I made my own reflective panels using the wooly packaging from my Hello Fresh deliveries, thick tin foil and wooden bbq skewers. Very Blue Peter but it worked.
I should really measure next door’s outhouse to see how deep the fake walls are in ours. When we moved in we had a night where it got down to -1 outside and it was 4 in the outhouse so I’m guessing not a lot of insulation exists.
It is usually about 68% humidity in there too unless it’s been a sunny day and I’ve had the back door open.
I have a dehumidifier in there which takes it down really quickly.
I’ve also just got a radiator with a frost protection setting to keep the washer and dryer safe over winter.
I have an apartment that has no cavity wall insulation, built just before the regulations came into effect. I have had the same experience as Green Man.
However, regulations prohibit me from just insulating the ground floor apartment. I have to insulate the building all the way up, and the elderly lady above me is reluctant to spend the money. She ways she has been living here for over a decade and has been doing just fine. I have to look into this government aid they provide and see of I can subsidise 50% of her cost to get it done.
I'm going to need to pore back over this thread and might take you up on your offer of advice in future, @Fire! We live in a narrow, detached 1882 house, set in a hill with a cellar at the front. Cellar is damp all year, as it was designed for the water to drain from the back garden through the house. Walls, I'm fairly sure, are single brick, rendered. The damp in winter is pretty miserable and we make use of a dehumidifier for drying washing etc.
I'm letting OH put the heating on today, since it's now October! It'll be set at a constant 18ish, and we'll boost it occasionally if it feels too cold during the day.
@Jac19 your upstairs neighbour is probably toasty up there! Getting help for her costs sounds a good way forward. We used to live in a 1st floor 30s apartment block and it was lovely and warm in winter sandwiched between flats above and below!
@Jac19 your upstairs neighbour is probably toasty up there! Getting help for her costs sounds a good way forward. We used to live in a 1st floor 30s apartment block and it was lovely and warm in winter sandwiched between flats above and below!
Very true. They are split level apartments, so, my bedroom, study, and upstairs bathroom are warmer in the winter and the ground floor is nice and cool in the hot summer.
We had a new boiler installed,but hubby did the rads,not one is now under a window. He said he could have fitted the boiler,he was a motor vehicle tech,but can do anything. Just discovered he could have installed it up to the gas supply,then just got a gas Safe engineer just for that bit. He did the wiring in our last conservatory and 2 chaps in,one in the meter cupboard under the stairs the other checking the wiring and signed it off. When we moved here,changed to electric cooking,had to have a new consumer unit,(used company recommend by neighbour) asked the guy to be careful with the delicate plaster/brick work. He made ridiculous huge channels for the wiring,AND the screws for the consumer unit went right through our bedroom wall!! Do much for experts. My hubby is a perfectionist. Octopus are the only company who actually do a variable tariff rate,hourly, for people with electric vehicles,who can decide when to charge.
I've been ploughing through the minefield of websites to see if there is any way of getting free insulation.
There are grants for insulation. I got an insulation specialist to asses the apartment and give me a quote and he put me onto the grants.
Unfortunately, he also put me onto the government regulations that, if insulating, the building must be insulated all the way to the top and only part of the height must not be insulated. So, I have to woo the lady upstairs to do this with me. She is retired and old and money is an issue for her.
Here are the grants. The government heavily subsidises all types of cavity wall, roof, and boiler insulation.
Posts
I made my own reflective panels using the wooly packaging from my Hello Fresh deliveries, thick tin foil and wooden bbq skewers. Very Blue Peter but it worked.
I should really measure next door’s outhouse to see how deep the fake walls are in ours. When we moved in we had a night where it got down to -1 outside and it was 4 in the outhouse so I’m guessing not a lot of insulation exists.
However, regulations prohibit me from just insulating the ground floor apartment. I have to insulate the building all the way up, and the elderly lady above me is reluctant to spend the money. She ways she has been living here for over a decade and has been doing just fine. I have to look into this government aid they provide and see of I can subsidise 50% of her cost to get it done.
I'm letting OH put the heating on today, since it's now October! It'll be set at a constant 18ish, and we'll boost it occasionally if it feels too cold during the day.
Unfortunately, he also put me onto the government regulations that, if insulating, the building must be insulated all the way to the top and only part of the height must not be insulated. So, I have to woo the lady upstairs to do this with me. She is retired and old and money is an issue for her.
Here are the grants. The government heavily subsidises all types of cavity wall, roof, and boiler insulation.
https://www.gov.uk/improve-energy-efficiency