Whilst often innovative and unusual in design, modern houses aren’t for everyone. Therefore, old-fashioned, traditional designs are a great choice for those who are looking for something with their ideal style and substance. The problem with choosing this type of home though, is that old houses, while sometimes cheaper, often come with a bunch of hidden expenses that need to be attended.
Insulation is usually one of the first problems tenants and home owners experience when moving into their old, dream home. Older houses will often come with single glazing windows, drafty doors and no cavity wall insulation. There are sometimes even more serious problems, such as walls that need completely rebuilding, pipes and electrical wires that need rerouting. The list is endless, but where do you start?
A good place to begin is by improving your home’s insulation. There are a variety of ways to do this, and you may need to consider that there can be differences for your home if unexpected things crop up, but this is a good general guide.
Cavity wall insulation
Traditional city houses built before 1980 usually don’t have cavity wall insulation. Cavity wall insulation refers to the gap between the exterior red brick of a house and the breeze blocks inside that. It is foam that expands to fill the gap between the two walls. Small air pockets in the foam help to insulate the property, and the foam itself stops any draft from getting through the walls and into your home.
As a rule, it can be a good idea to get this done early on in the renovation process, as it will give you the chance to look at the walls and the overall structure of the property. Therefore you are likely to notice any big or serious problems at this point. These can then be taken care of to ensure your restoration plans aren’t stopped in their tracks.
Rural houses are more likely to have walls made of stone instead of bricks. These tend to have fewer problems with draft and hold heat better, but need to be properly grouted. Check YouTube for more info on how to grout a stone wall, and for step-by-step instructions.
Windows and Doors
When all structural aspects have been taken care of, you can change the windows and doors in the property. This is really important as double glazing and UPVC windows helps keep the cold out and the warm in, and it’s generally a good idea to ensure that the structure is sound before you begin work on these. If you install them before and then have to do any serious structural work, you may risk damaging them, or having to remove them completely.
If you’re looking for a brand to make and fit your windows, you will no doubt want to guarantee that you are getting the best quality, best service and best deal. Reputable companies like www.anglianhome.co.uk/doors/ have UPVC doors and windows that are manufactured in the UK and fitted by experts.
Other insulation solutions
The other big insulation problem is heat loss through your roof. This can be avoided by a good roof insulation system, which will stop heat escaping your house through the roof, so is extremely important to do alongside other insulation methods. If not, you could be losing heat despite the measures you’ve taken so far. By shopping around, you’ll be able to find reasonably priced loft insulation, and it can usually be fitted simply and quickly.
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