Avoneer
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 09:42 PM |
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Loft or Cavity Wall Insulation ???
My loft currently has some really old degarded stuff up there, but it's under some tongue and groove boards for storage, so replacing this would
be a lengthy and dusty job.
All downstairs floors are laminate so it's a bit cold in the morning.
I'm guessing Cavity Wall would reap me the most benefits for now, as at least there is partial insulation in the loft and I can only spare the
pennies for one of them at the moment.
Any other thoughts anyone?
Pat...
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JoelP
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 09:45 PM |
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you need to research what type of cavity wall insulation would suit you best. The ones ive seen used, tend to fall out of every nook and cranny. In
fact my friend has his drive covered in little polystyrene balls because it comes out everywhere. I do like the idea of those foam coated breeze
blocks, but obviously thats not something you can do afterwards. The wool type stuff they use in cavity walls is nearly as bad as the balls.
Doing the loft is indeed terribly messy, i did a mates recently and was very glad that it wasnt my house! The wife would've shot me for the
mess.... 
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DIY Si
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 09:48 PM |
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Can you get stuff that's sprayed in? I seem to remember this happening at mum and dads house, just involved a few holes in the walls, which got
plugged afterwards. Much less mess than all the silly poly balls everywhere!
“Let your plans be dark and as impenetratable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt.”
Sun Tzu, The Art of War
My new blog: http://spritecave.blogspot.co.uk/
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DavidM
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 09:55 PM |
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Heat rises so the greatest losses by some margin are through the roof. Upgrading loft insulation to current standards will generally reap the greatest
financial benefits IMHO, although it will depend how much you have already.
Have you investigated whether your local authority offers grants for loft and cavity wall insulation. Some cover up to 100% of costs dependant on
circumstances.
See also:
http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/whatcan/yourhome/
David
[Edited on 29/11/06 by DavidM]
Proportion is Everything
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Avoneer
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 09:59 PM |
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Yeah, the grant thing will come after!
Even with top quality loft insulation, I can't see how that will keep the floor at ground level as warm as if I did the cavity wall.
Pat...
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JUD
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:02 PM |
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You used to be able to get loft insulation that was like the "balls" described above for walls.
Could you bore some holes in your boarding and have that pumped in? Not sure if the cavity in your walls would be open into the loft void under your
boarding. If so you will end up doing walls and loft at the same time - which would be a lot of balls 
---------------------
MK Indy Blade
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Johnmor
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:03 PM |
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Loft, every time
I would go with loft insulation it may look like a nasty job but once you get going its simple and realtivy cheap.
Min standard is 250mm glass wool (scotland), and it will make a big differance, cavity wall is messy and expensive, foam was a problem because it
released falmaldyhide gas as it cured, granular insulation is messy and you never know if you have filled all the gaps, and i dont care what the
salesman says you will never get a good overall coverage of cavity wall insulation after the property nas been built you can only be effective as you
build.
100mm glass wool costs about £14.00 for 12m2, so average loft on two story building is about say 60m2 . Works out about 60/12 x2 x 14 = 10 bags at
£14 = £140 ,
Thats got to be cheap compared to drilling holes in your wall and hoping for the best.
If you want floor over the loft area then you can use polystyrene foam, thermal efficieny is about 3x glasswool so 50mm poly = 150mm glass wool. Its
more expenisive and has to be cut as a neat fit to be effective but is less bulky under floored areas.
I have "been there done that" many times!!
Thats my tupence worth
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Avoneer
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:04 PM |
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I don't have a problem taking up the boards and re-doing the loft - it would just be a long dusty shitty (and itchy) job.
Just wondering if cavity would keep the downstairs warmer for this winter and some blokes would come and do it and then go!
Pat...
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DavidM
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:05 PM |
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Beat me to the edit.
See here:
http://www.est.org.uk/myhome/whatcan/yourhome/
David
Proportion is Everything
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Avoneer
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:08 PM |
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It's only about £240 ish for Cavity and no mess or time by me.
I like the idea of poly in the loft, but will it benefit the house downstairs as that is my immediate concern?
Pat...
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smart51
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:08 PM |
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Both. Loft first. I had cavity wall insulation done a couple of months ago. It cost surprisingly little. It will pay for itself very quickly.
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Johnmor
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:17 PM |
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Almost 70% heat loss is through the roof, I know it sounds a lot but it relates to the density of the construction and the fact that your loft will be
ventilated so any heat passing throuth the 12mm plasterboard ceiling is imediatly blown out through the roof vents.
