Cavity wall and roof insulation and condensation

[John Rumm]

In general insulation should reduce condensation problems rather than make them worse.

There is the odd complication that can arise if you don't get full coverage of insulation - then you may find the remaining cold spots attract even more. You can also probably find old horror storeys from problems arising from some liquid setting foam insulators that were used in the past. The same issues don't seem to crop up with blown fibre or poly bead systems.

If you have a penetrating damp issue, you may find that insulation can help water track the cavity (the poly bead type being less likely to do this I would expect)

[Tim Streater]

So tell him that doing the insulation will make the house warmer - which it will - and save money - which it will.

[Tim Streater]

"Full" is an exaggeration. One or two here and there, but bound to be a lot less than the Catholics.

[Vir Campestris]

Rubbish.

I don't know the numbers, but the first two inches mightsave 20% of your heating loss. Or something like that.

The next two inches will thenonly save 20% of the remaining loss. 16%.

The next two again 20% of the remaining loss - that's 13% or so.

It is diminishing returns, but it's well worth you doing this.

Andy

[John Rumm]

ITYM the next 4" - i.e. you need to double the amount already there each time, to halve the losses.

[sweetheart]

Thank you.

[sweetheart]

I shall try.

[Dave Liquorice]

Not as could as free and no payment. Though I'd be a bit wary of who actually does the work, they tend to be companies at the "cowboy" end of the market. Principaly beacuse they are paid a lowish fixed rate for each job so getting as many jobs done in the shortest possible time is how they operate. "Quick - Good - Cheap" pick any two...

Are you sure about the "guaranteed" part, the savings are supposed to match the premium on the electricity bill but I don't think I've ever seen anything that menations a "guarantee" that they will. Always assuming that the "guarantee" means that if the savings don't the difference will be made up but how does the "average household" who almost ceratinly won't have accuarte historical energy consumption data proove the savings aren't at least matching the premium.

The jury is still out about how the housing market is going to react to properties in the "Green Deal" as the premium stays with the property on sale.

[Dave Liquorice]

Good for you, far too many people these days leap in and out of marriage with very little thought about the vows they are making.

As for OH, he could really use some counselling, but how you or the rest of the family/friends can cajole/persuade him to take some I haven't a clue.

As you say he's now a broken man, but broken things can be fixed by those that know how to fix 'em.

[Brian Gaff]

Go for it, at least your walls do have a cavity, mine don't. You can always ventilate and you can control that. You cannot control the cold wind!

Brian

[sweetheart]

Thanks. It might help if he had friends. They were at his work. The only one who was not and who has sort of stuck around is self employed and OH feels he is a failure so wont be go out with him or anything.

His family? They ( two sisters, parents dead) havent spoken to him since he was retired off.

I have tried. Maybe one day he will get better. Thanks for the kind words.

[sweetheart]

A subsidiary question about roof space.

If you have 12 ins roof insulation and it comes over the joists and any roof boarding ( and none). How doyou get to your electrics, telephone cables and other stuff up there if you cannot see the joists ( or even find them) hidden under insulation?

We have all these things in the roof space.

Thanks

[S Viemeister]

Volunteer work, passing on the skills he used at work for so many years, could help him regain a sense of self-worth.

[Tim Watts]

On Monday 24 June 2013 12:15 wrote in uk.d-i-y:

Something like:

and you lift the boards and the insulations as needs be to access.

[Andy Cap]

Got to say your threads are never boring !

Andy C

[tony sayer]

I believe the optimum figure is 200 mm depth..

And very well worth doing once done its saving costs for years and years..

[sweetheart]

Thank you, That seems to have shut OH up.

[Fredxx]

I think sound insulation would be more effective?

[polygonum]

And I thought OH needed some CH3CH2...

[RobertL]

Don't the building regulations require that you must either bring it up to 300mm or do nothing?

i.e. if you "modify a thermal unit" like that you must do so to a standard that satisfies current regs.

Robert