anna24 Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Hi! We bought our house 4 years back and since the last winter, downstairs has been so cold inspite of the heating being on. Is this because of the house settling? I can feel a draft under the integrated dishwasher and literally all doors downstairs. I tried redoing the sealant but made no difference. Where do I start? Whom do I call? I have a baby at home now, need the house to be warm urgently Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redoctober Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Oh dear a new arrival always helps focus th emind. - if it is a new build, then I suggest you contact the developers.They may still be on site if the development is on going. Have you had this problem for the past 4 years ? If so what have you done about it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceverge Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 1 hour ago, anna24 said: Hi! We bought our house 4 years back and since the last winter, downstairs has been so cold inspite of the heating being on. Is this because of the house settling? I can feel a draft under the integrated dishwasher and literally all doors downstairs. I tried redoing the sealant but made no difference. Where do I start? Whom do I call? I have a baby at home now, need the house to be warm urgently Congrats on the new arrival. You've plenty on your plate for sure so sorry to hear about the house. It sounds unfortunately like poor airtightness. There's one route of chasing the builders etc but it won't to make you any warmer in the short term. There's two things I can suggest to make an immediate difference. 1. Make sure that the humidity is under control in the house. If it's damp it'll feel much colder. This means not drying cloths inside, making sure pots are covered and extractor fans used and bathroom extractors are all working and drawing the air out. If you are seeing any condensation on windows/mirrors etc regularly it's a telltale sign. Ventilate appropriately prevent this. ( Use trickle vents or windows if a room becomes stuffy/humid) 2. Try to start by making at least one room comfortable for you and the baby. Preferably a small one with fewer external walls. Pull the furniture away from the wall and start sealing any gaps that you can feel a draft through. Consider using a door snake. Use child safety blanking plugs for the socket outlets if you feel any drafts etc. Then turn the radiator in there up and the others down. You won't be spending a fortune as it's only one room and though not ideal at least you'll have a warm "base" from which to tackle the problem further. Remember that if the air becomes too stuffy/humid at any time you should ventilate properly. Trickle vents. Open a window for 30 seconds to allow for an air change etc. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 HOW is the house heated? What type of boiler etc? Radiators or UFH? It seems strange that all of a sudden it is cold now if it has been working for the last 3 years. It is not as though it is especially cold yer and the heating has to work hard. If we know what type of heating we might suggest what to check. It sounds more like after not being used all summer, something is stuck, like a valve or a pump? Draughts won;t help, but I would be very surprised if that is the entire cause of heating not working at this time of year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMo Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 Start with the basics are all or some of the radiators getting hot? Did you turn down the flow temperature on the heating last year? If you are not sure what you are looking at, get the plumber in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 6 hours ago, anna24 said: Is this because of the house settling No. That's good advice above. It's probably a plumbing thing eg Pump or valve not working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 There is probably big gaps in the floor or wall behind washing machine/dishwasher, just seen similar in my niece’s new build, where a water supply pipe comes up in a hole about 100mm diameter, hole not sealed, plasterboard not taped, no skirtings . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted October 18, 2023 Share Posted October 18, 2023 5 minutes ago, TonyT said: There is probably big gaps Yes, but unlikely to be sudden since last winter. Unfortunately the developers usually hide from responsibility. I've seen this in a similar situation. I helped get the Borough council involved and it was sorted reluctantly. If it's really cold, try to get health visitors or your Borough / City Councillor to help. They have some clout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyT Posted October 19, 2023 Share Posted October 19, 2023 Who knows, not like the OP has answered any of the questions that others have asked to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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