Draughty house driving me nuts

[Two_Sheds]

Well, the title says it all.
The wind has moved round to the North, so now I have cold air blowing in the bedroom windows and the lounge.

It's normally a southern wind that comes through the boiler cupboard

It's a problem because the double-glazed windows don't fit properly ... they've been really bodged. It's not even an old house (1968). There's a half cm. gap where the seal is (where the frame should meet the window nice and flush), and I've stuffed this with newspaper as best I can.

Now, I've noticed the stairs in the lounge seem to be drawing cold air from upstairs to the warm (18-20C) ground floor (I vaguely know that hot air rises and cold air sinks: it seems to be doing more sinking than rising though ).
It infuriates me to spend so much on gas, and still be freezing cold, sitting here in a hat, gloves and blanket.

I might hang a curtain to separate the stairs off, and block the draught, but is there anything better I could do? Something more technical?

PS. the windows already have lined curtains, but they do little good when icy air is pouring through the gaps in the windows.
PPS. I have sausage dogs under my doors

[HeyWayne]

Is it worth trying cling film on the draughty windows? I'm pretty sure you can actually buy some sort of film that you heat with a hairdryer to seal gaps too, might be better than cling film.

We have a similar problem - our house is even newer, but the guy that owned it prior to us was/is a builder, and it would appear that our windows were purchased and installed ad-hoc. Great for ventilation, but not conducive to energy efficiency.

[BrideXIII]

although hot air rises, the cold air replaces it, so a curtain across the stairs would definitely be a help, as would closing doors downstairs and upstairs to keep the heat in the rooms where you need it, not heating the whole house when you are not upstairs,
and get sewing some sausage dog draught excluders for the upstairs doors ( and downstairs) to combat those draughts. i have a heavy curtain across the front door because of the cat flap being useless, it really makes a difference.

for a technical solution, get the double glazing sorted out and that hole in the boiler room
but that costs a lot more. Can you not get a sealant gun and fill that gap?

[Matt.]

Get some builders caulk. It costs very little and is easily applied. It will seal up the gaps and you can paint it to match the walls/window frame. Or putty.

[zazen999]

Ours is 1880, and the wooden floors [no carpet] in the front room are so bowed we could store stuff in the gap between the floor and wall.

I keep all doors closed, esp the one at the bottom of the stairs. Our windows are all original single glazed sash; and because it's conservation area it would cost a fortune to replace. We have bits of toilet roll innerds keeping them from rattling at night and I can't sleep when there is a west wind as it blows straight through the bedroom. If it rains, the rain floods the windowsill and drips onto the floor so I have to stuff it with towels.

The loft has cardboard boxes strategically placed under the missing tiles on the roof to absorb the rain that comes through. Put there by the people who had it before us.

But I love it.

In the bedroom, we have blinds against the window and blue muslin hanging over the blinds; because of this the drafts are headed off somewhat as the muslin is always hanging down - and it still lets enough light in to see relatively well. I have a fluffy sausage dog in front of the front door to hold that back.

Can you block up the window gaps with some sealant?

[allotmentlady]

jml sell draught excluders that you fit underneath your doors, they work! JML Direct - the home of great ideas, innovative products, amazing value and much more.

[tootles]

Look on the bright side - you don't have to live in one of those horrid hermetically sealed boxes that are built these days. Fresh air is good for you and will reduce the coughs, colds and muggy heads that office types get!

Also, be glad you don't have draughts through the walls!!!!! Ours are 1 metre thick and the air whoooshes through them......

Go to screwfix and get loads of sealant and caulk.

Good luck.

[SlugLobber]

Would also second the curtain idea. I have similarly bodged window frames (and front door frame) and curtains are your friend. Do be prepared for people not using your letter box or knocking on the door, as they 'think you've gone away'!!

[Nicos]

Ha Tootles!!!

Snap!!

We've been told our boiler is very old and inefficient and needs replacing asap.

Anyway- we topped up the fioul- 1,000 l (as we did on 5th November) - cost 500E ( in 6 weeks!!!!!!!)

Needless to say I'd been wearing a scarf and fleece all day and slippers which I'd never do back in the UK - and watch TV with a blanket- AND have a wood fire burning in the evening.( oh- yes- and we were back in the UK for one of those weeks!

So- after this mornings shock we're having a rethink about insulation

[zazen999]

My other half mentioned that he might buy me a shawl over the holidays....a flippin shawl. I used to be rock and roll you know!!!

[baggyman]

Look on the bright side - you don't have to live in one of those horrid hermetically sealed boxes that are built these days. Fresh air is good for you and will reduce the coughs, colds and muggy heads that office types get!

Also, be glad you don't have draughts through the walls!!!!! Ours are 1 metre thick and the air whoooshes through them......

Go to screwfix and get loads of sealant and caulk.

Good luck.

Do you live in a castle?

We have a draught that flows through the air vent in the kitchen. Are these ait brick things essential? Can I block it?
(No gas used in the kitchen)

[BrideXIII]

My other half mentioned that he might buy me a shawl over the holidays....a flippin shawl. I used to be rock and roll you know!!!

well i have had to resort to typing in fingerless gloves again, it's soooo embarassing

[Two_Sheds]

Get some builders caulk. It costs very little and is easily applied. It will seal up the gaps and you can paint it to match the walls/window frame. Or putty.

I've googled caulk (never heard of it before) but still none the wiser. Is it like mastic/glue/sealant?

Would it permanently seal my windows shut? We will need to open them again in the summer.

HeyWayne's clingfilm idea might be the winner ... in my last bedsit I sellotaped up the gaps round the windows. The ones they hadn't painted shut that is.

[Nicos]

You can get caulk from builders merchants and places like B&Q

It's more like a slightly flexible sealant, but more gritty.
Great for filling in gaps and rubbing down- and cheaper than polyfilla type makes.
You wouldn't use it around an opening window- more like filling in the gaps between the frame and wall.




Air vent in kitchen? If you have no naked flame then there's no need for one ( as far as I recall) Your central heating boiler isn't in there is it??.

Make sure you have a Carbon Monoxide detector though if you block it.

[tootles]

Nicos, insulation is definately the way to go. My children now play the insulation game on frosty mornings. Any house without frost on the roof is laughed at for being badly insulated (see, who says children don't know how to amuse themselves these days!)
We packed in loads over the summer and the sitting room is currently a heady 13 degrees...
(would have been nearer 5 without). Do need to put in more under the floor though, my feet are freezing!