The best way to stop it is prevent it from reaching the loft space, thats why loft insualtion is the most effective heat preserving action.
Heat loss though wall is mainly conducted heat, heat loss through the ceiling is convective.
Easy test go up to the loft and put your hand on the back of the ceiling plaster board, i'll put money on it being around 25 degrees C, this
relates to a room temp at head height of around 18 degreesC.
The wall will only be this warm near the top of the room , the wall cavity may be ventilated but not nearly as well as the loft so the warm air stays
in the cavity.
Then work out the surface area that is exposed to the warm air..
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Avoneer
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:25 PM |
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Ok, so loft it is then.
So is poly definately better, but just more expensive?
Pat...
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Johnmor
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| posted on 29/11/06 at 10:36 PM |
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The only advantage of the poly is the thickness.
Is more expensive and not that easy to cut well.
How much room have you under floor in the loft? (depth of the ceiling joist).
If its around 150mm . I would just put in 150mm insulation.
If its less than 75mm. this is the best way to go.
You Put 100mm glasswool in between the joists and then put 50mm poly on top of the joists, underneath the area to be floored. Then just place the
fooling on top of the poly, this will save cutting between the joists, and if the house has been built within the last 20 years the sheets will be the
right size to catch the centers of the joist.
You dont even have to fix the flooring down . If you use t&g chipboard you just glue all the joits, (floating floor)
The area around the flooring can just be given a double layer of 100mm glasswool.
Simple
(no charge)
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hobbsy
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| posted on 30/11/06 at 08:08 AM |
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I went for cavity wall insulation using rockwool about a year ago. Was going to cost about £225 but in the end managed to get it done for £75 as
Powergen offer at the time was £150 but they sent me a £75 off voucher in the post at the same time as one of their big price rises. This was for a 3
bed detached. The sometimes crank the prices up a little if you've got a bigger or detached house as its going to use more insulation. But
then again they don't have the hassle of fitting those big brush things that stop it all falling into next door's cavity if you're
in a semi etc.
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 30/11/06 at 08:31 AM |
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I had rockwool cavity wall insulation done a couple of years ago - another Powergen/Council offer. It does make a huge difference, especially
downstairs.
David
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JoelP
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| posted on 30/11/06 at 08:37 AM |
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your downstairs floors are cold cos of the gap beneath them and the fact its ventilated via air bricks, so its a similar scenario to the roof but with
heat rising away from it so its not as sever - but you feel it more cos its under your toes! Maybe worth sticking insulation underneath as well if you
can get down there.
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Hellfire
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| posted on 30/11/06 at 09:07 AM |
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Pat - although expensive Rokwool is the best insulation there is. It's dense (doesn't blow out) fireproof etc. You can also get it for
cavity walls.
I had it in my previous house both loft and CW the loft made the biggest difference... I had it 10" thick. The only downside was it seemed to
increase condensation even on a late 70's house - with plenty of airflow.
Hope you're well and progressing quickly m8!
Steve
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 30/11/06 at 09:10 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by JoelP
your downstairs floors are cold cos of the gap beneath them and the fact its ventilated via air bricks, so its a similar scenario to the roof but with
heat rising away from it so its not as sever - but you feel it more cos its under your toes! Maybe worth sticking insulation underneath as well if you
can get down there.
In my case, the house used to chill badly when the cold winter winds hit the walls - the insulation stopped all that. Living in Suffolk, when the
wind blows from the north-east it's stright off the North Sea - the last land it saw was Norway!
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marktigere1
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| posted on 30/11/06 at 09:50 AM |
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What about this stuff?
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?id=76477&ts=80125
Looks clean and I'm thinking of using it myself. Is it any good?
Cheers
Mark
If a bolt is stuck force it.
If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway!!!
(My Dad 1991)
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Peteff
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| posted on 30/11/06 at 10:59 AM |
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Unless you are in a development area or have a historically interesting house you will be means assessed for housing grants.
yours, Pete
I went into the RSPCA office the other day. It was so small you could hardly swing a cat in there.
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Avoneer
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| posted on 1/12/06 at 12:08 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by zilspeed
quote:
Originally posted by Avoneer
Yeah, the grant thing will come after!
No it won't... (Sorry)
John F - typing this from my desk in a Local Authority housing grants team.
I meant after I had decided which to do 1st.
Honestly, I'm not that stupid.
Pat...
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