New Front Door - how messy/disruptive is it?

Hi all,

We got some internal insulation done and had parts of the house replastered and painted recently. However, we still find the hall a bit drafty and wish we'd changed the front door while we were doing the bigger job.

How disastrous would it be to change the front door now? Would we need to change the door frame? If so, would we need to get plasterers in again? Not sure I have the stomach or budget for it...

Dardania

I had it done - it's tolerable. You have to get the plaster near the door patched to marry with the door, and then repaint to suit.

Definitely do the door frame, to get a good seal - particularly if your concern is draughts. Other topics to look out for at the same time is:
- insulation - what's the final U-value (compare against Building Regulations part L to see what you should aim for)
- air tightness - do you need a letter hole, or could one be mounted externally? Good for security to prevent people trying to fish keys etc.
- security - are the looks multipoint into the frame, and do they prevent a lad with a hammer and nail just knocking out the lock cylinder - the Gards have some advice here: http://www.garda.ie/Documents/User/CP%20Info%20Sheet%20-%20HS2%20-%20Doors%20-%20Feb%2017.pdf
- safety - thumb turn internally for fire safety, rather than keys

Thanks a lot - very useful. Will explore a bit further.

Drafts are definitely the main issue. There is also a small porch but that is an icebox so we need to change one or both doors. The porch also has a window and is generally not well insulated so am thinking that the main hall door is the one to go for.

BryanF

Air-tightness tape: between door and wall. But then if you’ve drylined your probably snookered anyway

Calahonda52

Deleted User wrote: »

Hi all,

We got some internal insulation done and had parts of the house replastered and painted recently. However, we still find the hall a bit drafty and wish we'd changed the front door while we were doing the bigger job.

How disastrous would it be to change the front door now? Would we need to change the door frame? If so, would we need to get plasterers in again? Not sure I have the stomach or budget for it...

WHAT ABOUT A PORCH DOOR?

Hadn't heard of airtightness tape - will have a look for that to see if it might suit.

We're actually getting a BER assessment tomorrow so we can claim a grant for doing the insulation work. I'd have to say the total impact is underwhelming in some rooms, particularly downstairs. Upstairs is toasty though - far from the open fireplace and hall door.

There is a porch door but that space is freezing. There is a window and the roof of the porch is probably not insulated (it juts out a bit from the house).

Lumen

Did you get a heat loss survey done?

No...but am Googling what this is nnnnnow!

BER assessor coming tomorrow - wonder if he'll have any ideas
The other major heat loss is through the fireplace and the can't-be-closed vent in the sitting room.

The vent is apparently required for a room with a fire in it. But I'm seriously considering replacing it because we use the fire about three times a year.

Lumen

Deleted User wrote: »

The vent is apparently required for a room with a fire in it. But I'm seriously considering replacing it...

Vents aren't making your house cold, although you may be able to replace the chimney with a stove that has an external air supply and then change the vent to demand-controlled.

The problem is more likely to be convection currents circulating within the building fabric.

BER assessment focuses mostly on theoretical performance of the materials of your house, not the measured performance of your house. The BER assessor may be able to shed light on the problem, or not.

(I have no professional expertise, I'm just repeating what I've read as a means of improving my own understanding).

It really feels like the vent is making the sitting room cold! Could be wrong but there's a discernible draft flowing in - it's like having a window open all day and night