Cold outside walls

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Cold outside walls
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JC

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 19
Location: Herts

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 12:37 pm Post subject: Cold outside walls

I have an old Victorian house with a small back bedroom which has two external walls making the walls cold to the touch and the room feel quite chilly.
In the past I have lined the walls with rolls of polystrene before wallpapering. This helped a bit, although the children had a great time pressing holes in it.!! I'm going to redecorate it again and was wondering if anyone knew of anything more 'high tech' that was now available that would do the job.

Thanks

JC

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 12:38 pm Post subject:
There's loads of stuff, I'll see what I can find

JC

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 19
Location: Herts

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 12:46 pm Post subject:
Thanks. It helps to know what you're talking about before you go to these DIY places. JC

treehuggermum

Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 43
Location: Surrey

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 4:25 pm Post subject:
Do you have cavity walls? You can get great grants for cavity wall insulation. I'm paying �109 to get my 3 bed semi done by npower.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28233
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 4:36 pm Post subject:

treehuggermum wrote:

Do you have cavity walls? You can get great grants for cavity wall insulation. I'm paying �109 to get my 3 bed semi done by npower.

I must say that whilst i have heard people say cavity wall insulation is bad thing, this does strike me as the most obvious solution.

treehuggermum

Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 43
Location: Surrey

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 4:49 pm Post subject:
Bad how?

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28233
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 4:58 pm Post subject:

treehuggermum wrote:

Bad how?

Someone will always say something is bad for some reason. In the case of cavity walls, there are claims that is causes or makes problems with damp worse.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 5:05 pm Post subject:
Well, and bear in mind I don't know anything about this, logically you're bridging the gap which helps to keep your house dry. But aren't there ties which do that anyway? I guess it's going to stop your home from 'breathing'. And it's probably made from irreplaceable complex hydro-carbons by evil polluters.

treehuggermum

Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 43
Location: Surrey

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 5:06 pm Post subject:

Quote:

treehuggermum wrote:
Bad how?

Someone will always say something is bad for some reason. In the case of cavity walls, there are claims that is causes or makes problems with damp worse.

Oh I see, I still think it's a very good idea, not least because it apparently saves between �70-�100 a year in energy bills, so will pay for itself in 12 to 18 months. [/quote]

treehuggermum

Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 43
Location: Surrey

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 5:12 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

I guess it's going to stop your home from 'breathing'. And it's probably made from irreplaceable complex hydro-carbons by evil polluters.

Cavity wall insulation is usually made from mineral wool which is both environmentally friendly and safe. It is water resistant and allows the walls to 'breathe'. Also, insulated walls reduce condensation.

Source: green architect husband

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 5:17 pm Post subject:
Fair enough then, I did say I didn't know about it. What's mineral wool in layman's terms? And I don't think condensation and 'damp' are necessarily the same, are they? There's rising and penetrative and stuff. I'm not having a go, I'd like to know more about these things/terms.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28233
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 5:19 pm Post subject:

treehuggermum wrote:

sean wrote:

I guess it's going to stop your home from 'breathing'. And it's probably made from irreplaceable complex hydro-carbons by evil polluters.

Fair play. I wasn't supporing the damp argument, merely thought it worth a mention.

treehuggermum

Joined: 16 Feb 2005
Posts: 43
Location: Surrey

Posted: Thu Mar 10, 05 5:31 pm Post subject:

sean wrote:

What's mineral wool in layman's terms?

Rock melted at extremely high temperature and 'spun'.

sean wrote:

And I don't think condensation and 'damp' are necessarily the same, are they? There's rising and penetrative and stuff.

No, two different things. Regurgitating some more facts gleaned from hubby: cavity wall insulation won't cause damp, but it can make a damp problem worse if it is already there when cavity wall insulation is put in.

sean wrote:

I'm not having a go, I'd like to know more about these things/terms.

Now that I've finally figured the 'quote' thing out, I can't help myself.

JC

Joined: 30 Jan 2005
Posts: 19
Location: Herts

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 12:22 pm Post subject:
Unfortunately I don't have cavity walls so there is little distance between the inside wall and the cold oldside. I can't put up a false wall with insulation behind it as it would use up too much floor space in a very small room. JC

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Fri Mar 11, 05 2:20 pm Post subject:
Sorry JC, got sidetracked and am still busy. There's definitely stuff out there, I'll have a hunt as soon as I can

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