Draughty House

daisydeedaisydee Posts: 39,393
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I have an Old Victorian cottage that is very draughty, I recently had new double glazed front & back doors fitted. I know draughts come down the chimnies, which I don't use but not sure how to draught exclude them.
I'm pretty miffed that , standing by the new back door, I felt a draught coming in the side that the door handle is on. I know it is extremely windy here, bur surely the door should fit well enough not to allow in any draughts?

Comments

  • sweetpeanutsweetpeanut Posts: 4,805
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    Do you lift the handle up to make a good seal?.
  • CosinCosin Posts: 765
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    daisydee wrote: »
    I have an Old Victorian cottage that is very draughty, I recently had new double glazed front & back doors fitted. I know draughts come down the chimnies, which I don't use but not sure how to draught exclude them.
    I'm pretty miffed that , standing by the new back door, I felt a draught coming in the side that the door handle is on. I know it is extremely windy here, bur surely the door should fit well enough not to allow in any draughts?

    I should get on to the people who fitted your double glazing.....
  • daisydeedaisydee Posts: 39,393
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    Do you lift the handle up to make a good seal?.

    yes I do.
  • Summer BreezeSummer Breeze Posts: 4,399
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    A door curtain could help.
  • evil cevil c Posts: 7,833
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    Hi daisydee,

    I agree with Cosin that you should be contacting the dg company, telling them to come round and get rid of the draught from the new door and any other problems you might have noticed from checking everything after it was installed. It's common for the householder to find small problems after a short time, so they will be used to this. Also have you got a written guarantee from them, 5 or 10 years, and if not get one and carefully read the terms and conditions.

    In the case of your chimneys draughts, if you don't use the fires any more you could cap the chimney pots on the roof and then block the flues (see next para).

    If you use them but only occaisonally then you could either buy chimney balloons or chimney draught excluders and stuff them up the flues (the balloons have a valve to regulate the amount of air inside).

    A cheaper way would be to stuff an old pillow or sack full of straw etc. up the flue instead of the balloon. If condensation is a problem either don't stop the airflow completely or have air bricks put in.

    In the rented flat I was in before I moved I used clingfilm and that brown adhesive packing tape stretched tight to seal the fireplaces, as the landlord was too mean to cap the pots and hadn't blocked the flues properly. Doesn't look very pretty though so maybe give that a miss in your no doubt beautiful cottage interior.

    Chimney balloons and chimney draught excluders: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=sr_st?keywords=chimney+balloon&qid=1419216121&rh=n%3A11052681%2Ck%3Achimney+balloon&sort=popularity-rank
  • Maria_RobinsonMaria_Robinson Posts: 3,004
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    Victorian houses are notoriously draughty I am afraid. That is one of the prices you pay for character property. Sometimes I think a wndow is open somewhere in mine as there seem to be draughts in the cold weather coming from nowhere.
  • MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
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    If you have open fires then you'll need a certain amount of air flow to stop yourself getting gassed to death in each room and even gas fires need some air flow

    If you've just had stuff fitted and its letting in drafts then get back onto them to fix it, with our house it was a process of slowly looking at the worst draft and fixing that then when the missus was happy onto the next, curtains against the doors, snakes at the bottom of the doors and if the wind really blows and you have a garden plant something to sort of buffer the wind to slow it down

    You could have the chimneys and the fireplaces removed but its a complicated structural job and could require a lot of money and planning permission and a lot of people are starting to restore properties to their original state so it may not be as attractive when selling on
  • nanscombenanscombe Posts: 16,588
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    Is it actually coming in the side of the door or through a keyhole?
  • tim_smithtim_smith Posts: 772
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    nanscombe wrote: »
    Is it actually coming in the side of the door or through a keyhole?

