If you live in an older build, there’s a good chance you’ve noticed it doesn’t retain heat as well as newer homes. In most cases, homes built in the 1950s and 1960s lack the modern insulation and energy-efficient designs that modern buildings have. If you know which areas to address, you can drastically improve the heat efficiency of your home, helping to keep you and your family warm, while potentially making some serious savings.
From addressing issues such as outdated insulation and drafts to replacing old radiators and single-glazed windows, we’ll look at the best ideas for improving heating efficiency in older homes.
Common challenges older homes face with heating efficiency
Many heating problems with mid-century homes are due to poor insulation. They often lack proper wall and roof insulation, which leads to significant heat loss. Not only does this make your home feel colder, but it also costs more to heat as your heating system works harder to reach a comfortable temperature. Heat also escapes through single-glazed windows, while cold air seeps in. These common heating problems with mid-century homes are made even worse if there are gaps around the windows and doors, which cause drafts.
Outdated heating systems may not heat your home properly and could end up costing you more money to run than newer, more efficient systems. Older boilers and radiators are poorer at heating homes than modern systems and radiators as they have older technology that isn’t as efficient. Old radiators also corrode over time and tend to gain a build-up of sludge which restricts water flow and heat output.
The radiators may have been poorly placed in the rooms of the property, which can cause uneven heating and cold spots in certain areas. This can cause radiators to work harder to try to heat up the room, which will cost you more money.
Upgrading Insulation in older homes
Luckily, there are various mid-century home heating improvements you can make to improve the heating efficiency of your property. You can begin by surveying the insulation of the property. It’s a good idea to pay particular attention to areas such as the attic, walls and basement (if applicable).
Heat rises, which means attics are particularly prone to heat loss if they’re not properly insulated. Adding or upgrading insulation in the attic is a quick way to reduce energy loss and lower your heating bill. Another effective way at improving heating efficiency in older homes is to insulate the walls using methods such as cavity wall insulation.
Basements and crawl spaces are a prime way for cold air to seep into your home. You can insulate these areas to prevent drafts and help improve heat retention.
Sealing Gaps and Air Leaks
Cold air can get into your home through gaps in the window and door frames. There are both DIY and professional draft exclusion solutions for improving heating efficiency in older homes. You can use adhesive weatherstripping or window caulking, which fills the gaps around windows and excludes drafts. You can also place draft excluders or blankets in front of windows and doors to block cold air blowing in.
While they may seem minor, small drafts can drastically increase your energy bills. They let warm air escape and allow cold air to blow in, which will lower the temperature of your room. This will put more strain on your radiators and cause them to work harder, which will cost you more in energy bills.
Upgrading your heating system and new radiators
One of the best mid-century home heating improvements you can make to your home is updating your heating system and installing new radiators. Modern radiators are more efficient than older models and use less energy to produce more heat. Innovative designs also help provide even and consistent heating throughout the room.
When choosing new radiators for your home, you need to think about the type and size of room. High output radiators are a good option for large rooms as they produce more heat and can efficiently warm the larger space. If you had a low output radiator in a large room, it would have to work harder to heat the room, costing you more money.
Improving heating efficiency in older homes easy when you know how. Our range of radiators combine innovation with style to create high-quality heating to efficiently warm any home. From designer radiators to classic compact radiators, we have something to suit both older homes and modern builds. Start making mid-century home heating improvements today with efficient and cost-effective radiators from Stelrad.
