Keeping your home warm / heating / energy crisis / insulation etc

Got an IR camera coming from octopus soon. Well excited, but also distraught at how long the list of actions will be at the end of it.

My thermal camera arrived today that I posted a link to earlier, just leaks everywhere, mostly where you would expect around doors and window frames, some unexpected ones around skirting boards, apparently the last owner who did the loft insulation just missed areas and my consumer unit appears to be a portal to the artic, cold air pouring out from around the sides. No doubt will find plenty more once I start looking.

I bought the cheapest plug in thermal camera off ebay, not recommended, it's resolution is about 12x12

need to rent out the FLIR from my local tool library - sure I’m still getting drafts from behind kitchen cabs where there is a gap between the floor and the (external) wall. stuffed insulation under the cabs, but not fully rectified the issue…

Don't forget if you have a gravity fed system you should really not insulate under the tank.

worth a general reminder than insulation will not typically stop draughts, especially around skirting, etc. You need air-tightness tape for that.

Thanks, did not know that, how come?

The bit I was referring to though are just random gaps, think the last owner got someone in to do the insulation in the attic and they just lobbed it about randomly from how it looks up there

Sounds like double-glazed sash and case would suit. In Edinburgh there are loads of firms that do this. As far as I recall, some claim to be able to repair old timber windows and retrofit new slimline double-glazed panes, which might be cheaper/better somehow especially if you have planning permission hoops to jump through.

You only need special slim double glazing units if you're trying to reuse the existing sash frames, or replicas or whatever.

Normal thickness double glazing panes can be fitted in the same thickness sashes as single glazed, the wooden frame just has to be constructed a bit differently.

It's usually considered as a trickle heating system to stop the tank and pipes from freezing up. I'm planning on boxing mine in and insulating around it.

When insulating between joists (either in loft or below floor) what are you supposed to do around cables? Do you leave a gap?

Cables should lay on top I believe

Yep. Underneath or too close to insulation they're a fire risk. Laying on top is ok as heat rises, a gap even better if you've got the space. But bear in mind they need to run at least 50mm below FFL.

Interesting conversation on cables, this is the loft hatch and wire to the smoke detector, which is under very loosely applied insulation

1 Attachment

At the least the smoke detector will pick up the fire from the wiring, rite?

As unintended consequences go, fires caused by the wiring to wired smoke alarms due to faulty insulation installation would be pretty delicious

What I’m seeing there is the cable to the smoke director is colder than the ceiling. Granted it’s not going to be pulling much, if any, current.

TBH now that lightbulbs are all LED and appliances use SMPSUs the draw on domestic rings or lighting circuits is pretty low.

Now the cold weather is here I’m glad of all the hours/pounds put into the internal insulation I fitted but having only ever had wooden windowsills I’m shocked at how cold the quartz ones are.
A massive cold bridge though handy for quickly cooling cups of coffee.

Which bit is the detector - the warmer circle?

Doesn't that show that the wire's path is colder than everything else?

@Mr_Smyth I seem to recall that you did internal insulation, is that correct? If so do you have any tips/guidance on it? I really want to look into internal insulation on our external walls but don't want to cause any issues with damp etc. Any tips appreciated!?

im also looking at insulation options for a gable end of terrace wall. our place (victorian solid Brick) is so fucking cold.

is there a good guide out there for the best methods/materials for new windows? We're going to get some triple glazed units in and I don't want their efficiency undermined by cold bridging or poor installation methods...

External insulation mitigates some of the risks of condensation and damp. And is less disruptive internally.

I've considered it but how do you solve the issue of the roof not overhanging the gable end wall enough already, let alone once you add further insulation.

We'd need to remove all render (cement), add insulation, render with lime, amend roof, sort gutters etc which is why internal is appealing as we're gutting everything anyway

Not feasible if the wall is built to the boundary though.

This is our situation too, we would need to remove render, relocate drain pipes, insulate, re-render and deal shallow roof overhangs which would be non-existent after adding external insulation…