Cavity Wall Insulation

I have some doubts on cavity wall insulation i.e the type that is sprayed in as form and may stop your house breathing (which it needs to do to some extent especially when it has been designed that way) and hence it may sweat.
 
I've been debating whether to get it. We have a 1930s semi but in our location it can get quite a battering by the wind and rain and I've read quite a few horror stories about damp etc as a result for similarly exposed houses.
 
Alzi said:
I've been debating whether to get it. We have a 1930s semi but in our location it can get quite a battering by the wind and rain and I've read quite a few horror stories about damp etc as a result for similarly exposed houses.
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If you have got a 1930s semi, and have a suspended floor, I would suggest it won't be a good fit. The air flow through the cavitys and under floor are vital to ensuring you don't get damp.

It's not the weather from the outside that will be the problem. It's the humidity you cause on the inside from cooking / showering / drying clothes / breathing etc.

Even the waterproof paint people use on the walls can cause an issue, as you are essentially sealing the inside of the house.
 
I am also considering it but like others, put off by some of the issues it can cause. A friend of mine has had the blown beads installed in his cavity (snigger) and he swears that it has made a huge difference to the warmth in his property a relatively modern structure in Marton. Like you Alzi, I have an older property and the large hallway in it is absolutely baltic most of the time and never gets war despite the radiator. I have insulated my loft, have most windows double glazed but still find its a difficult house to maintain heat, especially the hall. I have a log burner in one room and an open fire in the other and have had those lit during this cold spell.
 
My last house had beads. I know they work cos when I had an extension built they all fell out and the house was colder. True. 😂
 
SocraTees said:
I am also considering it but like others, put off by some of the issues it can cause. A friend of mine has had the blown beads installed in his cavity (snigger) and he swears that it has made a huge difference to the warmth in his property a relatively modern structure in Marton. Like you Alzi, I have an older property and the large hallway in it is absolutely baltic most of the time and never gets war despite the radiator. I have insulated my loft, have most windows double glazed but still find its a difficult house to maintain heat, especially the hall. I have a log burner in one room and an open fire in the other and have had those lit during this cold spell.
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Exactly the same with our hall and there is a porch extension which was built in the 80s with no radiator. It's like a different climate in there.

B_G I agree it is likely to cause more trouble than it is worth.
 
I had it done at my mother's 1960s semi-detached house under a government backed scheme some years ago. No apparent problems and the house was warm as toast in cold weather. After a few winters, however, I noticed that the brickwork on a north-facing wall was damaged, the facings of bricks falling off. The same could be found on garden walls nearby. Clearly, there was not enough warmth coming out of the house to prevent water freezing, and it was penetrating the bricks (which had a rough texture), freezing and cracking the surface. At the time I couldn't find anything online describing this, and the firm that installed it no longer existed. The house has since been sold.

PS. I would suggest looking at nearby houses , if they are similar. You can tell if they've had CWI by the cement plugs in the walls. You can then ask the occupants if they had any CWI issues.
 
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B_G said:
If you have got a 1930s semi, and have a suspended floor, I would suggest it won't be a good fit. The air flow through the cavitys and under floor are vital to ensuring you don't get damp.

It's not the weather from the outside that will be the problem. It's the humidity you cause on the inside from cooking / showering / drying clothes / breathing etc.

Even the waterproof paint people use on the walls can cause an issue, as you are essentially sealing the inside of the house.
Click to expand...
You can still have a blown in glass wool or beads installed in the walls and a loft type insulation under your floorboards. I have just had Heatpak of Middlesbrough in at mine checking my 23 year old cavity wall insulation. You will still get air flow under your floor boards if your air bricks are not blocked up.

It seems my problem is lack of underfloor insulation and too many air bricks in a 1980's bungalow.
 
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