We are all trying to save on our energy bills, so identifying where and how heat is being lost in a home is useful. Here’s how you can spot heat loss in your home.
Insulation
If you have little to no insulation, it’s likely you’re losing a substantial amount of heat. A typical uninsulated home loses about 25% of heat through the roof and 33% through the floor.
Heat can also be lost through windows and doors, vents and chimneys and through gaps and cracks. If you do have insulation,
Visual check
To start, look around your home for any signs of heat loss, such as draughts near window and door edges and condensation on windows. Also check for any gaps under electrical outlets, pipes and doors. If you have spotlights in a room, these can let out heat from it into the cold space above, so you can install downlight covers to fill any gaps between the plasterboard and light fitting. These can be obtained from suppliers such as https://www.thermahooddirect.com.
DIY test
You don’t need fancy equipment to find heat loss. As well as feeling for cold spots and air from draughts, you can use a candle or an incense stick near doors and windows to see where the flame flickers to identify air leaks. If you want something more technical, some smartphones can download a thermal imaging app for detecting cold spots around windows and on walls.
For a more detailed evaluation, you can hire a professional to do an energy audit.