Time to insulate the bedroom

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Why can we never do one thing at a time? It seems I need a head of steam in order to get moving. I think about stuff, get irritated with myself for not getting it done, rage against every interruption and every new episode that comes onto Netflix……

Not sure what finally stops the procrastination, but I’ve just got there. One element is friends staying in our house during the summer while we’re away, so we have to sort out the bedroom.  I’ve known this for months now, but suddenly I realised just how quickly time is passing. 

We can’t ask them to stay with a leak in the ensuite. And if we’re doing that, why not do the redesign we’ve talked about for years? And if we’re doing that, why not do the insulation that we’ve finally agreed needs to be done for our future old age? All at the same time and before June. Phew!

Excluding the bedroom

When we did the retrofit of the house two years ago we excluded the bedroom from the thermal envelope, because we sleep with the window wide open at night. Made sound sense – in the summer. In the winter going to bed and getting up to a freezing cold room didn’t seem like such a good idea. However neither did it seem sensible to heat the room and then let it fly out of the window.

So we excluded the bedroom and left it uninsulated and unheated. Put an automatic door closer on so it wouldn’t leach heat from the house. Bought an electric blanket and started wearing PJ’s. That moment of getting into a warm bed is total bliss!

But then my son in law questioned plans for when we were older. Heaven forbid, but we might be ill and need to use the room during the day. It was a fair point – we need to future proof. But that means accepting having the window closed. And that means changing the habit of a lifetime – not an easy ask.

Practice run

Just to try it out, I spent one night in the back bedroom where we have an Envirovent heat recovery single room ventilation unit. It was fine and I slept well. So maybe I can do it. All it requires me to do is back off my high horse – also not an easy ask!

What needs doing?

As usual one thing leads to another:

Since we took the old gas boiler out of the ensuite when we installed the air source heat pump (ASHP)  we now have the space to remodel, making the shower and loo more spacious. That also means we can finally repair the slow leak that has gone on for far too long.

And while we’re removing a bit of wall from the ensuite, why not take out the fitted wardrobe so we can insulate behind it?

And while we’re doing that, why not remove the chimney breast so we cut out a major draught? (important to remember all the left over insulation that was stuffed down it!)

And while we’re doing that, why not make the front wall more energy efficient? We just need to check if the sempatap that’s already there is breathable. If not we have to take it off before adding new insulation. If it is, we can build on it and reduce our waste.

So I’m finally on it

Now all I have to do is find people to help us. Got the builder who can take down the wall. Hope I might have a carpenter who will remove the wardrobe, adjust and put it back again – fingers crossed he turns up to look at it tomorrow as planned (already had three no shows). John has said he will take down the chimney breast. Seems to think he’ll enjoy it and have time, which given he’s been working flat out for months might be a bit optimistic. Then I just need a plumber.

My note book is overflowing with ideas, contacts, urgent items. My brain is equally overflowing, but I’m finally on a roll.

So why not build a solar office in the garden at the same time? 

But that’s another blog! 

 

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