Bungalow freezing! Insulation advice please

[Steveb21]

Good afternoon to you all.

I live in a corner plot dormer Bungalow which was built approx 1950/60, the dormer conversion was done in the early 80's.

The house is always very cold... even with the heating on (gas boiler/radiators) it never really gets 'warm', all it takes is opening a few doors to freeze the house out again.

Bungalow has cavity walls which at the moment are not filled with insulation. I had a company come out a few months to assess and they advised that i could fill the cavity, due to some negative feedback about cavity installation i have not decided on what i will do yet.

Older type wooden double glazing windows.

Laminate flooring (floor is always cold aswell)

Kitchen is FREEZING! It is always much more colder than the rest of the property. There is a small utility room which links to the side of the kitchen, this utility room has a flat roof and is not installed inside at all. Am i correct in thinking the cold seeps via the flat roof and into the cavity = freezing kitchen? See pictures:

Pic below showing open cavity between utility room outside and the inside kitchen wall.

Pic below showing the roof of the utility room and the wall of the kitchen.

My other question is about the top of the cavity wall, is there supposed to be a cavity closer? I THINK the cavity is open around the bungalow - is this right? Should i get it covered with installation?


Sorry for the mis match of questions etc.... got too many things running through my head.

 

[r896neo]

Bungalows have enormous floor and roof area compared to a 2 story building so insulating the loft and roof is essential.

If done in the 80s there may be little to no insulation in the dormers and between rafters. Without really refurbishing these areas and insulating you will never have a good result but it's much more instrusive than rolling out loft insulation.

I also insulated the suspended floor in my own bungalow and it made a huge difference. I was lifting the floors anyway and it again is quite major work.

Priority is loft/ roof first, then walls then floors

 

[Steveb21]

Many thanks.

I laminated the whole of the ground area when I moved in - if I knew it was going to be so sold I would have lifted the floorboards, netted and laid down installation. I have about 10-15 airbricks which provide ventilation around the house for the subfloor.

Back to the roof; I have been up to the loft access via the dormer rooms, there is installation however doesn't seem that good (will get pics soon). Obviously getting right to the corners/edge is going to be an issue, is it best taking the tiles off the roof outside?

I have not been up to loft area yet (above dormer)

 

[Diver Fred]

Is the Wall Plate on the inner or outer leaf of the walls?
How big are the Facias / Soffits? Are they vented?

The flat roof looks like it is open to the cavity so that isn't helping I'd expect the gap between the rafters to be filled with bricks or celotex type insulation.

Is there felt or membrame under the tiles? see other insulating questions for good advice on that.

Answers to the question will help us to advise.

 

[John D v2.0]

Agree with the previous posters about surface area to volume ratio.
Also consider going around on a windy day with a jos stick and see where the smoke blows:
Kitchens (and bathrooms) are renowned for having holes blasted through the wall or floor behind built in furniture/appliances, and then boxed in. You might want to pull off the plinths and whathaveyou to have a check there. A few holes at opposite ends of the room/house can be like the equivalent of a couple of windows wide open.

 

[Steveb21]

Excuse my ignorance here...

Is the Wall Plate on the inner or outer leaf of the walls?
How big are the Facias / Soffits? Are they vented?

My knowledge of these kind of things is minimum. Could you explain the above a bit further please?

My first plan of action is to sort the kitchen area - it really is like it is out in the open - freezin.
I have heard of blower tests, is it worthwhile investing in getting this done?

 

[John D v2.0]

My first plan of action is to sort the kitchen area - it really is like it is out in the open - freezin.
I have heard of blower tests, is it worthwhile investing in getting this done?

Not really, the jos stick will find the big leaks so tell you what you need to know much cheaper.

Blower test comes up with a standardised result and can measure small leakage and works regardless of the weather. You don't need any of those things.

 

[Diver Fred]

'Wall Plate' is the timber on top of the wall that the roof timbers fix to. The joist usually sit on it as well.

'Facias' is the timber on the ends of the roof timbers under the roof tiles/slates; the guttering is fixed to the Facia.
'Soffits' is the panel under the roof timbers filling the gap between the facia and the wall. it may or may not be vented.

 

[Steveb21]

Many thanks, will check it out and report back.

In the meantime I have done a test with a jos stick. There is vast amount of smoke activity when placing it behind the kitchen floor units (behind skink area). This weekend I am going to pull out the units and take a closer look, I am assuming that there are air leaks from where the piping is going out to the drains (on the inside wall), which is causing cold air from the cavity to be flown through to the kitchen.

Could I use an insulation type of foam to fill hard to reach areas (behind pipes)?

The wall in question has a rough finish to it, can I just plaster over it filling gaps as I go along?

 

[John D v2.0]

I am assuming that there are air leaks from where the piping is going out to the drains (on the inside wall), which is causing cold air from the cavity to be flown through to the kitchen.

Sounds about right

Could I use an insulation type of foam to fill hard to reach areas (behind pipes)?

Yep whatever you like, even newspaper would do if you don't have mice or damp. Rockwool is another cheap one if you don't mind the itching.
The foam is extremely messy, not so bad if you splash out for the metal gun.

The wall in question has a rough finish to it, can I just plaster over it filling gaps as I go along?

Can if you like, wet finish is a popular way to make all the gaps and cracks air tight on an already built wall.

 

[Steveb21]

Taken a few more pictures.

So the short pieces are from the main roof, then come down and sit on a piece of wood on top of the inner (kitchen) wall.

I went up to the area directly above the kitchen ceiling via a hatch in the extended dormer section...

This is the type of insulation it has, I take it that it needs replacing? Also the insulation is in patches and missing in certain areas.

The roof has a black type material and then the tiles. No insulation, is this the way it should be?


Thank you

 

[catlad]

Its the way it was with your type of property 60-70yrs
ago, its not the way it would be by today's standards.

 

[Steveb21]

Right.

What would be the way forward from here then?
Any views of getting some kind of grant to replace the insulation?