Getting insulated tomorrow - any thing to worry about?

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Getting insulated tomorrow - any thing to worry about?

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crumbledust

Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 127

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 05 2:32 pm Post subject: Getting insulated tomorrow - any thing to worry about?

We got a phone message today (two hours before the letter giving us the appointment) to confirm whether we wanted the insulation putting in tomorrow. (Free, as my dad's a pensioner, and I'm unwaged.)

I'm a little concerned that our ventilation bricks aren't enclosed (i.e. when you take the cover off you can see the gap between the walls) - won't that mean it'll spill out while they're installing it?

I'm not too bothered about the loft, because I can get in and check that easily. The cavity wall filling is harder to keep track of because it's hidden.

I guess I'd worry less if we actually were paying for it - because it seems like it would be easier to sort out if something went wrong. (I appreciate that the logic behind that probably seems daft to everyone else.)

Incidently, it's a good time to remind everyone to check their insulation - our existing insulation has compressed down to less that 1 inch thick!)

Thanks.

tawny owl

Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 563
Location: Hampshire

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 05 10:03 pm Post subject: Re: Getting insulated tomorrow - any thing to worry about?

crumbledust wrote:

I'm a little concerned that our ventilation bricks aren't enclosed (i.e. when you take the cover off you can see the gap between the walls) - won't that mean it'll spill out while they're installing it

You might get a little bit, but shouldn't be much. Mind you, you'll find the blinking stuff in your flowerbeds for months afterwards! Well worth doing, though - it'll take about a week for it to equilibrate in temperature, but after that, you'll probably find yourself lowering the thermostat by a bit more every day. I really wish the government would stop interfering with it, though - our house is a new build, so has cavity wall insulation, but only the bare minimum; not enough to be of much use, but enough to stop us being able to put any more in!

Cathryn

Joined: 16 Jul 2005
Posts: 19856
Location: Ceredigion

Posted: Thu Oct 27, 05 10:18 pm Post subject:

Hope it goes well just a slight word of warning. I stayed at my sisters house just a few days after she had got hers done and had very bad asthma that weekend. We couldn't decide whether it was just dust from the upheaval as she had her loft done as well or if it was something to do with the chemicals. Hadn't felt so ill with it for a long time so just take care and maybe be prepared to decamp for a few days if either of you suffer. I haven't visited since so don't know if I will stillreact. However I have cancelled any plans to do ours - I felt very poorly.

crumbledust

Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 127

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 05 5:21 am Post subject:
Thanks, we'll keep that in mind - it should be warm enough for the next few days to keep the windows open for ventilation. Only 5 hours or so to go now!

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 05 6:01 am Post subject: Re: Getting insulated tomorrow - any thing to worry about?

crumbledust wrote:

Sounds like our house. Only a couple of the ventilation holes needed attention and the workmen removed the metal air brick, inserted a piece of twisted mettal that had hundreds of plastic 3inch hairs (looks a bit like a bottle brush end) into the gap between the walls and then put a new air brick in. All done as part of the cost so I would have thought they would do the same. Remember they will be charging someone for the job so ensure you're happy with it.

Jonnyboy

Joined: 29 Oct 2004
Posts: 23956
Location: under some rain.

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 05 8:36 am Post subject:
I've core drilled my walls since the insulation was put in, hardly any spills out, but we put the vent in sharpish just in case!

crumbledust

Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 127

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 05 2:01 pm Post subject: Re: Getting insulated tomorrow - any thing to worry about?

tawny owl wrote:

... it'll take about a week for it to equilibrate in temperature, but after that, you'll probably find yourself lowering the thermostat by a bit more every day...

Thermostat?

(We're probably the last remaining house in the UK that doesn't have central heating. I miss the days before double glazing - I used to love pushing the ice around on the inside of the windows when I was a kid!)

We're approaching the end now (it's taken about 2 hours so far) - they're a different team from the ones who came to put the loft insulation in a few hours ago.

tawny owl

Joined: 29 Apr 2005
Posts: 563
Location: Hampshire

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 05 2:34 pm Post subject: Re: Getting insulated tomorrow - any thing to worry about?

crumbledust wrote:

(We're probably the last remaining house in the UK that doesn't have central heating. I miss the days before double glazing - I used to love pushing the ice around on the inside of the windows when I was a kid!).

You. Have. Got. To. Be. Kidding. I grew up in a house like that, and that was one of my regular jobs - to clear the ice off the inside of the windows - and to mop up the condensation and unblock the vent holes with a knitting needle, and I wouldn't go back to that if you paid me. Our clothes got mildewed in the wardrobes, we all had bad chests - not fun. Even my dad has finally seen sense and had the place double-glazed and insulated.

crumbledust

Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 127

Posted: Fri Oct 28, 05 2:54 pm Post subject:
... but the ice... was pretty! I admit, when we did get the double glazing in it sorted out a lot of things - Prior to that the kitchen and bathroom were a nightmare for condensation.

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