Awesome, have fun. It is rather addictive! Yeah the thermal imaging camera really helps to locate those unseen areas behind walls, ceilings and so on. Worth their weight in gold.
Thanks Mark for watching. I was surprised how they all added up to improve the overall comfort of the home whilst still allowing us to lower the heat output from the boiler.
Interesting stuff. Are you monitoring humidity in the house? As you reduce drafts you are reducing air flow so the moist air inside doesn’t get replaced with less moist air from outside (well not so much) the more moisture in the air the more chance you have of getting damp spots where there are cold spots. Very complex subject that may be worth a video.
Thanks for watching. Humidity is a good point. I have 2 Shelly Temp/Humidity sensors that I’m testing at the moment. Using Homa Assistant to automate things like dehumidifier s
Thanks for that video. I was interested in your final comments about temperature settings (room stat and boiler). You must have a different make/model of wife to me. Mine wouldn't be very happy with 20c and running the boiler at 46c would mean the house warming up in about a week and legionella bacteria going rampant in the hot water cylinder.
Thanks for watching Graham. We have our hot water heated by the eddi rather than the gas boiler and it's set to 65ºC as standard. It maybe as the cold weather hits harder we will increase the thermostat to 21 - 22ºC.
@@johntisbury I have considered an eddi but with our 6.9kWp panels located in NW England there isn't enough sun at this time of year to make an impression on the house electricity usage and keep one EV topped up. The situation might improve in spring/summer so I may try that next year. In the meantime heating the water with gas is the cheapest option, sadly.
Very helpful video, though i can't afford a new door, i put a thick thermal curtain in front of our door, which cuts the drafts out, using your toilet paper stick trick, led lights though some are cfl lights and will replace with led when they blow, our biggest problem is the age of the house ( 1940's ish) , though may be moving to a bungalow soon, And if and when we do, i will look upon insulation in the loft and seals on the windows, though the loft with have to be done by the trade as i am disabled
Good work John 👍 What's you logic for leaving the gas boiler on 24/7? Everything I've ever read says only heat the house when you actually want it warm i.e. operate the boiler on a timer. No need for the whole house to be at 20 degrees in the middle of the night when you're tucked up and fast asleep in bed 😉
Thanks Mark. A great question re my boiler logic. It turned out to be flawed logic! My initial thoughts were because we'd dropped the boiler temperature to its lowest setting it was running like a heat pump, low and slow so keeping it running 24/7 would help to maintain that core temperature. However, since November last year we have kept the same boiler setting and run it on a timer (on at 8am off at 10pm) and the house has stayed the same temp and used less gas.
@@johntisbury Ahha, I wondered if that might be the case. It (running the heating 24/7 is more efficient than letting the house go cold then heating it back up when you want it) seems to be a persistent "myth" that has been around for ever. Perhaps it's the gas companies perpetuating it 😉
I’ve been getting by with just a spot laser thermometer. You’re making me want a thermal camera! I’m thinking of a new data acquisition project. Using my raspberry pi to measure difference between inside and outside temperature. I could then correlate temperature decay rate with temperature difference. Then as part of a long term plan, each improvement to the building fabric can then be objectively measured in relation to temperature decay rate vs temperature difference.
It's a great idea. The thermal camera certainly helps to pinpoint where the issues are and where no action is required. Makes it a bit more targeted. Great idea on the longer term before and after measures too. A little more scientific than mine.
Paid someone to change the seals on every window in the house this week. Also changed the front door. I suppose that not so much of a coincidence given this channel is all about eco-efficiency. It’s like a new home. We were going to change the windows but were told we have great window and the benefits would be minimal. I’m impressed we were “sold” windows unnecessarily. Now on to our next project. #Attic insulation.
Good advice , lubricate your window hinges often with silicone spray not oil , work it into the joints by moving the opener back and forth , it stops the joints seizing and pulling the sash tight against the seals , most of the time draughts are caused by lack of maintenance , after 40 years of fitting windows ive seen it all , most customers think windows and doors look after them selves , give them some TLC and they will last years
Hi John, thanks for sharing. Can you advise if the shutters you have fitted to the windows make a decent contribution cutting heat loss. I am considering getting them fitted but not sure of the benefits. Many thanks.
Thank you for watching. They are ideal for maximising solar gain and reducing the heat in the summer as the louvres can be adjusted to bring in more or less sunshine. You can also hing them right back away from the window which I do in the winter when there is any sunshine, again to maximise solar gain. We do notice a difference when we open the louvres on a cold day, it is considerably colder next to the glass.
