?need help insulating / finding cold spot / draft

[NoTine42]

the radiator close to the heater is quite a lot warmer than the one in the bedroom, 15 feet away; i'm pretty sure the boiler only makes hot water, not steam. it's a cheapo Ariston e-combi, and it looks like it maxes out at 90c.
i can't find the bleed valve either on any of the radiators. maybe there is one for the whole system?

btw, the windows do not feel particularly cold to the touch. they are also mostly double-glass.

You Europeans and your fancy, stylish radiators. In the States, you can only become a plumber if you fail a design test, so most supply houses only give you the choice of ugly or really ugly.

It does appear that radiator could have 2 chrome flow valves at the base (you want more flow in the cold room) and a capped bleed valve at the top of the radiator

But we are quickly approaching the need for a pro to check as the underlying plumbing and circulation has many factors

 

[NoTine42]

Honestly, if I was even considering a weekly rental from Home Depot as someone suggested (which runs $300), I would have a very hard time not justifying another $100 and just buying a lesser model from the same company:

http://www.amazon.com/FLIR-TG165-Sp...qid=1447934931&sr=8-4&keywords=thermal+camera

If you don't mind more work to save $, you could just get an infrared scanning thermometer (and then scan all the surfaces)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008EW837S/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile

 

[Ham n' Eggs]

It is probably more of a case of cold air coming in.

With that in mind, feel around the baseboard on the outer walls... all the way around, I had a gap between my floors and the wall panels (underneath/behind the floor trim) and it felt like a river of cold air was pouring in when i had the trim off. I caulked that all up around the entire perimeter and it shut off the cold air infiltration.

Also, kitchen cabinets. If there are air leaks in the walls behind your cabinets you won't feel it. We have a part of our kitchen cabinets that is "open" underneath the front. The front panels and drawers are on the front view, but underneath those there is an overhang and at the corner of one is a "missing" bit of wood and cold air pours in from that spot like a banshee. We shove a towel to plug it up in the winter time.

Also around the doors is a good place to feel, I know you said you checked but actually really feel carefully, you can feel cold drafts very well with your fingers if you are located near one.

 

[DigDog]

i'm going to see if B&Q has a IR thermometer to rent, although i doubt; that kind of practical services escapes the euro mentality. failing that, it's the incense stick test...and failing that, it's buying an additional electric heater.

 

[zinfamous]

LOL @ Scotland the Brave. Just drink more ya big pussy.

:thumbsup:

 

[FeuerFrei]

Maybe buy an infrared camera for your smartphone.

Link is just an example.

 

[notposting]

Why is all this on you? Renting the house? Get the landlord out and let them figure it out.

I mean, you expect a rental to be a bit sketchy on insulation, appliances (ie furnace efficiency) and all that, but it's only November and you're freezing with the heat on full blast? Do you pay the utility bills?

Get the landlord out.

 

[Phoenix86]

I've heard rumors that you can rent a thermal camera from.....places.
I'm not sure where though. Maybe a local HVAC place would have one available?



....or maybe just Home Depot or Lowes.
$150 deposit, and $75/day, or $53 for up to 4 hours.

Not sure how well they work but you can get a flir camera for your phone for about $250.

edit: missed that 150 was a deposit... Yeah, just rent one for 4 hours. Should be able to cover your entire home in that time.

 

[isekii]

guys, i need some help here or i'm going to die. house = cold. heating on full blast, still freezing.

i have 5 windows and a door, and i have looked but i can't find where the f my hot air is going.

i have been thinking, maybe colored smoke? i have checked all 5 windows and i can't feel a draft on any, and the door has a little "step" in front specifically to block drafts. i'm going crazy. halp?

(i dont own the house. i can't do any major work in it, maybe silicon + mats tops)

just rent one of these from home depot and enjoy

http://www6.homedepot.com/tool-truck-rental/Thermal_Camera/FLIR_i7/

 

[Imp]

Honestly, if I was even considering a weekly rental from Home Depot as someone suggested (which runs $300), I would have a very hard time not justifying another $100 and just buying a lesser model from the same company:

http://www.amazon.com/FLIR-TG165-Sp...qid=1447934931&sr=8-4&keywords=thermal+camera

Nerd forum where everyone makes $100k and loves tech gadgets like $1k drones, a sub-$1k tool shouldn't be a stretch. Not to mention, it's a very useful tool -- I have one, a $3k commercial model, but I'm also trained in stuff related to its applications -- for checking things around the house.

