Why your HOUSE still feels Cold (even with the Heating on)., by SmarterGreen-Living on YouTube. 11 min 29 s.
- Video length
- 11 min 29 s
- Time to do it
- 2 hours
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Walk around the house on a cold, windy day and feel for drafts at the loft hatch, along skirting boards and around windows. Note the coldest room and the spots where air moves.
Open the loft hatch and check whether insulation covers the hatch panel. Most heat escapes upward through an uninsulated hatch, so this is your first fix.
Cut a piece of rigid insulation board or thick insulation to the size of the hatch panel. Glue or screw it to the back of the panel, then add a draft seal strip around the frame so it closes snugly.
Check the gap where skirting boards meet the floor, especially in rooms with a suspended timber floor. Cold air often rises through this gap.
Seal the skirting gap with flexible sealant or push in a foam draft strip. Do not block any air bricks or vents, as these keep the floor void ventilated.
Measure the wall behind each radiator and cut radiator reflector foil to fit. It should cover the wall area the radiator faces.
Slide the foil behind the radiator, foil side facing into the room, and fix it with tape or clips. This bounces heat back into the room instead of into the wall.
Close windows and doors, run the heating, and recheck the spots you noted. Feel for drafts again and add sealant where air still gets through.
Tips and common mistakes
Never seal up air bricks or floor vents, as trapped damp can rot a suspended timber floor.
Wear gloves and eye protection when cutting insulation board, as the fibres irritate skin and eyes.
Fix the loft hatch first, since rising heat makes the biggest difference to how warm a room feels.
Keep radiators clear of furniture and curtains so the warmed air can circulate.
Questions
Will these fixes really lower my heating bills?
They reduce heat loss, so your boiler works less to hold a temperature. The saving depends on your home, but stopping drafts is one of the cheapest first steps.
Can I seal skirting board gaps in a room with a wooden floor?
Yes, as long as you leave the underfloor vents and air bricks open. Sealing the indoor gap stops drafts without trapping moisture under the floor.
Do I need to remove the radiator to fit reflector foil?
No. Flexible foil slides down behind most radiators. If the gap is very tight, loosen the radiator brackets slightly or use a thinner foil sheet.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
