There comes a time when it seems that winter has settled in so as not to leave, and… we remember the fantastic holidays we spent on the beach. Arriving home and feeling that it is still colder than in the gelid streets of Halifax, makes me feel like getting into bed, until spring returns. But, what can we do to cope with this? There are a number of factors we can take into account.
- Roofs are the surface area through which the most heat is lost in a house, to the point that its insulation can reduce heating costs by 35%. It can be insulated with mineral fibre sheets, such as stone wool or glass fibre. They can also be covered with special paints, which divert heat to another point. For this point, it is best to have a look at the roofers in Halifax and ask for advice and budget
- Windows Double glazing or double window systems reduce heat loss by almost half compared to single glazing. The best carpentries for the frame are the so-called thermal break carpentries, which contain insulating material between the internal and external part of the frame.
- Make sure that the shutter boxes have no slits and are properly insulated. Use adhesive films of some transparent plastic material to stick them to frames and glazing.
- It is convenient to use weatherstripping to improve the closing of the doors. Use insulation behind baseboards, where wall and floor meet, as well as a door and wall frame joints. You can use simple and inexpensive means, such as silicone, putty or weather seal, to cover the gaps and reduce air infiltration from doors and windows. You will save between 5% and 10% of energy.
- The installation of a layer of three centimetres of cork, fibreglass or polyurethane has the same insulating capacity as a stone wall one metre thick. For many professionals, however, hollow bricks are still the best insulator.
If we take into account all these factors and make the pertinent changes in our home, who tells us that we cannot feel a little closer to those tropical climates?