Hi John loving the channel I’m in the north cumbria and wanting to change similar passive door , ark looks fantastic if it’s not being cheeky what was the cost to nearest £500 looks very impressive on with gasket change and 400mm insulation at the moment and running a 5kw solar , your figures are beating* me hands down 💪
We also live in a very similar David Wilson Home of the same age with an identical drafty front door and boiler. So it's always interesting to see what you have done. I'll be blocking up our gas fireplace too.
Do you have the link to the window seal website? My parents need new windows (most are even blown, but all whistle etc) but simply refuse to. New seals would at the least stop heat from their radiators just going straight outside. Ridiculous really but hey ho, it's their house...
Hi Peter is was from Handles and Hinges: www.handlesandhinges.co.uk They probably don't want new windows due to the perceived mess and upheaval from having them replaced. Defo a job for the warmer months.
@@johntisbury I thought that however I've been nagging them for the last 2 years! And they've only gotten worse in that time. Thanks, I'll order the sample pack and see what happens!
I've changed the seals in half of our windows so far & it has made a big difference in terms of drafts. I might have to invest in a thermal camera too to pin point any hot/cold spots to be tackled.
Thanks for watching Scott. It's surprising how effective just changing the window seals is. Glad you've noticed a big improvement. The thermal camera will certainly help to identify 'hidden' issues that you need to tackle.
@@johntisbury cheers for reply I'm in the same boat now,modernisation or stick with 20 year old boiler....your front door is spot on...how much would that set me back? Regards Glen
Sorry for the slow reply. For some reason TH-cam thought your reply was spam and moved it to the 'for review' tab. I don't check it that often. Our front door was 7K fitted and installed. Not cheap, but the it's a high end product.
Thanks Tom, not something I've considered to be honest. For us the major heat loss is with external walls, thermal bridges and having a concrete pad foundation.
Looks like a goldmine of info, looking forward to this. Questions to everyone trying to retrofit their homes to near passivhaus standard, what measures are you taking for air changes and elimination of condensation/humidity? And how much cost difference is there from installing Positive Input Ventilation against the systems needed if you're sealed up air-tight?
This is a great point. I'm looking at heat and humidity sensors to automatically trigger heating / ventilation in the longer term. We're nowhere near air-tight so no risk of mould, condensation or stale air.
Very interesting topic and work you're doing. My only critique is air circulation within your property. It will be interesting to see how condensation builds up. I've been looking into and installing mechanical heat recovery unit in the bathroom and other rooms
Thanks Michael, it's a very valid point about air circulation. We are nowhere near passive house standards in terms of air tightness so don't think lack of circulation will be a problem. MHVR is currently a bit of a mare to retrofit, I'm sure neater and better solutions will come along in the near future.
@@johntisbury I thought the same thing. And yes, the massive whole house recirculators would require a lot of plumbing. But you could look at the idea of just the bathroom for a start. You already have one extraction out. I take it the fan is in the loft. So all you would need to do is add a small single room recirculator add an extra hole in the bathroom roof and an extra hole outside note these need to be a minimum of 1 m apart. Which then brings me to each room. I figured I only need to do the bedrooms so I could put one above each bedroom. I've only installed the one in the bathroom to date. I don't have any data to work with yet as the bathroom is still being renovated
My problem is condensation and that's before making any draught reduction, what's your thoughts on installing Positive Input Ventilation (my current choice)? Passive Stack Ventilation 'might' be possible as the house layout is pretty simple, but need a choice of replacement heating system first as it'll dictate available space...
@@johntisbury we can still use gas or wood burners (dry not wet) but I wonder if that will change in the future. Considering a more efficient stove. I’m not sure what we will do. I don’t think electric fire look as good as a real fire yet but it does frustrate me that me may still be burning stuff.
No questions John as you included so much detail, just wanted to say thank you for posting your amazing improvements for us all to learn from 🤙🏼
Thanks for watching Andy, glad it was interesting.
I'm going right now to prepare my draft detector and find some bubble wrap! Love that thermal imaging camera
Awesome, have fun. It is rather addictive! Yeah the thermal imaging camera really helps to locate those unseen areas behind walls, ceilings and so on. Worth their weight in gold.
Thanks John, you have just given me a long list of jobs my wife wants sorting :(
Sorry! 🥴
Hi John, a very interesting video showing a load of small adjustments can make a big difference.
Thanks Mark for watching. I was surprised how they all added up to improve the overall comfort of the home whilst still allowing us to lower the heat output from the boiler.
Hi John, can you please tell me where you got your thermo imagine camera from? Steve
Hi Steve, purchased from amazon some time ago.
