There’s a chill in the air, and we’re going to be spending a lot more time indoors. It’s time to winterise your home
As the evenings draw in and temperatures begin to drop, it’s not just our wardrobes that need layering, our homes do too.
Brian McIntyre, programme manager at the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), knows all about minimising heat loss. It’s his job to know.
He has adopted some of the learnings in his own home, including replacing the seals on some windows and, for those that were beyond saving, fitting new windows.
He also has good counsel re unseen gaps. He recommends you investigate under the internal side of windowsills and around the pipework under the sink and gas boiler outlet, if applicable.
While a large rug or wall-to-wall carpeting will reduce heat loss in rooms with suspended timber floors, he says some of the loss may be coming from the surrounding skirting boards and can be addressed with a silicon sealant.
His advice is not to block room vents, but adding a cowl or a black hole will reduce any cold air entering the room.
In unused open fireplaces, chimney balloons will also stop downdraughts.
Before you light the fire or stove, do this one thing
Before you light your stove or open fire, have it cleaned.
It will stop smoku downdraughts and reduce the possibility of a chimney fire. This service costs €75 for an open fire from the aptly named Men in Black Property Maintenance.
If the chimney is quite congested, then a flue polish is recommended.
This is essentially a scrubbing of the flue and costs an additional €25. The company also covers power sweeping of stoves, which costs from €80.
The firm covers most of Dublin city but has some exemptions, including Dublin 1 and Dublin 2, Dalkey and Baldoyle.
Clean the gutters to allow free flow of water
Moss, fallen leaves and bird debris can block gutters, leading to overflow.
The Stillorgan Group is one of several companies that offer a vacuum cleaning service.
This closed system collects the dirt, and it is removed from the site with none falling to the ground.
Covering most of Dublin from Malahide south to Bray, and west to Saggart, the service costs from €100 upwards, depending on the size of the property and the condition of the gutters.
Make sure your radiators actually radiate heat
Check your radiators for cold spots and bleed regularly using a vent key, says Alan Teahan, plumbing supervisor at Chadwick’s, Tralee. The vent is located either on the back or the side of the rad.
Suitable for use on radiator taps, gas and electricity meter doors, the Tala brass four-way key costs €14.49 from Chadwick’s.
For a more in-depth clean, he advises booking a plumber to come flush out the radiator system. It will push sludge and debris through, allowing them to perform more efficiently.
Upgrade the performance of your attic insulation
Attic insulation is an affordable way to retain heat in the home.
New building regulations recommend that it is up to 400 mm deep, Teahan says, explaining that, if you already have insulation in your attic, it is likely to only be 100 mm or 150 mm deep.
Additional insulation should be laid in a cross-batten direction, in the opposite direction to the existing insulation. The material should not be compressed.
So, if you use your attic for storage and have floored part of it, you will need to create a new fake floor level to accommodate the new layers.
Curtains calling
“With energy costs rising, we’re all looking for ways to keep warm,” says Victoria Robinson, style and trend expert at Hillary’s.
Windows can account for up to 20 per cent of heat loss in the home.
Thermal-lined, made-to-measure curtains offer an effective and stylish solution to reduce heat loss, while creating a cosy, layered look that’s perfect for the season.”
Stop heat leaching from windows
If the curtains in your home blow in all by themselves, you know that the windows need attention.
By burning a candle or an incense stick in front of the window frame, and where you see movement, a flicker, you know you have gaps in the seal.
If the glazing looks foggy, it is a clear indication that the glass needs replacing.
You can upload images of the problems to Dublin-based What A Pane, who can give you an estimated quote, and if happy, will come, check the seals and hinges and measure up fenestrations for new glass.
The company covers counties Dublin, Meath, Kildare and Wicklow.
Exclude draughts from inner doors
This is the time of the year when those who live in A and B-rated properties tend to feel a bit smug.
In properties that haven’t had such insulation upgrades, there’s a simple hack to banish internal door draughts.
Use a draught excluder, but many can be a trip hazard.
Plum for the ones that hook onto the base of the door instead.
Amazon.ie sells a range of foam-sided door draught-excluders from €10.05, ex delivery, that are easy to install and are very effective at retaining heat in living rooms.
Weatherproof the front door
A storm guard, a front door brush strip excluder will reduce wind and cold, and costs from about €7 for gaps of up 2.5 cm at Amazon.ie. It can be cut to size.
If you have a letter box, letterplate seals start from €3.99 at Lenehan’s.
Creature comforts
A throw on the sofa is a way to add instant warmth.
Try Foxford’s cashmere and lambswool mix throws, €175. And invest in a pair of sheepskin-lined slippers, for indoor use, to keep feet toasty.
The Irish Woollen Workshop sells a loafer style that will also warm ankles for €66. Indoor felted wool shoes, such as Kyrgies Bishkek kicks, are another option.
Sourced from small, family-run farms in Kazakhstan, they come in a range of different colours, prices from €85.
A true picture of heat loss
A thermal Imaging survey will identify the weak points in your home, where heat loss is happening and why.
It could be underperforming insulation, excessive draughts, poor quality windows or leaking window seals.
It’s a form of x-ray for the home that will help address the problem areas and significantly reduce energy and heating costs - once the source and cause of the heat leakage has been identified and resolved.
Prices for the survey cost from €600, plus Vat, from building surveyor Kelleher & Associates. A full list of surveyors offering this service can be found on the site of the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland (SCSI)
If travelling, cast a cold eye on freezing weather
If you live in a home where the pipes are not insulated, keep an ear out for weather reports that forecast freezing temperatures.
In extreme conditions, the water in the pipes can freeze and burst upon thaw. If you’re going on holiday during this time, you can drain the tank in advance and switch off the water at the mains.
In urban areas, the mains is often located under a cast iron cover on the street outside or may be out the back of the house.
In some housing estates built about 30 years ago, several homes share the same mains, Teahan says. If you switch off the water, you are also cutting off water to your neighbours' homes.
