Is the house cold even with the radiators on? Here's some probable causes and ways to deal with them

During winter, we obviously want to return to a warm home after having been out. However, it sometimes happens that the house is cold even though the radiators have been on for some time. There are various reasons why this happens and not all are related to the heating system itself.

In fact, sometimes the lack of heating is due to structural defects the home. That said, there are ways to deal with this issue yourself.

Finding and fixing the causes of a lack of heating is essential to save on consumption and high energy bills (and to reduce added environmental pollution).

So, how do we go about dealing with this problem? Well, keep reading:

Structural causes for a lack of heating

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If your heating system is working, there are two main causes for the home not warming up properly:

• Insulation is a fundamental factor regulating warmth levels experienced inside your home. Check the doors and the windows and make sure that these are properly sealed. Also, check out the electrical sockets, fireplace hoods, stove extractors, ducts and shutter housings - are draughts getting in through these? Finally, make sure that there is no heat loss through the walls, the ceiling and the floor - especially if your house is old and/or poorly maintained. Getting thermal insulation installed could be expensive, but it will make your home much warmer and save you money in the long run.
• Humidity is also a determining factor when it comes to heating your home: humidity levels must be between 40 and 60%. If this is not the case, invest in dehumidifiers. High humidity levels slow down the heating rate in the home,  degrades the quality of the air and encourages the growth of mold.

Heating system problems

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If your house is properly insulated and the humidity levels are correct, the problem will be the heating system itself:

• Check the thermostat and make sure it is correctly calibrated;
• Check the radiators: if they are not heating up, they could contain air bubbles and need to be bled;
• The position of the radiators is also important: if they are located under a window or on a damp wall, they may struggle to heat up; in this case you can solve the problem by installing a reflective panel behind them;
• A malfunction of the boiler could cause ineffective heating of your radiators; check the boiler pressure, which should be between 1 and 2 bars; if necessary, contact a technician to do this check.

If your home isn't heating up even after taking these remedies, you might need to consult a professional.