Interesting stuff. Are you monitoring humidity in the house? As you reduce drafts you are reducing air flow so the moist air inside doesn’t get replaced with less moist air from outside (well not so much) the more moisture in the air the more chance you have of getting damp spots where there are cold spots. Very complex subject that may be worth a video.
Thanks for watching. Humidity is a good point. I have 2 Shelly Temp/Humidity sensors that I’m testing at the moment. Using Homa Assistant to automate things like dehumidifier s
Thanks for that video. I was interested in your final comments about temperature settings (room stat and boiler). You must have a different make/model of wife to me. Mine wouldn't be very happy with 20c and running the boiler at 46c would mean the house warming up in about a week and legionella bacteria going rampant in the hot water cylinder.
Thanks for watching Graham. We have our hot water heated by the eddi rather than the gas boiler and it's set to 65ºC as standard. It maybe as the cold weather hits harder we will increase the thermostat to 21 - 22ºC.
@@johntisbury I have considered an eddi but with our 6.9kWp panels located in NW England there isn't enough sun at this time of year to make an impression on the house electricity usage and keep one EV topped up. The situation might improve in spring/summer so I may try that next year. In the meantime heating the water with gas is the cheapest option, sadly.
Very helpful video, though i can't afford a new door, i put a thick thermal curtain in front of our door, which cuts the drafts out, using your toilet paper stick trick, led lights though some are cfl lights and will replace with led when they blow, our biggest problem is the age of the house ( 1940's ish) , though may be moving to a bungalow soon,
And if and when we do, i will look upon insulation in the loft and seals on the windows, though the loft with have to be done by the trade as i am disabled
Thermal curtains work, that’s for sure. The toilet paper and stick is simple and easy to use. Glad to hear it was helpful.
Good work John 👍 What's you logic for leaving the gas boiler on 24/7? Everything I've ever read says only heat the house when you actually want it warm i.e. operate the boiler on a timer. No need for the whole house to be at 20 degrees in the middle of the night when you're tucked up and fast asleep in bed 😉
Thanks Mark.
A great question re my boiler logic. It turned out to be flawed logic! My initial thoughts were because we'd dropped the boiler temperature to its lowest setting it was running like a heat pump, low and slow so keeping it running 24/7 would help to maintain that core temperature. However, since November last year we have kept the same boiler setting and run it on a timer (on at 8am off at 10pm) and the house has stayed the same temp and used less gas.
@@johntisbury Ahha, I wondered if that might be the case. It (running the heating 24/7 is more efficient than letting the house go cold then heating it back up when you want it) seems to be a persistent "myth" that has been around for ever. Perhaps it's the gas companies perpetuating it 😉
I’ve been getting by with just a spot laser thermometer. You’re making me want a thermal camera!
I’m thinking of a new data acquisition project. Using my raspberry pi to measure difference between inside and outside temperature. I could then correlate temperature decay rate with temperature difference. Then as part of a long term plan, each improvement to the building fabric can then be objectively measured in relation to temperature decay rate vs temperature difference.
It's a great idea. The thermal camera certainly helps to pinpoint where the issues are and where no action is required. Makes it a bit more targeted. Great idea on the longer term before and after measures too. A little more scientific than mine.
Paid someone to change the seals on every window in the house this week. Also changed the front door. I suppose that not so much of a coincidence given this channel is all about eco-efficiency. It’s like a new home. We were going to change the windows but were told we have great window and the benefits would be minimal. I’m impressed we were “sold” windows unnecessarily.
Now on to our next project. #Attic insulation.
Agree about it being a new home, those changes are noticeable. The attic will be a major improvement, so much heat lost via the attic.
Good advice , lubricate your window hinges often with silicone spray not oil , work it into the joints by moving the opener back and forth , it stops the joints seizing and pulling the sash tight against the seals , most of the time draughts are caused by lack of maintenance , after 40 years of fitting windows ive seen it all , most customers think windows and doors look after them selves , give them some TLC and they will last years
Hi John, thanks for sharing. Can you advise if the shutters you have fitted to the windows make a decent contribution cutting heat loss. I am considering getting them fitted but not sure of the benefits. Many thanks.
Thank you for watching. They are ideal for maximising solar gain and reducing the heat in the summer as the louvres can be adjusted to bring in more or less sunshine. You can also hing them right back away from the window which I do in the winter when there is any sunshine, again to maximise solar gain. We do notice a difference when we open the louvres on a cold day, it is considerably colder next to the glass.
Hi John loving the channel I’m in the north cumbria and wanting to change similar passive door , ark looks fantastic if it’s not being cheeky what was the cost to nearest £500 looks very impressive on with gasket change and 400mm insulation at the moment and running a 5kw solar , your figures are beating* me hands down 💪
@@TACADO1 thanks for watchning. The door and side panels with installation was just shy of 7k.
