external wall insulation - issues in the future?

[Deleted User]

Has anyone had experience with External wall insulation , my mum has been given a  grant for her home but after seeing reports it may cause damp and possibly issues when she comes to sell is having second thoughts.

The work is being done through EON who have contracted the job out , if issues do arise is there any comeback ?

 

 Thanks

ThisIsWeird

Do you know what type it is?
There can sometimes be issues caused by cavity wall insulation, if the house construction isn't suitable, the material used is ditto, or it's in a particularly wet area for example, but I can't say I've heard of any problems caused by external insulation.

FreeBear

ThisIsWeird said: but I can't say I've heard of any problems caused by external insulation.

I've heard of problems with EWI, particularly on buildings with solid walls. Use of the wrong materials can trap moisture in the walls. Then if detailing around the roof line, window/door openings and any pipes is not done right, water can get in behind the insulation.

ThisIsWeird

FreeBear said:

ThisIsWeird said: but I can't say I've heard of any problems caused by external insulation.

I've heard of problems with EWI, particularly on buildings with solid walls. Use of the wrong materials can trap moisture in the walls. Then if detailing around the roof line, window/door openings and any pipes is not done right, water can get in behind the insulation.

That makes sense. Also, I guess, on an older stone property with little or no DPC, and which works by exuding the damp out from the wall. If the outside is covered, then the inside will need to do twice the work.
Hopefully the OP can tell us more.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the comments , here is a photo of a similar house... On her road there has been around 5 houses done already .. 

The type of insulation is the same as below.

How To Install External Wall Insulation | Insulation UK

ThisIsWeird

How old is your house, and do the walls have a cavity?
When were the other houses done? Are the owners able to feed back the results? 
Could you post a photo of a completed house, please, so we can see what they look like?

Anyhoo, chances are it'll make a noticeable improvement, with no drawbacks. 

[Deleted User]

ThisIsWeird said:

How old is your house, and do the walls have a cavity?
When were the other houses done? Are the owners able to feed back the results? 
Could you post a photo of a completed house, please, so we can see what they look like?

Anyhoo, chances are it'll make a noticeable improvement, with no drawbacks. 

1950s build no cavity wall , the other houses have been done over the last 12 months ..  will try and get some photos done when I go an see her.

ThisIsWeird

[Deleted User] said:

ThisIsWeird said:

How old is your house, and do the walls have a cavity?
When were the other houses done? Are the owners able to feed back the results? 
Could you post a photo of a completed house, please, so we can see what they look like?

Anyhoo, chances are it'll make a noticeable improvement, with no drawbacks. 

1950s build no cavity wall , the other houses have been done over the last 12 months ..  will try and get some photos done when I go an see her.

1950s, so should have a secure DPC, so no excessive damp in the walls that should need to escape. And, no cavity, so this external insulation should have a full effect.

Sounds good to me :-)

Curious about the new look, so photos would be great, thanks, but no rush.

FreeBear

With solid brick walls, I'd be recommending either woodfibre or cork insulation with a lime render - Not going to be cheap, but it does reduce the risk of damp being trapped in the walls.

ThisIsWeird

Assuming the DPC is pretty much effective, as it should be, there should be less 'damp', if anything, in these walls now they've been fully shielded from the outside elements.
And any remaining 'damp' - should there be any - can evaporate through to the inside, where it'll be easily dispelled in the new, cosier, warmer, home.

fluffymuffy

I'm wondering what happens next to the windows. In particular where the bay window frame is fixed to the brick. How thick is the insulation plus render? I imagine this would be greater than the width of the window frame.

And to avoid a thermal bridge that canopy needs to come off and replaced with a new free-standing one, with its own support structure, and flashed in over the new insulation.

And now I'm wondering what they plan to do with the airbricks...