Buying, selling and letting - November, 2000

Staying warm in wintertime is as much about fighting draughts as heating your home. As much as 50 per cent of heat can be lost through windows, doors, walls and the roof of your home. Many forms of insulation and draught-proofing are inexpensive and easy to install yourself, involving little in the way of time and money for a good result.

Check windows – Gaps between the window frame and surrounding masonry should be filled with sealant both outside and indoors. Windows that are opened should have sealing strips around the edges. For windows that will remain shut, plastic film can be attached to the window frame as a very effective double glazing.

Insulate your loft – See this week’s ‘How to’ for more advice. Cold water tanks – often located in the attic or loft – can be insulated with roll insulation or polystyrene board.

Lag pipes – Hot water pipes running through unheated areas should be lagged. Split foam covering which can be cut to size is easy to use and readily available from DIY stores.

External doors – Fit draught excluders to the sides of the door and the threshold, if necessary. A letter box flap and keyhole cover will help keep draughts down.

Internal doors – Don’t forget that draught excluders or foam strips on internal doors will help keep your home insulated.

Check floorboards – Unless insulated, floorboards can be a major source of draughts in the home. Although it is possible to insulate between the joists beneath the floorboards, this is a major job best tackled when replacing the floor. A simpler option for carpeted homes is to lay sheets of hardboard over the floorboards and run beading around the edge of the skirting board.

Insulate hot water cylinders – Special insulation ‘jackets’ are available for hot water cylinders. Take care not to cover the thermostat or electrical cables. If your cylinder is in an airing cupboard, leaving a pipe unlagged should provide more than adequate heat.

Stop draughts from overflow pipes – In severe weather, overflow pipes can be a source of strong drafts. A simple way of combating this is to cut off the neck of a balloon to make a thin rubber cylinder and stretch this over the end of the pipe. This will allow water to flow through but will close again afterwards, keeping the wind out. Alternatively, fit a pipe flap – available from DIY stores – to the end.

Line radiators – As much as 25 per cent of heat from a radiator on an outside wall can be lost through the wall behind it. Fitting a foil-faced radiator lining to the wall behind the radiator will improve things.

Consider condensation – Remember it’s important to maintain good ventilation in your home, whatever the weather. In centrally heated, draught-proofed homes, rooms can quickly become uncomfortable and stuffy. Condensation can easily build up, causing damp. Make sure that vents and grills are working properly and are adequate for your home’s needs.

Kitchens are notoriously expensive to make over – the cost of appliances and storage units is compounded by charges for the professional help you might need. But even small changes can make a big difference, and with a little effort you can find yourself feeling like you have a whole new kitchen.

Remember the ‘kitchen triangle’ – Kitchens are first and foremost places to work in, and a poor layout is often the main cause of an awkward kitchen. Make a plan of your kitchen layout and mark the sink, the cooker and the fridge. These are the most often used parts of a kitchen. Connecting these three points creates your ‘kitchen triangle’ – the smaller and more regular the triangle, the easier your kitchen will be to work in. If the distance to one of these facilities seems too great, consider re-siting one of the appliances to make your kitchen more user-friendly.

Maximise storage – Poor storage facilities can make a kitchen seem unnecessarily cluttered and disorganised, and decrease the workspace. Put up racks or hooks to store things. Invest in hanging or freestanding racks to maximise cupboard space. Add a trolley unit on castors which can be wheeled out of the way when not in use. Even logically reorganising the storage space you currently have in a way that puts things in more convenient places can make a huge difference.

Change cupboard doors/handles – Changing the doors on fitted units, painting them or altering the handles can have a dramatic effect on the look of the whole kitchen.

Introduce open shelving or freestanding units – Not every kitchen has to be fitted. Try putting up standard open shelves – this can be an effective way to show off decorative crockery and bottles. Older kitchen furniture or dressers can be smartened up and put back into the room to add interest to a flat-looking kitchen.

Consider the lighting – A series of spotlights over work surfaces or the hob can make certain tasks more comfortable. A dimmer switch or subtle choice of lighting can also help, especially if the kitchen is also used for dining.

Paint – First on every list for changing the appearance of a room would have to be painting. Kitchen walls tend to need repainting often, and choosing a new colour can completely change the way your kitchen looks. There are even specialty paints for tiles or appliance doors.

Replace a single appliance or unit – A complete makeover may be beyond the budget, but replacing a single appliance can be much less costly and still make a big impact on the way the kitchen looks and how easy it is to use.

Change curtains – Alter the curtains on a kitchen window, replace them with blinds or put in frosted or stained glass. Changing your view makes even washing dishes seem a little less dull.

Change the countertops – New countertops can be costly, but they can set you back far less than an entire kitchen refit. Try a new material – wood or sheet metal.

Change or add tiling/splashbacks – New or additional tiles over a work surface can add a decorative touch to the look of your kitchen.