Is your house leaking heat? Do you even know? If you live in an older house, the answer is, "Probably." However, even new houses and house owners can suffer due to this problem. If you were careful with the insulation, you are in better shape than most people, but air can still flow without your consent or knowledge. It flows through the doors and windows and can subtly shift the temperature of your house. This leads to extra costs that will add up over the years--both monetarily and environmentally. You should really look into the environmental benefits of draught proofing your sash windows.
When I say "insulation, " your first thought is probably heat in cold weather. This is only one half of the problem, the other half being unwanted warm air entering a house in the summer. If your house is well-protected, it will be several degrees cooler in the summer than it is outside. It will also make sure any cool air produced by air conditioning does not just float right out of your house. Remember entropy when you think about air currents; air wants to spread out. Don't give it the chance.
Now that you've familiarized yourself with the problems you will face due to leakage (increasing carbon emissions and paying far more than you have to for proper temperatures), the next step is to take an active stance against the problem.
Where to begin? The first step, and one of the smartest, is to find a source of renewable heat that works for you. Solar heating is particularly good. However it won't make you any warmer if you have a leaky house. You could give up your air conditioning, since the CFCs and HCFCs produced are prime contributors to global warming. But you certainly won't be any cooler in the summer by giving this up. So look for flaws in your home.
If you're building a house, oversee the wall insulation and have programmable thermostats installed. If you live in a house already and aren't planning on extensive repairs or upgrades, take a look at your windows. If there is any sign of wood rot or flaking paint, this will decrease their impenetrability. The corners of windows tend to be the first to go in both of these areas. Look on the inside and out.
Don't waste your time double-glazing your windows. Attack the problem head on. Make sure a professional attends to all repairs. Use heavy curtains; this will not stop the air flow entirely, but it will slow it down and decrease it. Secondary glazing focuses on the sash and can solve almost any leakage problem. Check any loose putty in the windows and replace it.
If you are plagued by draughts and nothing seems to work, you could do a lot worse than putting towels against the leak; it is surprise how effectively these work. It is an old method and is often times unsightly, but weigh the benefits. Some companies also make special weighted cloths that are more stylish than a bunched up towel. These cloths attach to doors or windows and provide a nice buffer for any leaks.
When I say "insulation, " your first thought is probably heat in cold weather. This is only one half of the problem, the other half being unwanted warm air entering a house in the summer. If your house is well-protected, it will be several degrees cooler in the summer than it is outside. It will also make sure any cool air produced by air conditioning does not just float right out of your house. Remember entropy when you think about air currents; air wants to spread out. Don't give it the chance.
Now that you've familiarized yourself with the problems you will face due to leakage (increasing carbon emissions and paying far more than you have to for proper temperatures), the next step is to take an active stance against the problem.
Where to begin? The first step, and one of the smartest, is to find a source of renewable heat that works for you. Solar heating is particularly good. However it won't make you any warmer if you have a leaky house. You could give up your air conditioning, since the CFCs and HCFCs produced are prime contributors to global warming. But you certainly won't be any cooler in the summer by giving this up. So look for flaws in your home.
If you're building a house, oversee the wall insulation and have programmable thermostats installed. If you live in a house already and aren't planning on extensive repairs or upgrades, take a look at your windows. If there is any sign of wood rot or flaking paint, this will decrease their impenetrability. The corners of windows tend to be the first to go in both of these areas. Look on the inside and out.
Don't waste your time double-glazing your windows. Attack the problem head on. Make sure a professional attends to all repairs. Use heavy curtains; this will not stop the air flow entirely, but it will slow it down and decrease it. Secondary glazing focuses on the sash and can solve almost any leakage problem. Check any loose putty in the windows and replace it.
If you are plagued by draughts and nothing seems to work, you could do a lot worse than putting towels against the leak; it is surprise how effectively these work. It is an old method and is often times unsightly, but weigh the benefits. Some companies also make special weighted cloths that are more stylish than a bunched up towel. These cloths attach to doors or windows and provide a nice buffer for any leaks.
About the Author:
Trying to find reliable sash window draught proofing? When you need window insulation in London and Brighton, make sure you hire the best company for the job. Find our more now!
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