Wallrock Thermal Liner

[S R]

I live in a Victorian semi, which is very expensive to heat in the winter.

Cavity wall insulation is not an option.

The windows were all replaced recently window with modern double glazed windows.

There is still a discernable chilly draft feel in certain rooms around the decorative wood panels under the windows.

I've wonders if I could fill the voids behind these panels with expanding foam to increase insulation.

I've also though of adding internal insulation to the inside face of each external wall.

I found this:

It's basically an insulating lining paper.

I also lose heat through the floor boards to the cold cellar.

Thoughts/advice much appreciated.

[Lee]

I used some on a solid outside wall which was prone to condensation and it did work for that. Mostly anyway. Certainly it makes the wall surface feel less cold, but I don't feel that it makes the room itself seem any warmer though.

Lee

[RJH]

Well, you'd need to identify the source of the drafts and seal with caulk or somesuch.

Certainly could (although I hate aerosol foam), or consider sheet materials such as Celotex - 25mm perhaps. The problem with insulation on the inside is how it matches up to openings and fittings.

Well, those are extravagant claims! I can't see how something so thin can do much more than form a moisture barrier. Perhaps some second opinions before using it.

I'd be thinking about a faced insulation board. I've just done this to the alcoves of my Victorian terrace gennel wall. Don't know if it works yet, but it was easy and cheap (£25/4 hours per room) to fit.

Problem is the original coving, which I 'solved' by stopping at the picture rail, and I didn't take the insulation below the joists, which may lead to cold bridging. It was so cheap and easy to do the way I've done it, I thought it was worth a try. I'll do it properly if it works.

Which IME is one of the main culprits. You'd do well to insulate the suspended timber floor, and hermetically seal the gaps between boards, and skirting/boards. it's not so much the loss of heat as the drafts discomfort.

[Dave Liquorice]

Be better to take the panels off and use celotex (or similar) solid board insulation in the void, taping the gaps etc to stop draughts into the room.

Paper = thin = only minor insulation value. Might cure a condensation problem but not do a great deal for heat loss.

25 mm celotex plus plaste board will make a difference. 50 mm even more but is getting into the diminishing returns area. With spacing from the wall and plasteboard on the face 50 mm of insualtion will take 3 1/2 to 4" off the room for each wall you do.

[Jim K]

What "spacing from the walls" ??

Jim K

[Dave Liquorice]

Solid walls will let damp through. There needs to be a small gap between the boards and the wall to ventilate that damp.

[Jim K]

oh FFS not the alleged "interstitial condensation" again?

ventilate to where exactly? what happens if there is no gap?

Jim K

[RJH]

As it happens, that's what I've done. But only because I was lazy and didn't set the battens into the wall (only added 10mm depth). If a significant amount of damp is present on an internal wall, that needs to be dealt with. And if damp does find it's way to the cavity, Where does the damp air go?

[Jim K]

An internal wall??

I dot,dabbed and frame-fixed insulated plasterboards direct to the solid walls here ~6 years ago - nothing going on.....

A: nowhere - because there'll never be enough air movement 8ft down a 1" gap to do anything, but still this "leave a gap" notion persists... for reasons no-one understands...

Jim K

[RJH]

Sorry, should have said the external! meant the inside of an external wall.

I had some insulation board and plasterboard already, so I was lumbered with that. Your way would be quicker and no less good. But more expensive I think.

Well, it's less than 1/2" here - I made an executive decision that would do the trick. Feels very solidly fixed.

Funnily, a mate was giving it the critical eye, and asked if I'd left a gap between the insulation board and the wall. I said 'Yes. why?'. He said it was for reasons of damp, but couldn't explain further.

[Jim K]

Mmm another armchair expert?

Jim K