If you have an Android or iPhone, this one is sub-$300:
http://www.amazon.com/FLIR-ONE-Thermal-Imager-Android/dp/B00W5PRY52/

I'm sorry for saying sub $1k earlier because I knew there were options from Flir in the $300 to $1000 range? On a forum where people spend $500+ on video cards that burn over a 100 W of electricity when loaded?

 

[DigDog]

looks like an IR thermometer might be less than $50 here. will let you know. for tonight, i'll have to grin and bear it. luckily, it's raining, that ought to keep the temps in check.

 

[Imp]

looks like an IR thermometer might be less than $50 here. will let you know. for tonight, i'll have to grin and bear it. luckily, it's raining, that ought to keep the temps in check.

Bla bla bla, not professional advice.

Things to look for...
Conduction losses: Heat conducted through walls, windows, doors, roof, basement floor, etc.

Convection losses: Warmed air lost through air leaks in house.

Inadequate heating: Heater produced less energy than that which is lost (e.g. my cable box gets hot too, but it won't heat my house).

No sun or lots of shade factors in -- you're in Scotland, the land of gingers that are allergic to sun so that's probably an issue.

 

[boomerang]

Honestly, if I was even considering a weekly rental from Home Depot as someone suggested (which runs $300), I would have a very hard time not justifying another $100 and just buying a lesser model from the same company:

http://www.amazon.com/FLIR-TG165-Sp...qid=1447934931&sr=8-4&keywords=thermal+camera

Just spoke to a friend that has every tool imaginable. He doesn't have a thermal imager - now. But, he said he's been wanting one for a long time and ordered this one while we were on the phone. He'll have it on Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.

http://www.amazon.com/Seek-Reveal-H...448209169&sr=8-2&keywords=seek+thermal+reveal

[FONT=&quot]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-KhPE5ca6Y
[/FONT]

 

[tortillasoup]

If you have any single paned windows in the house, you should get plastic wrap/clear plastic insulation and install it around the frame of the window, creating an air gap. You can do this from this inside or outside. If you put two layers one on inside and one on outside, you'll effectively have a low grade triple pane window. I use a 4mil clear plastic I picked up at Ace hardware. You can if you want use a thinner grade plastic for the inside of the window. Draperies help but because they do not seal perfectly, they help with radiation and conduction losses to an extent but not convection losses. The only way to properly insulate a window is with either with Quilted shade on a track or cellular shade on a track. The track is important to seal around the edges. Putting plastic wrap around the frames of the window will help with all convection/conduction losses but not radiation losses so using drapes will help to an extent.



Going from an R value of less than 1 with a single paned aluminum window to an R-2 is a HUGE difference in energy losses, slightly more than 50% energy savings. Think of R-value like fuel economy. Going from 1mpg to 2mpg is a huge savings.

http://www.efficientwindowcoverings.org/


You know you're losing a lot of heat if you have any condensation on your windows!

As for losing heat around the house, go around the perimeter of the house with a flashlight and with the light shining through the other side, try to see if you can see the light through the edges of the door. If you do, you know your doors aren't properly weather stripped.


A house definitely should NOT BE DRAFTY! Fix the draft and you'll be significantly better off.

 

[DigDog]

well, i've done the incense test, and i can't find any drafts. i do have two small window panes which are single glass, so i will have to cover those with extra plastic.
can't find a IR therm yet, will have to amazon it.

 

[Imp]

What are your walls made of?

Unless you live in a glass condo, solid opaque walls usually cover more surface area than windows.

 

[Teabaghead]

Are the walls cavity or solid stone?

 

[quackagator]

Put bubble wrap on the windows.Easy and it helps

 

[Humpy]

Get a cat.

Wherever it sleeps can be eliminated as a source of cold air.

 

[DaWhim]

get something like this to seal the windows, preferrably all of it.
http://www.zoro.com/frost-king-shri...gclid=CKe-8e7UpckCFYEsHwod5LoApw&gclsrc=aw.ds

maybe your house wall is not insulated?

 

[DigDog]

update as soon as i'm done the tests, doing some work-related stuff for now.