Armed with my new thermal imaging camera I start to photograph things that feel cold. I am not short of subjects. For variety I photograph the dogs. They were certainly warm, especially next to the radiator. After a brief doggy interlude I return to the serious issue of photographing the problematic French doors. French Door Thermal Image Some of the phrases used by the housebuilder during this dialogue were not ones that those in a sales or customer service environment would normally consider using with an unhappy customer. I will leave it at that.

Another for how to keep your house warm in winter and summer is to install a hinged flap design (sometimes called a weather bar) and eliminate draughts and at the bottom of your door. This works in a similar way to a brush strip. Instead of bristles, the product has a solid panel (usually made from rubber) that hinges and moves as the door opens and closes. We wanted to create a 'sensory-balanced' workspace that was both socially sustainable and adaptable' The pictures of the French doors in the kitchen told a similar story to the lounge with a cold area around the door threshold. Apologies for the poor illumination of the right hand picture. When taking thermal images you tend to forget that it records both a thermal and a normal image; I didn’t ensure the light levels were sufficient for a standard picture. At least the triple glazed windows are showing a decent temperature of 18°C so we are not losing too much through the glass. Aluminium Sliding Patio Doors If your draught is coming through the bottom of your door, a draught-excluder will help. These long, cushion-like devices are built to sit on the floor and form a barrier. If the draught is between the two doors, however, your options will be extremely limited – short of stuffing a layer of felt or rubber in between the doors during the winter, or hanging a plastic sheet over the entire door, there’s little you can do. 3. Double glazing replacement French Doors are a traditional and relatively affordable alternative to more modern styles of patio doors, like folding and sliding doors. Flanked by a pair of sidelites, they can create just as big a visual impact, but without the price-tag. Double Glazed French DoorsTo add to my misery when I visit my mum to take pictures of her 1970s Aluminium sliding patio doors I get temperatures similar to my state of the art triple glazed doors. Not a great argument to convince her to change the sliding doors to something more modern and warmer. The glass in our triple glazing does keep a better temperature but the door threshold temperatures looks worse. I abandon the argument and show mum some thermal images of the dogs instead. She seems to like these. It makes me feel better as well. There are a few different ways you can improve your French door insulation and draught-proofing: 1. Weather-stripping

Wooden French doors tend to be more efficient than their uPVC equivalents because the material is much denser. Heat, therefore, has a far more difficult time passing from one side of the material to the other. Insulating External French DoorsIf you’re looking for a way to extend your home out into your patio, and vice versa, then the traditional French door has a great deal to offer. They make a fantastic addition to the modern home and garden, neatly bridging the two and creating a single, cohesive space. French doors were first developed to allow French aristocrats to look out onto their estates, and to allow natural light to permeate the interior. Both virtues also apply to the modern French door, too. There are several avenues homeowners can explore to draught-proof their homes. Here's a breakdown of some effective methods: You can get designs that have buttons or fixings to attach to the door. Most soft cushion excluders are simply placed up against the door once it’s shut. In this case, the draught excluder won’t be in place when you’re out of the house, so the gap at the bottom of your front door is still a weak spot in your home’s thermal envelope, allowing heat to leak out and cold air to come in. For this reason, a soft pillow draught excluder is probably a better method for internal doors rather than your front door. With proper installation and maintenance, draught excluders can serve you well, keeping your home warm and your energy bills low. Energy Saving Tips Perfect for external doors, this weatherbar provides an effective draught-proofing solution while adding a touch of elegance with its oak finish.