cavity wall insulation? Do I have it?

ChuckleVision_2

cavity wall insulation - is there an easy way to check if my house has it already?

There are no obvious patched holes in the side wall (semi-detached) and there is a large draft coming under the skirting boards downstairs - does that point to the likely hood that I don't have it?

Thanks,

ormus

when was the house built? how is the house constructed?

themacster

How old is the house? If it has a suspended timber ground floor, it could be draughts coming from the sub-floor void; if the walls are drylined it could be downdraughts through the gap between the plasterboard and the wall. Either way it doesn't give any indication of whether or not you have cavity insulation. You may be able to find out if you get in the loft and can get to the eaves to see the top of the walls, though the top of the cavity should be sealed anyway. Otherwise drill an exploratory hole - there's no other way really other than peering into the cavity.

ChuckleVision_2

ormus wrote: »

when was the house built? how is the house constructed?

Brick built, tiled, ex-council house. Built in the 1930's/40's.

I'm going to decorate after Christmas, so pulled back the carpet to see if there was wood flooring underneath (there is). With the carpet removed there is huge draft coming from the gap.

ormus

this really has nothing to do with a cavity wall.
you have a suspended wooden floor with a void underneath. (like my house, 1935 semi. with cavity walls).
airbricks below the DPC allow the air to circulate under the floor.

you can either fill all the gaps with caulking, or overboard the floor with hardboard/chipboard/plywood.
then relay your carpet.

themacster

It probably does have cavity walls then - most houses post 1930 do. If there are a regular pattern of headers (the ends of the bricks) visible on the outside wall face then this is indicative of a solid wall, but I doubt it would be solid if built '30s/'40s. Very doubtful you have cavity insulation if there are no tell-tale signs on the outer skin like patched holes.

Draught is almost certainly from the sub-floor void - only way to stop it is to seal the floor round the edges somehow; the carpet is probably mostly sealing off the joints between the floor boards and was blocking the gap at the edge.

How's your loft insulation? Double glazing? Cavity insulation will certainly help reduce heat loss, as will topping up loft insulation and insulating below the ground floor, though this is less easy to do.

ChuckleVision_2

ormus wrote: »

this really has nothing to do with a cavity wall.
you have a suspended wooden floor with a void underneath. (like my house, 1935 semi. with cavity walls).
airbricks below the DPC allow the air to circulate under the floor.

you can either fill all the gaps with caulking, or overboard the floor with hardboard/chipboard/plywood.
then relay your carpet.

Thanks. I've put the carpet back for now. I'll be replacing the skirting boards and getting the walls skimmed after Christmas. I'll go up in the attic later and see if I can see signs of insulation in the cavity.

Going slightly off topic - Is it feasible to plane down the wooden floors then treat them? I've seen those large plane things for daily rental so might do that..[FONT=&quot][/FONT]
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ChuckleVision_2

themacster wrote: »

How's your loft insulation? Double glazing? Cavity insulation will certainly help reduce heat loss, as will topping up loft insulation and insulating below the ground floor, though this is less easy to do.

Thanks. Double glazed throughout except front door (no idea why). Loft isolation is not bad, two layers in most places. Just needs to be boarded properly, plus there are no vents for air circulation - so that needs sorting too. Outside boards/eaves under guttering is rotten in places to could replace when putting in vents.

Plan of action for the next few months then is:
Front room:

* Replace open fire with a wood/coal burner
* Strip wallpaper and get walls and ceiling skimmed.
* Replace skirting
* Installing coving
* Plane/sand floorboards and treat.

Other

* Install Cavity Wall insulation
* Board the loft
* Replace rotten eaves
* Install vents for attic air circulation
* Maybe install a gutter helmet
* Get a double glazed front door!

the list just gets bigger and bigger

ormus

ChuckleVision wrote: »

..........

Going slightly off topic - Is it feasible to plane down the wooden floors then treat them? I've seen those large plane things for daily rental so might do that..

yes of course. beware that its a very messy dusty job.
and the machines are not that cheap to hire.
also they are pretty heavy, not a job for the girlys.