Low Cost Living - Insulation tips

Other Insulation Tips

If you've made a large investment with loft and wall insulation plus double glazing, it can all come to nothing if you don't look into final detail around your home.

If you haven't sealed double glazing doors, then they need to be made airtight using draught excluders.
These come in various forms from simple self-adhesive foam to screw on brush varieties.

This may also be the case if you have a listed building and laws prevent you from installing double glazed windows, either complete or secondary.
For steel windows, the foam option would probably be best, but can be a messy nuisance when coming to change it every couple of years.

One item which is often missed is the cat flap! It always pays to find a reputable manufacturer and check out the edge of the flap itself to ensure it is as draught proof as possible.

Flooring is another enemy of cold coming into the house. Heat rises, so does the cold !
Probably the best solution are wall to wall carpets with a good thick underlay.

Although plain sanded and polished floorboards are to some the most attractive and 'natural', any gaps between the boards are going to let in draughts.
If your intention is to do this, caulking the gaps with appropriate colouring may be the answer.
Another modern trend and ideal for insulation are the wall to wall pvc flooring strips. Before laying the sections, a thick undercover is laid and will be not only comfortable to walk on, but ideal insulation as well.

The main thing with flooring is to, wherever possible, lay wall to wall.

The only other thing is to check your sink / washer / tumble dryer and toilet outlets through the walls to make sure there are no gaps.

In winter, see the cold outside temperature as an enemy to your comfort and your expenditure.
It's a battle and if you have kids, it's a discipline to make sure they shut that door behind them, not to turn the thermostat up because they want to walk around in a t-shirt and shorts all day!

With the right insulation mind, you can pay for your summer holiday every year.