    Lol. I'll be blocking my keyhole presently :D
  • TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,404
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    There's all sorts of advice about how to deal with the different sources of draughts here: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/domestic/content/draught-proofing-your-home
  • nanscombenanscombe Posts: 16,588
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    tim_smith wrote: »
    Lol. I'll be blocking my keyhole presently :D

    That might sound funny but from that link above ...
    Doors

    Draught-proofing outside doors can save a lot of heat and will only cost you a few pounds. There are four main things to consider.

    Keyhole – buy a purpose-made cover that drops a metal disc over the keyhole.
    Letterbox – use a letterbox flap or brush, but remember to measure your letterbox before you buy.
    Gap at the bottom – use a brush or hinged flap draught excluder.
    Gaps around the edges – fit foam, brush or wiper strips like those used for windows.
  • daisydeedaisydee Posts: 39,393
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    Thanks everybody, some useful information there.
    After having the two double glazed doors fitted, I was glad to say goodbye to door curtians, door draught excluder strips and plugging up the keyhole (amazing how much cold air used to come through the keyhole)
    They are feature fireplaces, capable of being used, but doubt I ever will, and won't take them down.
    I have never heard of chimney balloons before and explored that link on Amazon. But because there are draughts in places other than the chimnies, I think I am going to have a word with the builders who worked alongside the door installers, who did other work for me. I have thought for years about fitting a piece of pegboard in the chimney, As I realise that there must be some airflow, but think my DIY days are over, and would rather get someone in to do a proper job.
  • Hut27Hut27 Posts: 1,673
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    Draughts don't come down Chimneys, unless induced by by extractor fan or Boiler pulling air down/in for combustion. Movement of air is always upwards, as you know heat rises. Block disused flues with sheet of hardboard and seal with Duct Tape, to prevent rain ingress from top a rain cap should be fitted.
    Don't worry about air-bricks, in 40 odd years in the trade I've never found them necessary if chimneys are capped properly.
  • daisydeedaisydee Posts: 39,393
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    Hut27 wrote: »
    Draughts don't come down Chimneys, unless induced by by extractor fan or Boiler pulling air down/in for combustion. Movement of air is always upwards, as you know heat rises. Block disused flues with sheet of hardboard and seal with Duct Tape, to prevent rain ingress from top a rain cap should be fitted.
    Don't worry about air-bricks, in 40 odd years in the trade I've never found them necessary if chimneys are capped properly.

    Interesting. I was convinced the draughts must be due to the open chimneys. I feel draught around my feet, i was convinced the new doors would end that, but the house is still draughty. :(
  • MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
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    daisydee wrote: »
    Interesting. I was convinced the draughts must be due to the open chimneys. I feel draught around my feet, i was convinced the new doors would end that, but the house is still draughty. :(

    Put some cling film over the fireplace so its secure and see if theres any difference, but generally i'd of said it would be the chimney pulling the air up the chimney, you can get things that will produce loads of smoke so see how they actually move in the house
  • TUTV ViewerTUTV Viewer Posts: 6,236
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    daisydee wrote: »
    Interesting. I was convinced the draughts must be due to the open chimneys. I feel draught around my feet, i was convinced the new doors would end that, but the house is still draughty. :(

    Air will always be drawn up an open chimney. It'll find its way into the house any which way it can.

    Where there is an open fire, you'll also usually find hidden intake vents for the fire - otherwise you'd die of carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • juliancarswelljuliancarswell Posts: 8,896
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    An open chimney , even when not lit, acts like a bellows sucking air in through every gap and crack around the house.Drafts are inevitable.
    We fitted a couple of multifuel stoves and the difference is remarkable. Even when they are unlit and it is blowing a Gale outside the house feels much warmer as there is no draught whistling round your ankles and ears.😊
    Block the flue but leave a marker, even just a piece of string hanging down from the throat of*the flue with a tag saying "Flue Blocked"
    I went to a house years ago where somebody staying in a friend's house over Christmas while they were away, lit a fire in the grate unaware that the owner had blocked it at the pot.:o
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