Ventilation in your home is vital to replace moist, stale air with fresh clean air. The problem many face is that excessive and uncontrolled ventilation accounts for heat loss. The trick is to control the passage of air so that it is just enough to meet the ventilation needs and has an efficient route through the house.
First, block up all sources of unwanted draughts then consider how to add ventilation that you can control as you need it. Basic draught-proofing will cost around £20 and pay back in under a year.
Easy ways to stop the draughts:
Chimneys - stuff unused chimneys with newspaper, Rockwool or other such material.
As the days get chillier, closing your curtains at dusk will stop cold draughts coming down into the room.
Warm air rises- look up and check that your loft door isn’t leaking air to the loft space. Seal the edge of the door with self adhesive foam strip.
Close doors to the stairway or upstairs- halting the rise of heat through the home will keep your downstairs rooms warmer.
Check for holes around pipework passing through the top floor ceiling into the loft. Fill with foam and mastic.
The traditional Door Snake; a fun sewing project for kids!
Check your letterbox, windows and doors for cracks and gaps. This might be easier on a windy day. You can buy brushed strip and other self-adhesive devices to help. Even double-glazed windows and doors can leak air if the hinges are worn or seals perished. Self adhesive foam strip and sheet is widely available.
Secondary seasonal insulation provides instant double-glazing. The tough and durable film shrinks to fit the window tightly with the heat from a hairdryer. It is quick and simple to fit and requires no special tools.
If you have a suspended ground floor, then there should be a circulation of cold air passing beneath through the air bricks. Defeat the unwanted upward draught of cold air by filling gaps near the skirting boards and in the floor with beading or mastic sealant.
Two areas of the home that benefit from forced ventilation are the kitchen and the bathroom.
Ceiling mounted extractors work well in the bathroom and a hood over the hob in your kitchen are two ways to take away the moist air that can cause damp problems, especially in winter. DIY kits widely available ready to install from £20.
Unfortunately using an extractor throws out valuable heat as well as moisture. A heat recovery fan extracts too, and heats incoming fresh air from outdoors with the outgoing warm air making your kitchen much more pleasant, especially in winter. Cost: from £125 (DIY).
Note that minimum ventilation is
required in rooms with a
boiler, open
fire or a gas fire.
New electrical safety law now means that domestic electrical wiring needs to be installed by or certified by an NICEIC approved electrician. You can do the work DIY, but it must be certified afterwards. Check by phoning 0870 013 0381 or see www.niceic.org.uk.