War on cold 1930s semi

FreeBear

that wrote: »

thought of applying poystyrene sheet on the outside of your house, probably better than the inside?

A few of the 1920s houses around here have had external wall insulation fitted - It looks piggin' awful, especially the detailing around the windows & bay.

If the OP decides to go the route of EWI, might I suggest woodwool or cork boards with a lime render - This would reduce the likelyhood of damp building up in the walls.

pinklady21 wrote: »

Basically, the cavity was never suitable for being filled in the first place, partly due to builders' rubble, and partly due to being in a very exposed location.

During the warm weather we've been having, I removed a few bricks from a wall that has suffered from damp for as long as I can remember. Had thought it was down to debris from when an extension was added. Pulled a wheelbarrow or two of sand & brick fragments out that look as if it had been in there from the time the house was originally built. There was a small amount of rubble from when the extension was added, and discovered some bodgery that will have to wait for another day to fix.

billy2shots wrote: »

A lot of older houses were built with lime mortar and lime plaster to allow moisture to flow through the walls and the house to 'breath'.

Whilst on the subject of lime mortar & plaster - It has a very much lower carbon footprint than cement or gypsum plaster. The production of a 25Kg bag of cement is for some 20Kg of CO2. Whilst the manufacture of lime also produces sizable quantities of CO2, much of this is reabsorbed as the mortar/plaster hardens & carbonates. As a result, the environmental impact of lime is much lower.

Princess_Money_Penny wrote: »

My next project is to do more with the windows to try and improve the heating situation that way too. I did put some thermal curtains up but I think the window needs more dressing to get the curtains into the corners more?

I too had a problem hanging curtains around my bay window. Ended up getting a length of stainless steel tubing bent to fit in the bay. Used a tee at either end and one in the middle to support & fix the tube to the ceiling - Well worth the expense of getting a custom pole, and it cost less than £75.

dunroving

Princess_Money_Penny wrote: »

Thanks for all of the replies.

The main problem is upstairs is quite cold as we have three big box bay windows that seem to be just cladding and plasterboard. We’re getting these insulated as they are very cold (Kingspan put in).

Also will check the loft. It does have insulation in but I’m not sure about how think it is or if it could do with extra. My next project is to do more with the windows to try and improve the heating situation that way too. I did put some thermal curtains up but I think the window needs more dressing to get the curtains into the corners more? I’m getting some roman blinds so they should sit flush to the windows.

We are getting an extension on the side of the house next year, so that should be insulated to modern standards so will lose the large outside wall upstairs too which will help.

I do turn the heating on lots think part of the problem is we’ve moved from a very warm 1980s house and I haven’t learnt how to live in the 1930s house yet! Will be popping out to get the kids some fleece play suits and pjs!

Interesting: I discovered the same between an upstairs bedroom window and the bay window in the living room below - nothing but fresh air between the PVC cladding and the interior wall (other than a timber frame and plasterboard). It must have been freezing in the bedroom in the winter. Actually, the radiator was on the other side so I guess all that radiator heat was going straight outside. Bit of a head-scratcher really why you'd do this, but about 10% of the houses on the estate have some sort of cladding in the exact same area so I'm guessing they have the same "fresh air" feeling in their master bedrooms, too!

I had to get the wall repaired anyway, so solid insulation was inserted in the cavity between the cladding and the new plasterboard.