see outside from above...
Soldato
Relatable! We bought the new house and found the exterior walls are 50mm stud with the same thin blanket of fibreglass (60s for us). I'm building out the studs to 100mm and filling with celotex. This also reinforces them because the timber frame walls are pretty bendy. Wall tiles outside.So not much of an update, finished the two bedrooms off but then went on holiday for nigh on a month and now plasterer is busy, so cracked on with the last 2 bedrooms, especially as it was noticeable last week in the 2 rooms not yet done how much quicker it warmed up!
Always thought the room I started this week was a bit odd as it sits slightly proud at the front of the house, and is always always cold(somehow even more so than the rest of the house), so I start cracking, taking off the rad and realise the window wall is hollow, took out a couple of floorboards and ooh some ancient fibreglass insulation is coming down and under the floorboards, so cut a strip of the plaster out and as I expected it was a stud wall with probably 30mm of 1980s fibreglass insulation and then the tiles.... Explains a lot. Luckily the stud is 100mm deep so will be stuffing with celotex and will be bring it out another 50mm like the rest of the house. I probably don't need to, but for the sake of 5cm along that wall it's nothing. Still a bit of plaster to take off tomorrow, but will fill up the floor under the wall with celotex as you can actually see outside from above...
It's a lot of work, but will stop the house bleeding heat over winter.
I Filled those gaps today with 75 to 100mm of celotex, mostly the odds and sods offcuts I had left, not being too precious about what's going in as I'm going to put another 50mm on top with proper blocks. Going to put 50mm in the floor too for the first 50cm or so and stuff some rock wool in further down should help reduce any draughts coming up from underneath.
It took a lot longer than expected to knock the plaster out as had to be careful of the shutter frame. Had to cut the metal plaster beads off with the multi tool.
I Filled those gaps today with 75 to 100mm of celotex, mostly the odds and sods offcuts I had left, not being too precious about what's going in as I'm going to put another 50mm on top with proper blocks. Going to put 50mm in the floor too for the first 50cm or so and stuff some rock wool in further down should help reduce any draughts coming up from underneath.
It took a lot longer than expected to knock the plaster out as had to be careful of the shutter frame. Had to cut the metal plaster beads off with the multi tool.
I've just finished decorating the living room, I pulled up the floors and insulated them, sealed up pipe holes behind the radiator, sealed up the bay window from outside, bad window fitters and build a insulated/sound proof wall, keep the noise down from neighbor. Getting new french doors soon and might insulate the kitchen floor.. Will also stock up on fire wood soon.
Floor and walls filled on the wall above. Combo of 100mm rockwool and 50mm celotex in the floor for about 70cm back from the outer wall, should help with the overhang which is exposed and any draughts that may have been getting through. Now just to fill the wall on the left and get plasterboard up.
My attic is mainly boarded. Is there benefit to lay insulation over the chipboard?
I don’t have a huge amount of stuff in the loft, so could move it to one pile and just have the rest insulated. I know I should take up the boards and then lay the insulation and then lift the boards but I just cba.
there’s not much insulation already there but there is some, old fibreglass type.
I don’t have a huge amount of stuff in the loft, so could move it to one pile and just have the rest insulated. I know I should take up the boards and then lay the insulation and then lift the boards but I just cba.
there’s not much insulation already there but there is some, old fibreglass type.
Soldato
Do it properly. Insulate properly...
Soldato
Think of it this way, you can have the same loft but warmer, or you can have a load of insulation lying around every time you go up there for the next X years. Picture how much you'll appreciate having done it the right way now, in 5 years when you're doing other work up there.
What's the best way to identify main culprits for heat loss?
Is it to pay someone to come? Or can you buy some kit?
I have a suspicion it's the windows here. But that's obviously an expensive fix. I need to try new hinges first. But I'm fairly sure they are the main issue. However I do not know the cost to do a cost/benefit calc on replacement.
Is it to pay someone to come? Or can you buy some kit?
I have a suspicion it's the windows here. But that's obviously an expensive fix. I need to try new hinges first. But I'm fairly sure they are the main issue. However I do not know the cost to do a cost/benefit calc on replacement.
Don
Thermal camera would be the obvious way
Edit:
Cheaper would be something like this:
which is essentially a non-contact thermometer but that specifically lets you look for deviations in temperature
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Yea, you’re telling me something I already know. Was just hoping someone would say it would basically be the same.
Plus, I guess I’d have to do it (or remove the insulation) when I came to sell.
Guess I’ll be spending a weekend unscrewing all the boards and doing it properly at some point!
3rd of 4 rooms done, hopefully get the last done this weekend, then to get it all plastered and painted.
Think I'll have 3 or 4 sheets of celotex left at this rate, planning for that to go in the loft and then look at putting anything left under the floor downstairs. House isn't heating up anywhere near as quickly as it was previously so it's obviously working, can feel the heat coming into the last room when the suns been out all day at this time of year.
Think I'll have 3 or 4 sheets of celotex left at this rate, planning for that to go in the loft and then look at putting anything left under the floor downstairs. House isn't heating up anywhere near as quickly as it was previously so it's obviously working, can feel the heat coming into the last room when the suns been out all day at this time of year.
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I'll look at reviews!
Soldato
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Bit of numbers on the impact of the Celotex on what is likely to be one of the hottest days of the year. Cloudless sky with sun shining on my southerly facing wall all day so far, the wall that is south facing is currently registering as 21.5c, go in the other room that has been insulated and its 19c. Room is noticeably cooler inside too even with the ac vent less than half as far open.
Soldato
So yesterday whilst trying to hide from the heat I was in the lounge and reading a book (took afternoon off so I can go where I wanted when) and I heard this fan going
Turns out the BT box was really hot and cooling itself. Played with the power settings and now its on ECO mode and using far less.
I find these sorts of thing really annoying TBH, sits there using god knows what power on the SMART setting, but anyway made me think to possibly get one of them extensions that detects one device turning on and off and uses its to control everything else plugged in.
However I can't think what they are called now and everything SMART seems to be wifi and all sorts of overcomplicated.
Any tips on search term to help a numptie search for one of those switching power strips?
Turns out the BT box was really hot and cooling itself. Played with the power settings and now its on ECO mode and using far less.
I find these sorts of thing really annoying TBH, sits there using god knows what power on the SMART setting, but anyway made me think to possibly get one of them extensions that detects one device turning on and off and uses its to control everything else plugged in.
However I can't think what they are called now and everything SMART seems to be wifi and all sorts of overcomplicated.
Any tips on search term to help a numptie search for one of those switching power strips?
Soldato
is that a TV box or home hub that you switched to eco mode
Soldato
TV box
Edit, its the 4K box on this and apparently it was using 15w just sat there doing nothing. Madness.
Power and energy consumption of the EE TV boxes | BT Help | BT Help
Find out more about the power and energy consumption of the EE TV boxes
Edit 2 : Apparently it was supposed to go into eco mode after 180 minutes of no use, I suspect thats bugged since it would have had no use for around 14 hours at the point I noticed it unless the other half is recording loads of rubbish in the mornings (i'm 99.999% sure she isnt)
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