Assessing my house for further insulation / weatherisation ? Information, help, tips and advice on cavity walls, ceilings and lofts etc....

[swayzak]

hi

I recently moved into a 1963 detached house with the first floor in the roof e.g. kind a chalet style with dormer windows.

This was in the summer.

It has (old) cavity wall insulation & I had Mark Group insulate the loft for me.

However, now it's winter I've noticed how cold it can become, especially upstairs.

I've put this down to the style of house ie. the upstairs rooms are not surrounded by brick but are really partially under the roof space.

I recently located very cold drafts coming through my bedroom units - took the draws out and noticed raw floorboards (with gaps) under the bottom draws. This was where most of the drafts were coming from, so I've covered them with rubber backed carpet & this has helped.

I'm now beginning to realise that previous occupants' modifications were maybe not to the highest standards :roll:

But it is still not that warm upstairs.

What I would really like is for a "weatherisation" expert to come round and assess the whole place & suggest remedies.

Do such specialists exist ? I guess they would not just be insulation people but maybe have building / roofing expertise as well .. ?

Advice would be very much appreciated.

thanks

[welsh brickie]

what you need is a good architect.
But do some homework on insulation the house just needs an upgrade.
the architect will advise you on the lastest and most efficent way of insulating your home.

[swayzak]

[quote="welsh brickie"]what you need is a good architect.
But do some homework on insulation the house just needs an upgrade.
the architect will advise you on the lastest and most efficent way of insulating your home.[/quote]

thanks

Am I right in thinking that these "chalet" style first floors (if that's what they're called) are prone to cold (more than traditional houses) ?

[Perry525]

Building in the sixties was very basic.
It was also before the first oil scare in the seventies.
It was only after the seventies that insulation first became an issue.
The chances are that hidden behind the plasterboard is nothing more than fresh air.
If you have access take a look.
The likelihood is that along with thousands of other homes, yours has little or no insulation.
Probably none of the plasterboard upstairs has any insulation behind it.

To do a decent job it probably should all be removed and properly insulated. By this I mean four inch thick polystyrene or similar between the woodwork with all holes carefully filled and a further one or two inches of polystyrene over the complete area to avoid the woodwork becoming the weak link and leaching the heat away.

[TheDoctor5]

Last year 64% of the questions asked in our forum were answered within our DIY project pages at www.diydoctor.org.uk/projects.htm The project pages are now separated alphabetically and your answers are accompanied by diagrams and the ability to see, and buy, the tools and/or required to complete your project. Use our search box to look for your answer and save a great deal of time and money!