Cold conservatory

Blowheads

Hi All,
We have a conservatory attached to the kitchen but closed off during the winter months. It gets cold in there even though the heat is turned on.
Standard cavity wall with 6 windows & Glass door, 2 rads and a timber finished ceiling.
By my estimation either the walls are not insulated or more likely the roof is not.
What is the best way to check and correct this issue? I dont want to have to take down the ceiling or have to re-roof it fully if possible. Thanks for any advice.

Regards,
Paul

martinn123

Hi paul,

a few questions, do you know how old the Conservatory is. Glass insulation has improved greatly over the past years.

Glass now should have a U Value of 1.1 or thereabouts, if yours is a few years old it may not have well insulated glass. The glass can be replaced.

What do you have on the roof, tiles, slates, if its timber lined it should be insulated, maybe not

You may be able to upgrade the roof to a better insulated one depending on what you have at present.

Hope this is some help,

Blowheads

Hi Martin,
The conservatory was built approx 2007. The windows are double glazed. There is one crack in one pane (the windoes are in 4 sections common) but I cannot image this is the cause.
The roof is slated.

Regards,
Paul

dp639

Do the rads in your conservatory get as hold as they should?

Maybe the rads are not big enough for the size of the room.

Blowheads

yes, the rads a piping when the heat is on.
area is approx 10sq metres, rads are 2 x 1m approx in size

martinn123

finneranpaul wrote: »

Hi Martin,
The conservatory was built approx 2007. The windows are double glazed. There is one crack in one pane (the windoes are in 4 sections common) but I cannot image this is the cause.
The roof is slated.

Regards,
Paul

Hi Paul,
sounds like a lack of insulation, the glass in the windows can be replaced but that wil cost a few quid, the floor should have been insulated but no way to check that without digging up floor. walls should also be insulated, if its a cavity wall you could get insulation pumped in, I think there are grants available.

can you get at the area above the timber ceiling and below slates, if this area is not insulated heat will escape easily, this is probably the best place to start, as heat rises.

if not insulated, you could take down the timber ceiling, insulate and replace, should not be too expensive, check grants for this also.

If the room was properly insulated when built, you should be able to use it all year round.

How about the people who built it are they around, the structure is not up to building reg's so you may have some comeback there.

Good luck.

Blowheads

hi martin,
cannot take down the timbers as the are tacked to the ceiling. this is not a small job. is it possible to take off a few tiles and pump the cavity in the roof?

martinn123

finneranpaul wrote: »

hi martin,
cannot take down the timbers as the are tacked to the ceiling. this is not a small job. is it possible to take off a few tiles and pump the cavity in the roof?

I think you need to look into the space, to see if there is any insulation first, can you take down a small section of the timber, or lift a tile to expose the area. Once you have established if the area is not insulated, you should get a quote from a company who do insulation, pumping it in may be a solution but the weight might bring down the ceiling. So get professional advice, and a few quotes.

You could also get insulated plaster boards, which you would attach under the existing timbers effectively forming a new ceiling, there are finished boards available so you do not need to plaster, check with your local builders supplier.Or www.kingspan.ie