ow to get my house walls insulated

[Jim x321x]

Hi all,

I want to get my house walls insulated.

Half of the house has solid stone walls. The other half has cavity walls. I just want the cavities insulated. I was hoping to get a grant for this. However when a company came to look at the place, they discovered that the cavities "have already been insulated" so I am not eligible for a grant.

In fact, the only insulation in the cavities is some almost useless 1" thick polystyrene sheet, which is a waste of time, because it's not enough to stop air movement within the cavity. It's not even 1/3 the thickness of the cavity, and consists of small sheets inserted during the bricklaying process. (Probably just enough to satisfy 1990 building regs).

When I asked the insulation company about paying for the work 100% out of my own pocket, they said they still won't do the job because they can't be sure what chemicals were used for the original insulation! They said there could be some reaction between the chemicals they use and the old insulation material.

So it looks like I can't win!

I would have thought that some company or other would be willing to come along and pump expanding foam into my cavities, regardless of any thin polystyrene sheet that's flapping around in there. This would fill up the air gaps so that I'd get significant insulation.

Can anyone advise th best way for me to proceed to get this sorded out?

Many thanks,

Jim

[Muddymike]

Hi all,

I had my place done last year and the ground floor extension (built by previous owners) was similar. Websters of Doncaster did mine with expanding foam with a grant which they arranged.

Mike

[Dave Liquorice]

Which is fair enough for foamed insulation (which I didn't think was used anymore) but what about blown fibre?

[Tim Watts]

No reason you could not add blown fibre to that instead of polystyrene beads.

[meow2222]

If you don't qualify for a grant, you can diy. Polystyrene bead is easy & cheap.

NT

[Jim x321x]

[e-mail] wrote in news: [e-mail]:

That's an interesting idea - thanks. I assume you mean beads with no adhesive added. That sounded appealling at frist, but googling suggests that this method can cause some problems like reaction with cables (which I know I do have at places in my cavities, and settling, and the stuff puring out when any wall-cutting is required. Other issues like damp and condensation are also reported. I'm inlined to leave a hjob like this to a pro company whio really knows what they are doing, and hopefully get a grant.

Jim

[AL_n]

"Muddymike" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

That's reassuring - thanks. Bit too far afield, but if one company will do it, there is probably another nearer home.

Jim

[AL_n]

"Dave Liquorice" wrote in news: [e-mail]:

Sure, I'm open to any suggestions. It seems like there are a few possible options. How to decide which is best, I am not too sure.

Jim

[Jim x321x]

Tim Watts wrote in news:249hsb-7av.ln1 @squidward.dionic.net:

That's interesting; you seem to be assuming that they would have been thinking of using blown beads. I, for some reason, was thinking they'd be using pumped foam. I wonder which is the best option: beads, fibre or foam.

And which is easy, best, and cheapest if I end up having to DIY it at my own expense. (That would be a last resort, even though this is a DIY newsgroup) ;-)

Jim

[Tim Watts]

My cavities have blown fiber and it's pretty inert. I think it went in maybe 20 years ago and apart from some settling it's still there (I've been through the wall in a few places so I know).

It's a dry type - no glue and it was just blown in through a load of injection points.

[Tim Watts]

Foam is probably teh best as it gets everywhere and is stable (will not settle). there were big problems in the 70's with it gassing off and making people ill - I believe that is not a problem now???

Beads - fall out everywhere if you make a hole, unless they are the glue coated type. Can destroy any PVC cables that may be run in the cavity - but so could the OP's original insulation in this case.

Blown fiber - seems OK. Can settle. Might not get everywhere if the cavity has a lot of obstructions.

[meow2222]

Yes.

So I hear. You might need to run a few new cables if you use it.

Inject something into the wall around where youre going to cut first. Or just stuff something in the hole when the bit comes out.

Those are a small risk with any form of retrofit CWI. Unglued bead has the advantage that it can be cured if it ever happens.

Bead CWI is very simple & easy. You dont even need to hire equipment. I like it for grey area walls, as if trouble occurs it can be vacuumed out, enabling use in walls with a degree of risk of problem.

NT

[meow2222]

Beads have a bit less performance because of all the gaps. For general use they've fallen somewhat ouf of favour due to this plus the tendency to come out, but they're a good option for diy jobs for a couple of reasons. The e quipment costs next to nothing, the beads are cheap, and it can always be r emoved if need be.

NT

[Tim Watts]

The OP already has polystyrene in his cavities...

[Muddymike]

"Muddymike" wrote in

I believe they cover the whole country.

Mike

[Jim x321x]

Tim Watts wrote in news:elkjsb-val.ln1 @squidward.dionic.net:

Polystyrene sheets, about 1.25" thick is what is in the cavities already. I'm tempted to spray a acetone in there to get rid of it. Is that something that the profoessionals do? Anyone know?

Jim