Preparing for Winter

shaz_mum_of__2

Caterina wrote: »

Has anyone had experience of insulating the internal walls of the house (dry-lining with insulating materials and then replaster on top)? Is it expensive? Thanks

Caterina

My parents did this in their living room on the walls which faced outside

my dad put up a battening frame then a bitumen coat insulation board betewween the battens then plasterboarded the top and taped and filled the joints

It did make a difference to the damp which used to send the walls mouldy


Made it a bit warmer but not hugely

HTH
Shaz

oystercatcher

Re door curtains I have always just put a curtain rail above the front door. Pull curtains last thing at night and it's much cosier. If someone is expected home late then I leave the curtain half pulled so there is room to open the door.

Made curtains back in 1984 from dress quality cordrouy (couldn't afford velvet) with linings . They told me I shouldn't use dress material for curtains but it was much cheaper. Anyway 4 houses and 24 years later and the lining is starting to shred due to sunlight so I have been searching the charity shops for a replacement. Found some last week for £6.99 thick cotton unlined but fits our colourscheme and the right length so I'm planning on using one curtain to line the other. I also found a net curtain reduced to £3.00 in Rosebys closing down sale and reckon if I put this over the window part it will reduce draughts, it will come below our draughty letterbox but not to the floor so the letters will still get in the same but ,hopefully, not the draughts. I'm planning to replace the front door but for complicated reasons it won't be happening this year.

I hate the look of net curtains but they do a lot to reduce draughts from windows.

Oystercatcher

plimmers53

:hello: Please don't waste money on cold and flu remedies. For a cold, just have paracetemol every 4 hours for the sweats and plenty to drink. You can make a soothing drink with honey and the juice of a lemon or orange. Don't use boiling water though, destroys the vitamin C.
Vick on the chest at night helps breathing. At £4 - £5 a time, lemsip, beechams etc are just fat cat profits. Check with the doc. or read the packet - there's no magic in there.
If you have flu, go to bed and sleep. Paras will stop aches and pains. If you're out of bed - you ain't got flu, trust me - I always wanted to be a doctor!!

Caterina

Thank you for the replies re. insulating the inside of the outside walls (if it makes sense), it sounds like it is really worth doing! Unfortunately we won't be able to do it the OS way (e.g. ourselves) but will have to pay workmen to do it, because DH works full time and I have zero DYI skills!

Ah well, I shall get a few quotes and report here if anyone is interested!

Caterina

groatie_queen

I have bubble wrapped my 1970's single glazed front door, on the inside, and it has made a big difference insulation-wise without looking too odd from outside.

Today I had no bread made to go with my chunky veg and lentil soup (made with chook carcase), so instead I put a handful of porridge oats into the soup bowl before ladling on the soup - result, delicious and VERY satisfying! It will keep me glowing all afternoon.

frugalswan

Another item ticked off my list today! I got a huge great big snuggly blanket (I'm under it now with the OH) and a nice soft and snuggly base sheet for the bed in winter. I'm hoping to get some slippers next. oh, and I've put draught excluders in front of the patio door. I'm really getting there! Getting used to using alternative heating sources - did the ironing to heat up the kitchen, and am baking a huge lasagne tonight so there'll be a nice warm bungalow

Beccah_3

Can anyone give me some advice on cavity wall insulation,please. We're getting quotes at the mo from a few companies and the prices seem to range from £199-£300+ for a 3 bed semi with a back elevation. There seem to be three different types of insulation...rockwall,loose poly balls and a foamy/resin type thing. Does anyone find one particular type to be more effective?
Huge thanks!

oystercatcher

We had Rockwool cavity wall insulation on a previous house many years ago. We noticed an instant difference in the warmth in the house.
Can't comment on the other brands I'm afraid or prices as this was 14 or 15 years ago.
I'd have it done again but apparently this house is the wrong type of build !

Oystercatcher

Beccah_3

Thanks for the information Oystercatcher. I was leaning towards the rockwall anyway, so will definately plump for that now. We had a had a very pushy salesmen yesterday who kept trying to push me into the poly balls,saying that the rockwall would absorb the natural condensation from the bricks and so would be less effective. Not particularly enamored with him as he left us with a smashed air brick and two great big holes in the mortar, after his "survey".

annie123

Caterina wrote: »

Thank you for the replies re. insulating the inside of the outside walls (if it makes sense), it sounds like it is really worth doing! Unfortunately we won't be able to do it the OS way (e.g. ourselves) but will have to pay workmen to do it, because DH works full time and I have zero DYI skills!

Ah well, I shall get a few quotes and report here if anyone is interested!

Caterina

worth asking on the in my home forum, http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.html?f=39
cant do fancy links!

There have been questions there re insulating single brick, I know because thats what we have, and the cost was, from memory, expensive, especially for the warmth payback.