Insulation

It may not be entirely seasonal to be thinking about insulation in the middle of summer, but my Mum's front door has really been letting in the wind lately so we've spent a very useful half an hour trying to filll the gaps around the edges with insulating foam tape. 

When Dad was alive he made sure the door was practically hermetically sealed with foam tape because he really felt the cold, the house is on the top of a very high hill, and the front door faces north.  Rather foolishly, Mum and I decided to strip all the tape off the summer after he died - when the temperatures rose to 38 degrees (approx. 96) - somehow forgetting that it would be much colder that following winter.  Oddly enough, it's only been the last few weeks that Mum has decided that enough is enough with the draughts from the front door, and with the cost of gas and electricity forecast to rise by 40 per cent next winter, it was time to take some action.  For the £2.99 cost of the tape (and there is still some left over) we're hoping that a good proportion of the gaps have been plugged.  At least we can no longer see daylight down the side of the door which has to be an improvement.  I think I shall be visiting my local Wilkinsons when I get back to Essex and having a go at the incredibly draughty french windows in our dining room.  I have had a go at plugging the gaps on them before, but I think with the cost of heating our homes set to rise so dramatically that I'd better make sure every single last gap is plugged.  When Mum and I were in Wilkinsons on Saturday I noticed they sold long foam tubes for insulating pipes, I'm hoping they'll be just the thing to fix to the bottom of my french windows as a form of draught excluder.  I had been thinking about making an extra long draught excluder for the french windows but wasn't sure how I would be able to stuff it economically, hopefully the foam tubes will do the job just as well for a fraction of the cost.  If they look too utilitarian at the bottom of the door I could always cover them in fabric instead.

Also on the lines of keeping warm, I found a rather nice long-line cardigan / jacket in one of the charity shops this morning.  At £4.00 it was incredibly reasonably priced for the charity shops around here.  It's a rather pleasing black chenille yarn and will work both as a jacket in the autumn and as an extra layer of warmth when I'm at home in the winter - especially if we have to keep the heating off for longer because of the extra cost.

Of course, if we all had the non-stop energy of a five year old we'd never feel the cold.  If it's there, he has to climb it!

Comments

[French Knots]

I made some draught excluders last winter to try and keep heating costs down,using the legs of old jeans. Don't know if you have a Pounshop round your way but they sell pillows which made an excellent and cost effective stuffing.

[Heather]

I can remember my Dad doing the same, every door had tape around it!

I too will be making draft excluders this year using the legs from old pairs of jeans.

Glad you are having a lovely time with your family Elizabeth!