Fun and joy with a thermal camera, part II: first (and main) floor

[Garald]

Here's a tour of the main floor, taken yesterday - outside temperature -2C.

 

Let us start with a surprise - the two chimneys behave rather differently:

 

 

Here is the one on the left:

(Again, my apologies for the mess.)

 

Here is the one on the right:

As you can see, both have iron shutters. My understanding is that the first one is fully functional, whereas the second one would need some serious cleaning - but it is not sealed as far as I know.

 

I do not know what causes the difference. I believe I have sometimes heard the wind howling through the first one.

 

All I can think of is:

- using a chimney stop such as this one (how does one size it correctly?): https://www.amazon.fr/Anti-courants-dair-pour-cheminée-33cm/dp/B00SEL5VXS/ref=sr_1_14?__mk_fr_FR=ÅMÅŽÕÑ&crid=YCB9JMDUFCP7&keywords=chimney balloon&qid=1704853489&sprefix=chimney balloon%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-14&fbclid=IwAR2OCmsZlQjP0k_4syBo2itzNmKYscrUc1DWMYPfL86fY9JMKT9ui_2ESt8

- getting a solid-wood book case with a heavy back to put against the chimney; that would add resistance while being easily removable.

 

Let us take a few step backs and enter the first floor through the staircase from the ground floor:

 

 

As you can see, the contractors put single glazing
(openable) behind the stained glass. The single glazing does not have much R (I looked at it through the IR camera after opening the stained glass: the minimal temperature was about 2, and I could see my own IR reflection - I forgot to take a picture, but I can take one if this sounds hard to believe) but at least it stops convection (though I do not believe it is perfectly tight; the stained-glass windows aren't). I imagine it would have been difficult to get double-glazing in these dimensions. Is there anything I should keep in mind or do about this issue?

 

Let us go further -

a) Bathroom and shower room. This is double-glazing installed some ten years ago by the previous owners.

 

 

b) This is the bedroom. Again, this is old double-glazing, and the orientation is NWN, but still, a minimal temperature of 12.4 seems low. Maybe there's an issue in the upper edge?

The thin roller curtain does seem to help some - or is the fact that its surface temperature is not lower than that of the walls meaningless?

 

 

 

 

c) Library 

 

This is new double glazing.

 

No great surprises here (other than the chimney). The PVC frames seem significantly colder than the glass itself - yet another reason (other than maximizing light) why I believe it would have been better to have two-pane windows, even if opening it would have been somewhat inconvenient.

 

The (sold wood) bookcases are noticeably warmer than the rest. I will probably put some 2cm wood on the windowsills - or is there a reason not to?

 

d) Kitchen

 

 

I do not see much to comment on here. I do wonder what that hot spot is (marked in red).

 

e) Stairwell going up to the attic

 

 

No surprises here (it is colder than elsewhere, and there is no reason why it should not be - the cat does not seem to mind) , though there seems to be something funny going on around the edge (see blue cross).