Home Comforts: Insulating a Listed Building

We live in a listed property which is very cold in winter and as a result  we also get a lot of condensation.  Is there anything we can do to improve this?

Listed properties tend to have single glazed windows and often solid masonry walls – neither are particularly good in terms of thermal insulation.  Not only does the heat escape but any warm, humid air within the house condenses on the cold panes of single glazed glass and in extreme cases, the cold internal wall surfaces too.

Creating better ventilation for the house is a good idea but easier said than done.  Help is needed to remove the humid air and prevent condensation.  Modern houses incorporate ‘trickle ventilation’ within their windows to provide this but older properties won’t have this feature.  Changing standard kitchen and bathroom fans for constant velocity fans will help. 

Changing those single glazed windows for double glazed ones is probably a non-started on a listed home.  Installing secondary glazing can be an option although it is fairly intrusive and can be unsightly. 

One solution to improve thermal performance of a dwelling is to use a thin insulation to line the inside of the external walls.  This goes on like wallpaper and generally allows the window jamb and skirting detail to remain – although on occasion these may have to be lifted and replaced over the top.  Although initially it means a certain amount of upheaval in having to empty rooms out or at least clear the external wall, in the long term the thermal properties of these materials is excellent and not only not noticeable once redecoration has taken place but also saves on those utility bills over the long term.

There are now systems available that provide background or 'trickle' ventilation to older properties.  Some cleverly use the existing chimneys to achieve this whilst other systems use a natural stack effect in a duct connected to a roof cowl.

If we can help you with any Listed building issues, contact us and we will be happy to help!