house insulation?

[proevofanatik]

my house is impossible to heat in the winter and costs a fortune because of our electric radiators.

i am thinking of doing the following:

1. there is a hole 2ft x 1ft on the floor under my sink where the pipes are running to under floor. covering that up with 19mm plywood cutting round the pipes ect, then use silicone sealant to seal all the gaps. hopefully it will be air tight.

2. floor the loft with 19 mm plywood. its already insulated.

3. insulate between joists on inside of roof in the loft then panel it with plaster board.

4. replace front door with a upvc door. its a old draughty timber door at the moment.


is there any way to insulate under my floor on the ground floor?
and also is it worth getting cavity wall insulation?
what heaters are cheap to run? i dont have gas in my street

also can i block my vents at front and back of the house in the winter, then unblock them in the spring?

if i do all of this will i run the risk of damp or mould forming in my house?

 

[big-all]

no such thing as cheap to run heaters really if it take 6 kw to heat your house all electric heaters will be off similar performance

the cheapest option is to reduce draughts to the minimum
seal gaps between floor and skirting
seal around windows and doors keep internal doors shut as open doors mean you need to heat upstairs to around 28 degrees to get 21 degrees down stairs

thick lined curtains over windows
if you have draughty flooring use large mat or carpet to help

 

[Robert9999]

I reckon cavity wall insulation is worth it. I had our detached bungalow done ten years ago and felt the benefit the next winter without a doubt. I suppose it depends on how many outside walls you've got.

Rather than fix plywood over the loft, wouldn't it be cheaper, and just as effective, to buy more loft insulation. Lay it at right angles to the original running across the top of the joists. (Also a lot lighter than the wood.)
I did this a couple of years ago and again have felt the improvement.

If you have to use electricity then night storage heaters probably have the cheapest running costs, but then they aren't cheap to install. Depends on how long you intend staying there.

 

[JohnD]

what insulation do you already have? And what is the construction of your home?

knowing that is vital to knowing what you should do next

 

[proevofanatik]

what insulation do you already have? And what is the construction of your home?

knowing that is vital to knowing what you should do next

its a timber structure with red brick on outside. plasterboard walls.

also on both sides of the house upstairs we get mould along the ceiling at the window. what do i have to do to stop this too?

 

[JohnD]

if it is timber frame, the walls should already be insulated and you can't add more to them

what did you say the loft insulation was?

if you are getting condensation, the two cures are (1) reduce moisture load (2) increase ventilation. Blocking the air vents is a very effective and popular way of increasing condensation, damp and mould.

However, if you are in the habit of draping wet washing about the house, or over radiators, then it will always be damp and no-one can help you.

more on
//www.diynot.com/wiki/building:condensation_in_houses

and check the loft for condensation too, see //www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=160032

 

[proevofanatik]

what did you say the loft insulation was?


However, if you are in the habit of draping wet washing about the house, or over radiators, then it will always be damp and no-one can help you.

so leaving a window open when drying clothes is the only solution then?

the loft insulation is the spongy roll of stuff thats about 5-6 inches thick.

also i have a whirlygig (webbed clothes airer) in my garden. its out in the open on my decking. if i were to build a roof over it, will my clothes still dry if its raining? would that cut alot of the condensation?

 

[JohnD]

also i have a whirlygig (webbed clothes airer) in my garden. its out in the open on my decking. if i were to build a roof over it, will my clothes still dry if its raining? would that cut a lot of the condensation?

yes