Windy Roof Space

Our house (end stone cottage, next to another cottage with a barn on the other end) has been much colder this year than last - to the extent that it just doesn't get warm in cold windy weather even with the heating on full.

Nothing seems to have changed since last year, except when I put my head into the loft the other day the wind was literally howling around the roof space.

Now, the roof looks fine from the outside and there are no leaks (as far as I know!).

Is it normal to have wind whistling through the loft (it hasn't been like that in any other houses I have known, but this has a shared roof space with next door - doesn't extend to the barn)?

What could be causing it? How do I find where it's coming from? We're cold!

Reply to
Mike
Loading thread data ...

================================== Have you get enough insulation in the loft? The recommended thickness is

280mm.

Cic.

Reply to
Cicero

That doesn't actually help much if there is a howling gale blowing over and through it..

Sounds similar to my heap - old solid-stone walled house with a tiled roof. From inside the loft you can see all the tiles - no lining.

It doesn't let water in, but enough wind works its way under the slates to produce a howling gale inside, when a good one is blowing outside.

Simple test - take a thermometer and push it vertically through the insulation, one cm at a time and get the temperature profile. Repeat when the howling gale is blowing. If it has changed dramatically, you know what the problem is.

My solution was a few rolls of "anti-weed" sheet - the sort you put under paths to stop stuff growing up through from underneath. Laid over the (thick) insulation, it keeps the air in the insulation trapped and still lets any chance of any condensation or other nasties going on underneath. Result! I used a battery plastic bag sealer to join adjacent panels together, BTW. Cheaper and easier than tape.

It is still bloody cold in the loft and the wind still howls - but a thermometer pushed into the insulation shows near enough the same temperature profile when the wind is blowing as it did when it wasn't. Which is a pretty linear decrease in temperature, dropping sharply over the last cm.

Oh, never insulate under the water tank....but do put a "wall" of insulation around its bottom - to stop too much heat simply being blown out from under..

Oh, isn't living in an old house fun!

Reply to
Palindrome

================================== A nice selling point - a flying carpet in the loft.

I agree with your point about measuring temperature differentials. I've currently got two dual reading thermometers in place - simultaneous indoor / outdoor readings. One has the exterior sensor dangling out of a window and the other has the exterior sensor threaded through a small hole in the loft cover and hanging over a rafter in the loft. Wind (rarely a gale) certainly makes a difference and I'm trying to work out just how much extra insulation I need to ensure nil heat loss if that's possible.

Cic.

Reply to
Cicero

Thanks. That sounds like great advice - I'll try to do that this weekend. Really great help!

Reply to
Mike

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.