Door curtain without drilling

whitesatin

I'd like to keep out the draught in the door that separates the front and back of our garage as it affects the living room which is off of it. The door is makeshift, made of plasterboard I think so, as I'm not sure of any wooden battons above it or anything, I was thinking of using Command hooks and sitting a curtain pole in it. Wondering if such a set up (onto plasterboard wall) would hold the weight of an, e.g. chenille door curtain.

ed110220

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if there's a draught from your garage to your living area you have much more serious problems than a curtain can fix. You need a fireproof door between a garage and a living area in case a vehicle catches fire in the garage.

Fire_Fox

Agree have a proper door fitted.

Don't use a curtain pole and brackets unless you also have a pelmet. For reducing heat loss and draughts is recommended that curtains are floor length and that gaps at the top and sides are 'sealed'.

Davesnave

ed110220 wrote: »

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but if there's a draught from your garage to your living area you have much more serious problems than a curtain can fix. You need a fireproof door between a garage and a living area in case a vehicle catches fire in the garage.

Unless it's a tandem garage, it's unlikely to have a vehicle stored in it if there's a partition wall. Many garages aren't even suitable for larger modern cars.


But in any event it sounds like a right lash-up, and if the wall is plasterboard, it's highly likely that the weight of heavy curtains will simply rip the cardboard surface away if the glue on command hooks doesn't fail first. At the very least, the curtain pole would need a support rail attached with heavy duty plasterboard fixings.

Norman_Castle

A plasterboard door? If its rarely used try sealing the doorway with either tape around the edges or taping a sheet of plastic over the hole.

whitesatin

Thanks for your welcome replies. It is a bit of a bodge up to be fair. The "conversion" was done by previous owners who used the rear bit of the garage as an office. It does have a radiator and is just about usable but now we have a cat flap, the air feels colder in there. There is a fire door into the living room, added by us, and it probably helps minimise draught but I'm still always cold! By the way, in our time, it will never be used as a garage as we have a drive in front of it and the front is a handy storage area and where we keep the freezer etc. The rear area (9' by 9') is used as a playroom for my grandchildren once a week, and houses lots and lots of toys. It's bright and cheerful by day, with the door and window, but gets less so in the evening. I'm glad we've got it, I've even used it as a craft room from time to time, but I don't want to spend much money on it, just to make it as warm as possible in order to minimise the chill I feel in the living room. It's not an official room, of course, and only has minimal use but, one day, if we sell, it would be a selling point as could be converted easily enough I think. I just don't have the money (or need) to gain extra space.

getmore4less

what about tackling the draft from the other side of the partitionwall door, presumably the outside access.

Is the window single glazed, improving the heat gain/loss there would also help.

whitesatin

Doors and window to front and rear are double glazed.

Fire_Fox

whitesatin wrote: »

Thanks for your welcome replies. It is a bit of a bodge up to be fair. The "conversion" was done by previous owners who used the rear bit of the garage as an office. It does have a radiator and is just about usable but now we have a cat flap, the air feels colder in there. There is a fire door into the living room, added by us, and it probably helps minimise draught but I'm still always cold! ....

It's bright and cheerful by day, with the door and window, but gets less so in the evening. I'm glad we've got it, I've even used it as a craft room from time to time, but I don't want to spend much money on it, just to make it as warm as possible in order to minimise the chill I feel in the living room. It's not an official room, of course, and only has minimal use but, one day, if we sell, it would be a selling point as could be converted easily enough I think. I just don't have the money (or need) to gain extra space.

Are you certain there is a draught coming through into the living room from the garage area? Oftentimes a chill is actually air flow/ air circulation within the inhabited room, known as a 'downdraft'. Any cold surface can cause this but windows - even modern double glazed - are a common culprit.

Window treatments (curtains or blinds) that are close fitting/ sealed at the top, the bottom and the sides are one recommended solution, or removable secondary glazing. Either helps prevent the warmer air up near the ceiling hitting the cold glass/ cold surface, cooling rapidly and dropping down, then recirculating back into the room as a draught.

whitesatin

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Are you certain there is a draught coming through into the living room from the garage area? Oftentimes a chill is actually air flow/ air circulation within the inhabited room, known as a 'downdraft'. Any cold surface can cause this but windows - even modern double glazed - are a common culprit.

Window treatments (curtains or blinds) that are close fitting/ sealed at the top, the bottom and the sides are one recommended solution, or removable secondary glazing. Either helps prevent the warmer air up near the ceiling hitting the cold glass/ cold surface, cooling rapidly and dropping down, then recirculating back into the room as a draught.

Yes, there is definitely cold air coming from the garage but I'm sure you are right in what you say. It's a through lounge, quite big, with a bay window to the front (double glazed but only venetian blinds as the set up doesn't lend itself to curtains). To the back, there are French doors with windows either side. It's a big space. We had the floor done with engineered wood a few years ago but I know there was a lot of insulation put in first.


Opposite the door to the garage, there is the door into the hall which is always freezing too. All the heat goes upstairs, it's not good. The loft is insulated. Heating is on low in the three bedrooms, most of the time in winter. Downstairs, the original kitchen has been extended with a vaulted ceiling new kitchen. There's a modest radiator in the old kitchen and we've looked into having a larger one but apparently that wouldn't help, according to our gas engineer. I can't remember why. I use an electric heater on a timer for when I have to go and cook dinner.


I don't think there is cavity wall insulation and I'm wondering if that will help but, of course, that will cost a bit but I might explore anyway.


I'm giving it all some thought now so that I don't have to walk/sit around in my dressing gown over my clothes next winter, lol.

Fire_Fox

whitesatin wrote: »

Yes, there is definitely cold air coming from the garage but I'm sure you are right in what you say. It's a through lounge, quite big, with a bay window to the front (double glazed but only venetian blinds as the set up doesn't lend itself to curtains). To the back, there are French doors with windows either side. It's a big space. We had the floor done with engineered wood a few years ago but I know there was a lot of insulation put in first.

Why not? A curtain track will bend around a bay window just fine. Alternatively consider thermal blinds (cellular/ honeycomb) or DIY secondary glazing (polycarbonate sheet/ magnetic strip).

whitesatin wrote: »

Opposite the door to the garage, there is the door into the hall which is always freezing too. All the heat goes upstairs, it's not good. The loft is insulated.

I don't think there is cavity wall insulation and I'm wondering if that will help but, of course, that will cost a bit but I might explore anyway.

I'm giving it all some thought now so that I don't have to walk/sit around in my dressing gown over my clothes next winter, lol.

From what I have read the glazing is more likely to be the issue than the walls or the floor.

For sitting around, consider a plug-in electric throw on your sofa. These cost very little to run and are highly effective. Another option is a plug-in electric under rug heated mat.

Do you cover your head when you are in the kitchen? A lightweight hat or hood may well be more effective and more comfortable than a dressing gown. Humans lose a lot of body heat through the head. Runners and other sporting types will often wear a thin hat and thin gloves outdoors in the depths of winter, yet still be in a t-shirt.

Hope something helps!