Free outside wall insulation

[Basecoat]

Hi All

New trend has come about in my street. Houses are being insulated on outside walls by 50mm thick polystyrene blocks. It is spoiling the character of houses and does look out of place. Window sills look awful. People are going for it left right and centre because its free. These contractors (a UPVC window company is raking it in).

I have had a leaflet through my letterbox today offering free wall insulation. I don't agree with it because years ago I was told walls got to breathe. If they don't then damp problems could start. Roof insulation is good. Cavity wall insulation didn't take off as it was publicised. There are other methods cheap and effective of insulating your home. Can anyone shed light on this subject. Thanks in advance.

Basecoat

 

[mfarrow]

There's a row of crooked cottages I pass on the occasion (OK they're not pretty, but the row works aesthetically). These too are now a patchwork quilt of external insulation. Hideous.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7...ata=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s3FmTYdiYGTjxQMwVIAljjQ!2e0

 

[ban-all-sheds]

New trend has come about in my street. Houses are being insulated on outside walls by 50mm thick polystyrene blocks. It is spoiling the character of houses and does look out of place.

So you'd rather people paid loadsamoney to heat poorly insulated houses and contribute to climate change at the same time?

Way to go.

Window sills look awful.

Why?

People are going for it left right and centre because its free.

Free? Who's paying for it?

These contractors (a UPVC window company is raking it in).

Raking it in from whom?

I have had a leaflet through my letterbox today offering free wall insulation.

Free? Does the leaflet say who's paying for it?

I don't agree with it because years ago I was told walls got to breathe. If they don't then damp problems could start.

Not if the walls are warm, which they would be with EWI.

Roof insulation is good. Cavity wall insulation didn't take off as it was publicised.

The big problem (so big as to be utterly insurmountable) with cavity wall insulation is that you can't have it if you don't have cavity walls. Do these houses in your street have them?

There are other methods cheap and effective of insulating your home.

Please tell us what those are when the home has solid walls. Don't forget to address all of the problem areas associated with internal wall insulation.

Can anyone shed light on this subject

Your post does read as though your mind is made up and you don't want to be confused by the facts.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

There's a row of crooked cottages I pass on the occasion (OK they're not pretty, but the row works aesthetically). These too are now a patchwork quilt of external insulation. Hideous.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.7...!1e1!3m2!1s3FmTYdiYGTjxQMwVIAljjQ!2e0[/QUOTE]
I can't see any with EWI installed.

Whilst we wait for the OP to respond about his "free" claim we are in the situation where EWI costs several, easily into the 10's of, £'000s to install, so people aren't going to do it if CWI is an option.

If the people who live in those crooked cottages have solid walls, what would you suggest they do to improve the thermal performance of those walls?

 

[mikeey84]

As difficult as this is to say, I agree with BAS

How can alternative insulation be cheaper than free? (to the end consumer), and even if you are talking about how much it costs the council/government, I reckon it still works out cheaper than IWI, as a gang could do alot more houses in a month externally insulating.

Not having a cavity myself, I am interested to know of any of the alternatives that cost less than EWI or IWI and actually work....

 

[nebjamin]

I am nearing the end of an EWI install on my house.

Regarding the aesthetics.. it looks a tonne better now than it did before. Before the insulation went on we had peeling paint and cracked render, mismatched patches of render where it had been patched up.

Now it looks absolutely fantastic. Dead flat (slightly textured) through colour render, and the house is warm to boot. No more mould in the cupboards or the bathroom. Gas consumption massively reduced to the point I have £70 extra in my pocket every month.

Granted the oversills are not the best (I would recommend aluminium instead of UPVC for anyone considering doing EWI), and the capping on the gable where the tiles don't overhang enough looks a bit odd if you stare at it for long enough.

But the improvement far, far outweighs these negatives, and I would do it again tomorrow.

And if it's really free then I can see why it's so popular. I paid £14k.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Not having a cavity myself, I am interested to know of any of the alternatives that cost less than EWI or IWI and actually work....

Disclaimer: Your appearance in thermal underwear or chunky sweaters may vary.

 

[mikeey84]

very droll

 

[dishman]

Free? Intriguing....not that I need external home insulation myself. Just interested as to the set-up and how it is being subsidized...

Please explain further...or maybe expand on the leaflet that was posted without giving the company in question any undue publicity.....

Is this part of the Green Deal perhaps? Or are they council properties that are being upgraded at no cost to the homeowners?

 

[Basecoat]

New trend has come about in my street. Houses are being insulated on outside walls by 50mm thick polystyrene blocks. It is spoiling the character of houses and does look out of place.

So you'd rather people paid loadsamoney to heat poorly insulated houses and contribute to climate change at the same time?

Way to go.

Window sills look awful.

Why?

People are going for it left right and centre because its free.

Free? Who's paying for it?

These contractors (a UPVC window company is raking it in).

Raking it in from whom?

I have had a leaflet through my letterbox today offering free wall insulation.

Free? Does the leaflet say who's paying for it?

I don't agree with it because years ago I was told walls got to breathe. If they don't then damp problems could start.

Not if the walls are warm, which they would be with EWI.

Roof insulation is good. Cavity wall insulation didn't take off as it was publicised.

The big problem (so big as to be utterly insurmountable) with cavity wall insulation is that you can't have it if you don't have cavity walls. Do these houses in your street have them?

There are other methods cheap and effective of insulating your home.

Please tell us what those are when the home has solid walls. Don't forget to address all of the problem areas associated with internal wall insulation.

Can anyone shed light on this subject

Your post does read as though your mind is made up and you don't want to be confused by the facts.

I am not at all confused. Closer look at the houses insulated look bad. They started above air bricks finishing below eaves. As for cost the government is footing the bill that is why the homes look odd. The leaflet says "Your home will not only look great it will save you hundreds in fuel bills all for no cost to you "
As for upvc window firm is probably a sub contracter.

I would not touch them with a barge pole.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Or are they council properties that are being upgraded at no cost to the homeowners?

Didn't think about that - they could well be, or a HA.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I am not at all confused. Closer look at the houses insulated look bad.

But is that a generic problem with EWI, or just a poor job done by these installers?

Are you against EWI in general, or are you here to complain about the workmanship of these particular contractors?

What's your suggested alternative to EWI for houses with solid walls?

As for cost the government is footing the bill that is why the homes look odd.

Is it? Why? Can you not get government funding if it doesn't look odd? Please explain your reasoning, and why you think there's a causal relationship between who is paying and how it looks.

I would not touch them with a barge pole.

Probably not. The world is full of carp tradesmen - there's no reason why the EWI installation market should be an exception.

What point are you trying to make?