Cold North Bedroom

MoreApples

My daughter's room is a north facing room with 3 external walls and 2 windows (one west and a small north one). We have the heating (GCH) on for 30 minutes in the morning and 1 hour before bedtime but, her room is only getting to 14-16ºC. I've ordered thermal blinds to go int he window recesses, behind the lined curtains. 

I have an oil-filled radiator, I could put on a timer in her room. The external walls have been insulated.

Any other thoughts or making it warmer without cranking up costs too much.

FreeBear

A larger radiator will help to get the room up to temperature. I'd also suggest getting a thermographic survey done to see where the heat is being lost - Got north facing bedrooms here, one with two external walls. Only slightly cooler than the rest of the house (by about 0.5°C),

MoreApples

Unfortunately a larger radiator would get in the way of a window. I suppose a second radiator could be put in. Would that be a lot of work?

A thermographic survey would be interesting but, if it is losing heat more easily, I'm not sure what further measures can be added given the walls have already been insulated and thermal blinds will be installed soon.

diystarter7

If possible, better quality carpet underlay and good carpet on the floor and decent blackout curtains to keep out the cold and retain the heat and keep the door closed. Check loft insulation as well.

FreeBear

MoreApples said:

Unfortunately a larger radiator would get in the way of a window. I suppose a second radiator could be put in. Would that be a lot of work?

A thermographic survey would be interesting but, if it is losing heat more easily, I'm not sure what further measures can be added given the walls have already been insulated and thermal blinds will be installed soon.

If you have a type 11 radiator (single panel, single row of fins), you could fit a type 21 (double panel, single row of fins) or a type 22 (double panel, double row of fins). Aside from sticking further out from the wall, they would be the same height/width, but kick out a lot more heat - You can also get triple panel radiators, but these are big ugly brutes...

You say the walls are insulated, how about the roof space above ?

How long ago were the windows fitted, and are there any nasty draughts coming in ?

Finally replaced the last few windows here, and the muppets that had fitted them back in the 1970s had left a ruddy great gap along the top. All that was keeping the wind out was a bit of mastic and wood trim around the reveals. There had always been a cold draught around the windows, and now that the new ones are fitted properly, the rooms are much warmer.

MoreApples

We have the thickest underlay, the thermal blinds should help along with the lined curtains and the loft is insulated well. 

It might be there is nowhere else to go with insulating.

Ally_E.

You could get wider radiator instead of a taller. Or is your window floor length? 

MoreApples

The radiator has 2 panels to it and the layout of the room would making changing it not straightforward but not impossible.

The windows are double glazed and not draughty-feeling.

The house is an odd L-shape and this room, along with 2 others, sit over unheated outbuildings but it is this room that suffers the most. I think the main part of the house would have to be ablaze before this part gained heat from it!

Thinking it through on here is useful - makes sure I've not missed a trick. I guess I'm onto working out how to add heat without too much cost. It might be a case of programmable radiator valves.

markin

So its the floors that are the big losses.

diystarter7

Is it possible to add floor-to-ceiling wardrobes as DIY? If so down the whole outside wall one of them at least and leave a slight gap behind the wardrobes and fix the insulation board but seek guidance and ensure the wardrobes are fixed to the wall.

As Scarter mentioned, consider hall/landing heat. We have the hall heater on max as heat rises and the landing heater at 3/4 setting and bedrooms are lower temps other than our adult  child who has two outside wall and room is long about 17 feet so heat is on all of the time. Hall heat can go to your daughter's room if you keep all other doors closed and your daughter's room door open

Consider changing bedrooms especially if your daughter is under the age of 10ish

xeny

It'd be significant work, but lift the floorboards and fill between the joists with celtex or similar?