tmcb1234

Hi, We have bifold doors leading to outside which are combined with an external aluminium door (so you don't have to open the bifold every time to go outside, can just open the door). This is a multipoint locking aluminium door. I have noticed though that the top of this separate door (not the bifolds themselves) does not close flush with the surround at the very top (it closes flush elsewhere and have adjusted the bottom and middle keeps as well and it sits flush absolutely fine there) but because the top is not fitting flush (see image 0940), we get draughts coming in to the area. I think I've adjusted the keep as far as it can go but would welcome if there's anything more I can do on either the keep (pictured) or on the hinges (also pictured)? I also wondered what these gaps in the aluminium surround at the bottom are (oval shaped) that go into the actual door mechanism at the bottom. surely these let in draught too/should be sealed or what are they for? (Img.0946). Finally wondered if there should be a metal strip (if so where I could get one) between where the bifold mechanism/mount is and the laminate flooring? Img. 0945 Would welcome anything I can do for adjusting these have tried everything and we are still getting a v cold and draughty room. Thanks!

Any particular brands you'd recommend/any links?

Hi, We have gravity shutters externally on our new build which go from the bathroom extractor fan. Every time I go outside they always seem to be easily opened and are open with very little, if any, wind. I've noticed that the room beneath this vent (the vent goes from bathroom through the partition between first and second floor) gets very cold as a result. Any tips on what to replace it with and/or how to stop the draft into the bedroom below?

No sign of damp in garage yet and we've had heavy rain and snow over last 4 months. Inside the garage is a some boarding for a ceiling so you cannot see up to the actual roof itself

OK so what exact phrasing do I need to say when replying to builder on this matter to fix it/how would they need to fix it?

Yes sorry I meant my pictures - where on my pictures above are you referring to?

I have stuffed some insulation material in that gap for now to fill it until they come to replace

This is what it looks like from front to give you better idea of other profile...

Apologies for my lack of knowledge - what do you mean by a lead upstand going up to the peak?

it is proving quite a challenge to see anything through that gap sadly! It is hard to discern what is what there sadly

Hi, Noticed this gap in the brickwork and a vertical strip of what appears to be polystyrene on a section of small roof above a ground floor lounge. This is new build so clearly builder needs to come back to fix and redo brickwork. 1. What can I do temporarily to plug the hole and stop draughts going into the roof/down cavities 2. What do I need to ask the builder to do exactly? I assume new bricks and mortar on that area to properly seal it off in line with the roof. Would welcome key terminology/wording to use. Attach some pictures of the side profile (ignore the staining that is being sorted) -the gap is at the top left. then also a picture of the gap a bit closer up - you can see the strip of poly vertically and the gap. Wonder if this is causing cold walls to touch and a cold ceiling?! I also attach a picture of a similar house style that appears to have it done properly (img. 0904 which slopes from right to left).

OK thanks for that I will get that reported/sorted. It is a condensing boiler flue that one. has a long pipe in the garage but it is very close to that corner. Developer has BLP not NHBC warranty. Smaller side of things. What kind of insulation should there be in that small roof section? Sellotex/foam board or loose fill/fibreglass mineral?

I had a look at the extractor van end (rather than the external vent - it runs a good two metres between the two) and appears to be Flexi-pipe. The pipework is in the void yes and I can feel a draught in the area directly under the vent cover (not where the actual fan is but near where it meets the external wall)

That appears to be coming from boiler flue. Any tips on that? Or is there something else there? How would I check fire barrier?

Hi, Have noticed the walls in some rooms, particularly lounge, feel cold to touch and am concerned that these, and others, are not cavity wall filled. Any advice on how to check whether they are, what to look for and also how to repair any damage?

Hi, Not sure how to check this but I have noticed the ceiling in our bedroom (new build) gets much colder and can feel draughts as it gets closer to where the bathroom vent cover is (it is one with flaps so should prevent backdraught). The vent is not in the attic (it is between the first and second floor) and fairly high up so difficult to access from outside. How best to check the duct is correctly sealed/secured and what should I be looking for here? Thanks!

Hi, We've noticed our lounge, in our new build, to be particularly cold room of the house. The ceiling of the lounge partly is underneath the upstairs bedroom and partly by a roof (about half and half). Using a temperature gun I notice between a 5 and 10C temp difference between the ceiling which is under the bedroom and that under the roof. The roof itself is smallish in height and has no access/loft hatch to easily look up there. I have tried looking through plasterboard gap where light fitting is but very difficult. Any tips to check and see how I can check if they have insulated up there (and if so what insulation to expect in that small roof)? Pictures attached for clarification.

Is there anything I can do as a quick fix for this do we think until the builders come? I used a temperature gun and the eaves ceiling walls are 2-3ºC as is the floor and I can feel the draft. Cannot see anything else due to the plasterwork and painting - any tips to help this? Ideally something I can just put against the ceiling walls/affix temporarily in the eaves and the floor to insulate them...?

So that loft is above the master bedroom too at the top. essentially there is a loft hatch above the bedroom and the bedroom also has the dormer and the eaves storage. beneath that one of the rooms has a draught and very cold ceiling bu the other does not. Seem to have had an easterly wind and those rooms are east/south-east facing so that may be impacting it. We noticed that there was less snow on our roofs than other houses on the estate so may be contributory factor. However we notice the walls themselves on the floor below are also cold. Really keen to see if they have insulated at all in any of these areas but accessing walls/dormer/eaves may be hard so any tips welcome!

Good question on the eaves cupboards I am not sure - they are built into the roof structure but the roof of those feels cold. The only insulation I could see in the loft is that on same level as the loft hatch there doesn't appear to be any on the timbers. Here's the loft itself - appears to be a breathable membrane. This was taken a few months ago. It is baffling to work out where these drafts and the cold is coming from. the ceiling in the room underneath the main bedroom was 10C today. Heating is on full blast with maximum rad temperatures and the room doesn't get above 18ºC.

Hi, On our new build house we have what I believe is referred to as a dormer in the roof - a window and accompanying structure jutting out from it. However I noticed recently a substantial draft and cold in the eaves of that room and that the room there and below will not heat above 18ºC. Checked the boiler, rads etc. and all fine. Then noticed that there is substantial gapping between the tiles and the underpinning structure either side of the window. Is this normal? I believe it isn't and may be causing the draft and the cold ceilings in the eaves storage cupboards. If it isn't normal, what is the correct phrasing I should use/any advice you have to get this sorted? And is there anything else to check/mention and make sure they do? The walls also feel cold in those rooms and the room underneath it and I can definitely feel a draft.