@@johntisbury thanks John looks stunning enjoying the channel keep up the good work 👍👍👍
@@TACADO1 thank you. The door is awesome, it's made a tremendous difference, no draughts in the hallway now. It's quieter too being triple glazed.
We also live in a very similar David Wilson Home of the same age with an identical drafty front door and boiler. So it's always interesting to see what you have done. I'll be blocking up our gas fireplace too.
You will have seen the same areas then I guess in your house too. Good news on the fireplace.
Do you have the link to the window seal website?
My parents need new windows (most are even blown, but all whistle etc) but simply refuse to. New seals would at the least stop heat from their radiators just going straight outside. Ridiculous really but hey ho, it's their house...
Hi Peter is was from Handles and Hinges: www.handlesandhinges.co.uk
They probably don't want new windows due to the perceived mess and upheaval from having them replaced. Defo a job for the warmer months.
@@johntisbury I thought that however I've been nagging them for the last 2 years! And they've only gotten worse in that time.
Thanks, I'll order the sample pack and see what happens!
I've changed the seals in half of our windows so far & it has made a big difference in terms of drafts. I might have to invest in a thermal camera too to pin point any hot/cold spots to be tackled.
Thanks for watching Scott. It's surprising how effective just changing the window seals is. Glad you've noticed a big improvement. The thermal camera will certainly help to identify 'hidden' issues that you need to tackle.
Hello John,what was your choice for the boiler replacement?
We didn’t change it in the end. Waiting and biding our time. Boiler was repaired and working fine, now running at its lowest temp.
@@johntisbury cheers for reply I'm in the same boat now,modernisation or stick with 20 year old boiler....your front door is spot on...how much would that set me back?
Regards Glen
Sorry for the slow reply. For some reason TH-cam thought your reply was spam and moved it to the 'for review' tab. I don't check it that often.
Our front door was 7K fitted and installed. Not cheap, but the it's a high end product.
Can I ask what make/model of thermal camera you have?
Thanks for watching Peter. It's a HTI brand model number HT-A1
Great video! Any thoughts on insulating between 1st and second floors? 🤔
Thanks Tom, not something I've considered to be honest. For us the major heat loss is with external walls, thermal bridges and having a concrete pad foundation.
Looks like a goldmine of info, looking forward to this. Questions to everyone trying to retrofit their homes to near passivhaus standard, what measures are you taking for air changes and elimination of condensation/humidity? And how much cost difference is there from installing Positive Input Ventilation against the systems needed if you're sealed up air-tight?
This is a great point. I'm looking at heat and humidity sensors to automatically trigger heating / ventilation in the longer term. We're nowhere near air-tight so no risk of mould, condensation or stale air.
Very interesting topic and work you're doing.
My only critique is air circulation within your property.
It will be interesting to see how condensation builds up.
I've been looking into and installing mechanical heat recovery unit in the bathroom and other rooms
Thanks Michael, it's a very valid point about air circulation. We are nowhere near passive house standards in terms of air tightness so don't think lack of circulation will be a problem. MHVR is currently a bit of a mare to retrofit, I'm sure neater and better solutions will come along in the near future.
@@johntisbury I thought the same thing.
And yes, the massive whole house recirculators would require a lot of plumbing.
But you could look at the idea of just the bathroom for a start. You already have one extraction out.
I take it the fan is in the loft.
So all you would need to do is add a small single room recirculator add an extra hole in the bathroom roof and an extra hole outside note these need to be a minimum of 1 m apart.
Which then brings me to each room. I figured I only need to do the bedrooms so I could put one above each bedroom.
I've only installed the one in the bathroom to date. I don't have any data to work with yet as the bathroom is still being renovated
@Michael Pickles interesting to hear this and makes a lot of sense. I shall investigate. Thanks.
These certainly work, I have one in the garage. Would prefer a more installed solution, however they are certainly a sensible priced option.
My problem is condensation and that's before making any draught reduction, what's your thoughts on installing Positive Input Ventilation (my current choice)? Passive Stack Ventilation 'might' be possible as the house layout is pretty simple, but need a choice of replacement heating system first as it'll dictate available space...
What do you plan to do long term with your fireplace and chimney?
Hmm a good question. I've not given it any thought to be fair. We don't use it, so I guess it will get properly blocked up at some point.
@@johntisbury we can still use gas or wood burners (dry not wet) but I wonder if that will change in the future. Considering a more efficient stove. I’m not sure what we will do. I don’t think electric fire look as good as a real fire yet but it does frustrate me that me may still be burning stuff.
👍
Super thanks Glyn 😉
👍
Thanks