Old kitchen - Massive Heat Loss

Could anybody give ideas on a cost-effective way of heating an old 'L' shaped kitchen. The 'L' is part of an extension that runs across the width of the house. Then there is the square part of the original kitchen.


There are windows facing the garden that are double glazed, there are patio doors that are double glazed, there is a single glazed sky light on the 'L', there is a fire place in the old part of the kitchen. Alongside one wall of the kitchen is the garage, which is part insulated and a disability bathroom.


I have tried a chimney balloon in the past, I have also put thermal plasterboards on the extension roof and there are three radiators in the room, but even when they are all on, the room is very cold.


Any thoughts at all would be appreciated. I was thinking if I fitted some sort of chip wood stove, but is there a lot of maintenance in this, also what would the installation costs be? Would I have to put another hole in the ceiling for a flue (more draughts then?)


Many thanks,


Realta

Hi Eniledam,

Could you provide the following details:

What is the construction of the external walls? ie. Cavity block, hollow block etc.

What type of roof is over the extension? i.e. Flat, lean to, pitched etc.

Is the skylight a velux window or a plastic dome type?

Is the fire place in the old kitchen an open fire or stove and is the flue still clear? i.e. has it been blocked up (apart from the chimney balloon)?

What is the construction of the wall between the kitchen & garage/disabled toilet?

Regards,
Guns N Roses

Another question, what is the floor material? Any ideas what the sub-floor detail is like? When was the extension constructed?

You should be able to feel around for drafts and the worst causes of heat loss. You can get smoke producing matches to identify sources of drafts. Use your hand or a thermometer to measure the temp of the walls, windows, doors, floor, ceiling, etc. to see how many of them, if any are properly insulated.

Leo said:

Another question, what is the floor material? Any ideas what the sub-floor detail is like? When was the extension constructed?

You should be able to feel around for drafts and the worst causes of heat loss. You can get smoke producing matches to identify sources of drafts. Use your hand or a thermometer to measure the temp of the walls, windows, doors, floor, ceiling, etc. to see how many of them, if any are properly insulated.

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Thank you both for your replies. It is a flat roof, with an old fashioned sky light. The floor is concrete in the old part of the kitchen and wooden in the newer part. It is covered with very thick - skid resistant lino. I don't know what the exterior wall is made of at all.

I am thinking of adding another layer of glazing to the windows, which are about 15 to 18 years old now, also making the sky light glass double glazed, maybe add some insulating panels to the walls that face the garden, the remainder should be fairly well insulated and putting up piles of bricks in front of the fire-place to seal it up a bit.

Is there anything else you could suggest.

Many thanks.

I'd recommend you get someone competent to take a look at it and talk through the options with you. Just placing insulation slabs over some of the walls will likely still leave you with cold-bridging issues and could result in serious condensation problems.

Eniledam said:

Is there anything else you could suggest.

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Yes. Get a professional to look at it. From your description, the room is a mixture of different construction types. Carrying out all the remedial work you suggested will be a waste of your time and money.

As Leo said, if you don't identify and fix all of the heat loss areas, you will only succeed in creating cold bridging and possible condensation problems with no noticeable heat gain.

Thank you for your advice, would you have any idea where I would find an expert to assist?

Many thanks.