# Insulation consultation



## annR (17 Oct 2011)

We're currently trying to make the house warmer.  Problem areas are the hallway and the kids bedrooms at front of house (northfacing).  We are going to upgrade the attic insulation and I'm presuming it will make a difference.
  However I would love if someone would come and look around and tell us if there is some other problem with the hallway.  I can't find any draughts, and can't really identify where the chilliness is coming from.  Is there such a thing as a consultation type service which will identify any 'gaps' in your insulation without the worry of being fleeced?
So far it seems that you have to figure it out yourself and then ask for quotes for specific jobs, and hope you're doing the right thing.


----------



## lowCO2design (17 Oct 2011)

annR said:


> We're currently trying to make the house warmer.  Problem areas are the hallway and the kids bedrooms at front of house (northfacing).  We are going to upgrade the attic insulation and I'm presuming it will make a difference.
> However I would love if someone would come and look around and tell us if there is some other problem with the hallway.  I can't find any draughts, and can't really identify where the chilliness is coming from.  Is there such a thing as a consultation type service which will identify any 'gaps' in your insulation without the worry of being fleeced?
> So far it seems that you have to figure it out yourself and then ask for quotes for specific jobs, and hope you're doing the right thing.


yes there are consultation services, unfortunately many were formed around the BER certification process and some fleecing folks do exist.. my biased advice to you is to get an experienced arch or arch tech to advise you and control (be responsible) for any other trades. this may add a little to your budget and depends largely on your budget, but it will in many circumstances save you money..

there are a couple of main quantitative things that can be done 
1. thermal imaging - to check insulation and show heat loss
2. air-tightness test - to check for air-leakage/ draughts and heat loss 

after that you get down to what you are willing to do ie what level of  refurbishment you can  afford /disruption of family etc. this is often  done by using a chart of measures showing cost v payback in a sliding  scale of importance (actually mainly cost)

to give you an example I had clients in Cork recently who under took  this process. while the 1st couple of hundred euros were spent on identifying the problems and priorities, they were undertaking a retro-fit of an early 80's home to a low energy  home ie. all windows, walls insulated air-tightness (MVHR discussed) and  kitchen/dinning swapped to south facing with sun space. So it really  depends on your budget and motives.

If money is tight do the attic - stick  up 400mm and do it yourself (dont forget to retain ventilation at eaves) then look at all the draught seals,  consider replacing window seals (they only cost circa 20€ a window) then  get a couple of tubes of silicone and check window boards etc. 
I find  suspended floors are another big problem and people are often reluctant  to lift their floors to seal and insulate them. 
My own folks recently put in a good set of low U-value Alu-clad doors creating a front porch so maybe thats an option for your leaky hallway. 

best of luck with it..


----------



## onq (18 Oct 2011)

+1 what LCO2 has posted and I understand that Peter Sweeney of http://www.propertyhealthcheck.ie/ offeras a thermal imaging camera service.


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon                                                as a defence or support -    in     and    of        itself  -         should       legal           action        be           taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in                                                Real Life with rights to       inspect     and       issue         reports    on     the           matter     at  hand.


----------



## Sandals (19 Oct 2011)

had our attic done last year by myself! Difference to the house is amazing as we really had none only down middle of the bungalow. Got loads of advice on this website so read all posts.

We also fitted a sliding door outside the front door and this also made a big difference and also fitted a stove directly into the fireplace which stopped us having to stuff fleece jumpers up the chimney during the summer to stop the draft flying into the hall way. Plus the saving on turf is huge and the heat generated is amazing, we mostly burn the "spruss" off the bottom of the shed which in the open fire place would have been unsuitable.


----------



## Jazz01 (19 Oct 2011)

Neighbours of mine got the thermal imaging done & have made some changes based on that.... they say that is has worked wonders for them - like you, their hallway was always cold, but no draughts... then ended up changing the front door to a higher quality door, also removing the open fire & putting in a stove, topping up attic insulation and simple things like sealing around windows and sills made a difference for them ...  but all changes based on the thermal imaging..


----------



## AlbacoreA (19 Oct 2011)

How do you get window seals replaced?


----------



## Murfnm (19 Oct 2011)

I have suspended floors and yes I do notice the cold - while the room itself is warm, the floor is laminate and its like walking on cold tiles. Is there anything else I can do asides from lifting the floor and insulating?  That sounds like a big job.
Thanks


----------



## onq (20 Oct 2011)

AlbacoreA said:


> How do you get window seals replaced?



If you're querying post no. 5 by Jazz I think he may have meant sealing around the windows as opposed ot getting seals replaced and perhaps he might clarify.


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon                                                as a defence or support -    in     and    of        itself  -         should       legal           action        be           taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in                                                Real Life with rights to       inspect     and       issue         reports    on     the           matter     at  hand.


----------



## onq (20 Oct 2011)

Murfnm said:


> I have suspended floors and yes I do notice the cold - while the room itself is warm, the floor is laminate and its like walking on cold tiles. Is there anything else I can do asides from lifting the floor and insulating?  That sounds like a big job.
> Thanks



The underfloor area of a raised/suspended timber floor is vented by a  brick vent or perforated block or other construction.
The timber is  supported on stub walls which allow air to circulate.
In its day, this  was an excellent way of dealing with damp rising up through floors from  the ground.

More importantly for the rising walls it created a  zone at the base of the walls in which any moisture creeping up by  capillary action passes through structures that are ventilated on both  sides, reducing the risk of rising damp.

Consider a timber floor,  1" or 25.4mm of timber boarding, mechanically fixed with overlap  joints. It is not sealed. The joints open and close following changes in  temperature and humidity. Timber tends to shrink with cold and dry air  around it, so the joints will tend to be more open in cold dry weather.  Perfect conditions for draughts in the winter!

Traditional  methods of interior design address this issue by default - a thick pile  carpet with underlay for example will keep out the worse of the  draughts.
Modern solutions will seek to remove the floor, install a concrete  slab over insulation on top of a radon gas barrier, with chemical DPCs  in the walls.

A middle way exits whereby 
- the floorboards are  lifted
- mesh is suspended between them
- fixed to the tops of joists
- mesh is filled with insulation for the full depth of the joist
- leaving the underfloor air gap below.

Advice on any solution should be got from a competent architect to fully consider the implications of the options as set out above - or alternative options.


ONQ.

[broken link removed]

All advice on AAM is remote from the situation and cannot be relied upon                                                as a defence or support -    in     and    of        itself  -         should       legal           action        be           taken.
Competent legal and building professionals should be asked to advise in                                                Real Life with rights to       inspect     and       issue         reports    on     the           matter     at  hand.


----------



## lowCO2design (20 Oct 2011)

AlbacoreA said:


> How do you get window seals replaced?


it of course depends on your windows.. most modern windows have seals. for instance mine were squashed and nearly perished, to change I just popped one out a went round to a window fitter/ installer who kindly got me the right ones form one of his suppliers, and i installed them myself. if you google window seals, you will see there are companies and products on the market..


----------



## lowCO2design (20 Oct 2011)

onq said:


> A middle way exits whereby
> - the floorboards are  lifted
> - mesh is suspended between them
> - fixed to the tops of joists
> ...


then an air-tight membrane over the joists before floor is relayed, drafts and heat loss should both be considered..



onq said:


> Advice on any solution should be got from a competent architect to fully  consider the implications of the options as set out above - or  alternative options.


 total agree, also concrete is a lazy option


----------

