New build 5yrs old - should it be this cold?

jaggyjim

Hey everyone,
I'm in a Cala house built 5yrs ago. It's not a very warm house and doesn't seem to retain the heat all that well. Is this something I just need to accept with the way new houses are built these days or should it be better insulated?

The thing is it's not even been as cold this winter as it was last winter but it seems like as soon as the heating goes off the chill returns to the house.

Is anyone else in a new house experiencing this?

john_white

maybe hire a thermal image camera to see if there is more heat loss than expected.

Have you checked insulation in the loft?

MX5huggy

New houses should be well insulated. The regs changed in April 2006 (and again in Oct 2010) each time upgrading the insulation that is likely to be required. Do you know if they started on your site before April 06? When you say it's cold how are you heating it? Is it drafty?

jc808

I refurbished my Victorian terrace with full floor/wall/ceiling insulation, higher spec than building regs and my home is nice and toasty even with the CH low/off/timed

Something sounds up with your house, wonder if they cut corners on the imnsulation?

jaggyjim

MX5huggy wrote: »

New houses should be well insulated. The regs changed in April 2006 (and again in Oct 2010) each time upgrading the insulation that is likely to be required. Do you know if they started on your site before April 06? When you say it's cold how are you heating it? Is it drafty?

The house was completed in early 2007 so reckon it probably came under the 2006 regs.

Its gch. Its not so much drafty as such, I dont really know how else to describe it other than "chilly".

I haven't had a good look up in the loft but maybe I should think about additional insulation???

jaggyjim

jc808 wrote: »

I refurbished my Victorian terrace with full floor/wall/ceiling insulation, higher spec than building regs and my home is nice and toasty even with the CH low/off/timed

Something sounds up with your house, wonder if they cut corners on the imnsulation?

I would be really surprised if they did as its Cala and they're supposedly one of the "luxury" housebuilders but in that case, the house shouldn't be as cold as it is!!

I wonder if I should look into additional insulation - do you have any idea if that is likely to cost in the thousands for a 4-bed house??

jaggyjim

john_white wrote: »

maybe hire a thermal image camera to see if there is more heat loss than expected.

Have you checked insulation in the loft?

I have only stuck my head up the loft hatch and had a cursory look, not properly. There's no lighting up there and I've only got a pathetic little torch so will need to get a proper flashlight and have a look.

I didn't know you could hire thermal imaging cameras - will look into that may be worth doing it before the 10yrs builders guarantee runs out.

Jonesya

The other thing it could be is an issue with the heating system - worth checking the boiler temperature setting to make sure the system is running hot enough.

Could be an issue with the radiator sizing - you could measure-up a few radiators and check if their heat output is what you would expect given the size of room etc - there' calculators online, radiator heat output available on the DIY websites/stores etc.

Maysie

My aunty used the snow technique when she moved. When it snowed her house was the first in the street to have it melt off the roof. She sorted that out pronto.

UncleZen

Have you got a chimney/open fire? Often heat at floor level can escape up the chimney.

jaggyjim

no chimney or open fire in the house.
Haven't tried the "snow technique" but from the way the temperature has dropped up here it looks like i could have an opportunity to try that over this next week.

Will also find out about a thermal imaging camera too.

Thanks for all the feeedback