How do I keep the house warm!

OM2

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We've moved into a new house
Fully double glazed
Central heating in all rooms and very small hallway
Loft is insulated as far as I can see
House is standard bricks and mortar

Problem: it's freeezing! We're really feeling the cold cold weather right now
Central heating on for 5 hours - and I'm still walking around the house with my gown on!

I hope this doesn't sound dumb: how do I keep the house warm!!? :)

Is there any additional measures I can take?
Can I insulate more?

ANY advice would be great

Thanks


OM
 
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We've moved into a new house
Fully double glazed
Central heating in all rooms and very small hallway
Loft is insulated as far as I can see
House is standard bricks and mortar

Problem: it's freeezing! We're really feeling the cold cold weather right now
Central heating on for 5 hours - and I'm still walking around the house with my gown on!

I hope this doesn't sound dumb: how do I keep the house warm!!? :)

Is there any additional measures I can take?
Can I insulate more?

ANY advice would be great

Thanks


OM

Check for draughts. Check by your loft hatch and seal. Check round your double glazing.

How MUCH insulation do you have in the attic? I have recently had 270mm installed and am going to up it with another 100mm when I get chance to.

Have you balanced your rads? How about turning up your boiler thermostat a small notch? To be fair, its pretty darned cold at the moment and other than running your boiler "on" constantly, there is little you can do. Remember, your air mass inside the house swaps out every 45 mins-1 hour, so as soon as you turn off the CH, you will lose any benefit with cold air replacing your warm air so regularly. Once your house is warm, the boiler will only cycle on and off every so often, instead of running constantly.
 
thanks for the reply
i'm not an expert, but i can't see anywhere where there might be a gap
all double glazed windows seem fine
loft - ok, i think maybe i need to take another trip up there

question: should i just buy some insulation and stuff it in the loft myself!?

the thing is: other peoples house seem to be soo warm!! and they warm up within 30 min of turning on the heating!!
not fair!! i want the same

apart from adding insulation to the loft, not sure what else can be done :(
 
thanks for the reply
i'm not an expert, but i can't see anywhere where there might be a gap
all double glazed windows seem fine
loft - ok, i think maybe i need to take another trip up there

question: should i just buy some insulation and stuff it in the loft myself!?

the thing is: other peoples house seem to be soo warm!! and they warm up within 30 min of turning on the heating!!
not fair!! i want the same

apart from adding insulation to the loft, not sure what else can be done :(

Use a joss stick or small candle to chase down draughts. Check round windows, check round doors. Especially check round your loft hatch access. Anything less than full joist depth of Insulation, get some more up there pronto. Do your rads warm up straight away and are they warm from bottom to top or only at the top?

Only other problem could be your rads are too small for the rooms.
 
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i love this forum: i can post in the early hours and get an instant reply with great advice :)

Use a joss stick or small candle to chase down draughts. Check round windows, check round doors. Especially check round your loft hatch access.
hmmm ok... i have to admit, i hadn't done anything like that - i'll try in the morning

Anything less than full joist depth of Insulation, get some more up there pronto.
ok... i'll pop my head there and take a look
but i take it it would hurt just to buy some extra and put up there anyway?

Do your rads warm up straight away and are they warm from bottom to top or only at the top?
rads are ok to be honest. we've got a british gas cover scheme - thank god for that - we've had to call them up about 5 times about this or that + had the central heating stop 3 times for different reasons (the whole system is fairly new)

thanks for the advice
 
If you have about 25cm (measure using a ruler) you wont get that much gain tbh. Dont pay more than £3 a roll.

http://www.npower.com/web/diyloftinsulation/index.htm

DONT buy at the big places (B+Q, homebase) you will get ripped off unless they have a £3 roll deal on.

We are telling a little porkie to get enough to re-layer an area of loft post-crimbles, all for about 60 quid.

Make sure you have some ON TOP of your loft hatch, they usually install it in a bag then staple it to your hatch doorway.

If you have lots of downlights, you can lose a fair bit of heat as they cant cover these areas using rockwool as the bulbs can overheat and catch fire!
 
http://www.npower.com/web/diyloftinsulation/index.htm
hmmm i might just buy from that link - delivery is free

If you have lots of downlights, you can lose a fair bit of heat as they cant cover these areas using rockwool as the bulbs can overheat and catch fire!
aah... well, we've got this in the master bedroom + bathroom and downstairs toilet
when i looked in the loft, these areas had plastic bags - or something put around them (looked like a professional must have done this)
if i put down extra insulation i need to take care not the leave anything near these?

thanks
 
ok: will do
thanks

If you do put up extra insulation, don't stuff it in at the edges of your loft, you must leave gaps for ventilation.

Do you have any water pipes in the loft? If you do make sure they are well lagged.
 
Are all radiators getting warm or hot. If you put your hand on one. how long can you keep it there before the heat is too much to bare
 
Quote mbga9pgf
"Remember, your air mass inside the house swaps out every 45 mins-1 hour,"
How can this be possible in a modern house?
Just intrested
 
We've moved into a new house

If its a new house it will be already insulated up a very high standard. I am quite surprised as most new houses I have been in are very well insulated and heat up very quickly - certainly better than my house which is 60 years old!

There is a chance the builders have scrimped on insulation. There was a case about this on Watchdog earlier in the year. The whole road of houses had insufficient levels of insulation for a modern house. There were also defects causing heat to be drawn straight into the earth. So, talk to your neighbours and see if they have similar problems....
 
What setting is your boiler set to for the central heating ?
 

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