First steps to winter comfort

Press, 24 March 1988, Page 50

First steps to winter comfort

The first step towards keeping the (heat ini a: house is to find where it is getting . out. Once this is done, it becomes obvious whether you need a complex and expensive programme of insulation or the | odd door-stop here and I there.! I ■ • | ;. Hieat escapes from a house ini two ways. Warm air can leak out through cracks and gaps aroiind windows and doors, and flow gradually through walls, roof and floor. •• (■ |j| (This structural leakage can be largely taken care of by proper insula-; tionl There are many options here, depending oh your budget; and type of house. . -! | i '] (./ J Leakage through cracks

and gaps j calls for ■ weather-stripping, "which can be 1 a relatively inexpensive do-it-yourself process. |!| ! A good idea to'isolate the sotirce df draughts iis to tape sortie tissue paper to a Wife cdathanger and hold it jn front of.suspect areas.! You willl soon (see whether! jloiir suspicions were | i • ■ : | Draughts (coming from beneath! doors! can I be stopped ■ by fitting an (excluder J— |aj' flexible seal madejof rubber or bristles which i? attached to (the door sill. ! (| I- . i I -, - For interior doors, ' a sand j i br “floor dog’’ will ;probably do just |as well./ ; Draughts coming from window; frames) or sliding

doors are not quite so easy |tp stop. 1 The first step is to (check that the glass, putty and; glazing strip are in good I order. Replace cracked panes, rake out and j replace shrunken putty, and fill gaps in glazing strips with a flexible silicon sealant, j | j If you still have a problem,] there are a wide range of sealers available, depending on, budget, need] and do-it-yourself expertise. i ■ ! Foam strip lis (cheap, and (available with a selfadhesive’ backing for ease of installation. It ’ is not, howbver, suitable for sliding boors or windows, nor for (the sides of doublehung windows. For these, use a synthetic pile strip or a

spring strip. ; ; • (1 Having sealed your windows and doors, check any! other less obvious vents and hatches. Ceiling hatches in particular are a major source of heist loss;; / m ; | I ] 11 For] gaps between immovable surfaces, such] as the-space between a doorframe ; and, I the wa'li,' caulking may ( be necessary- H / j ; This requires : a little more skill and! effort,' tiut the; most common caulk comes! in tube] form ahd can be applied relatively easily; with fa caulkijng gun- ! ■ 11 ' ' (! ' Once again; there I,is quite a ; price ; range, but the more expensive vanelast longer ; and are less likely to; stain the

surrounding surfaces. taulk only on (the inside of] walls, so that warm, moist;| air cannot get between the two seals and causej damage.; Gaps on the outside, unless creating leaks, can be left. iObyiously, a chimney lets out a. good deal of heat (when the fire is not iri use. It can be blocked off- ( with a weatherstripped cover fitted over the fireplace, or less effectively by pushing rags or paper up the flue. ’ These simple things can make quite a difference in both the atmosphere and ! the heating ; bills of your; home. You can now judge! ; more effectively What (further methods (of h.eatjpg and insulation are necessary. !