insulation question - first house

[4Qman]

Hi everyone,

Just moved into my first house. Its a converted bungalow with 3 bedrooms added upstairs. My bedrooms upstairs are freezing, as you can see there is no insulation. The distance from the brick to where the plasterboard will be is 225mm.

My question is:, am i best to use say 100m slabs of celotex then pack the rest with normal loft insulation. Do i leave a gap or add loft insulation to fill the remainder 'worried about condensation'

 

[^woody^]

Hang on there ... have you just ripped down the inner wall of a timber framed bungalow. Did you happen to notice any polythene or similar vapour barrier?

 

[4Qman]

Hang on there ... have you just ripped down the inner wall of a timber framed bungalow. Did you happen to notice any polythene or similar vapour barrier?

thanks for the reply,

I just pulled back the plaster thats it, not removed anything else.

 

[ColJack]

you could have just drilled a few small holes and had it blown full you know...

if you're insulating then get advice on the electrics from a registered electrician since you're changing the installation method
It might be a good time to consider any extra sockets /wall lights etc or have a rewire if it needs it..

 

[xr4x4]

so thats soild blocks on the inside, whats on the outside?

 

[Deluks]

So what's that black looking stuff hanging down between the studs in the second picture?

 

[4Qman]

you could have just drilled a few small holes and had it blown full you know...

if you're insulating then get advice on the electrics from a registered electrician since you're changing the installation method
It might be a good time to consider any extra sockets /wall lights etc or have a rewire if it needs it..

Hi there, thanks for the reply. I decided to pull the plasterboard as there is a few cupboards I'm removing and the other wall is down.

My friend is an electrician and is coming over i nthe next day or two to give me advice on cables etc. It needs changing as do/are the windows

so thats soild blocks on the inside, whats on the outside?

Thanks for reply.

Outside are slates. Above the window is no insulation and i can see some light through the gaps i the slate. I could feel a draft even before i touched anything.

So what's that black looking stuff hanging down between the studs in the second picture?

Thats insulation There is one sheet of it and only in the bit you see, none anywhere else

EDIT, Thanks for reply also

 

[xr4x4]

so its single skin brick then?

 

[ColJack]

sounds like it, clad in slates?

 

[4Qman]

so its single skin brick then?

I believe so, I say that as below/above the window there is no brick just some lead/mesh lining and then the outside tile.

You have any idea what my steps for insulating would be please.

Thanks for replying.

 

[4Qman]

sounds like it, clad in slates?

Sounds exactly that

 

[^woody^]

Celotex/Kingspan will be more efficient for a given thickness, but may be more awkward to install

To prevent any condensation within the frame you need to fill every gap and not leave any air voids.

So use a mixture of celotex and fibre quilt - in layers of the same material - which way round will depend on how easy it is to put the one type in first.
I would suggest quilt first up to the back of the studs, and then celotex between the studs. Then finish by taping the joints before plastering with a foil tape, or fix a layer of polythene as a vapour barrier or use foil-backed plasterboard

 

[Deluks]

So the wall is hung with slates onto battens which have been fixed to the blockwork exterior?

In that case you are ok to insulate between and over (or behind) the studs, and add a layer of polythene over the lot before plasterboarding (cheaper) or use foil backed plasterboard (easier)

I would be inclined to cut 150mm wide strips of 50mm celotex, and somehow fix the to the back of the studs to eliminate cold bridging, then flush fill remainder, and tape over the front of the studs with 100mm aluminium tape, then fix up your plasterboard.

The foil boards, plus the foil covering the studs will provide your vapour barrier.

Provided the room is kept warm and ventilated (ie open a window regularly or keep it slightly open for long periods) then you'll have no major condensation issues.

*edit* bah, johnny come lately again.

 

[4Qman]

Celotex/Kingspan will be more efficient for a given thickness, but may be more awkward to install

To prevent any condensation within the frame you need to fill every gap and not leave any air voids.

So use a mixture of celotex and fibre quilt - in layers of the same material - which way round will depend on how easy it is to put the one type in first.
I would suggest quilt first up to the back of the studs, and then celotex between the studs. Then finish by taping the joints before plastering with a foil tape, or fix a layer of polythene as a vapour barrier or use foil-backed plasterboard

Hi again woody, thanks for reply.
I'm sorry to ask but what do you mean studs. Sorry for such a noob question.

Am i correct saying,
1. Fibre quilt against the brickwork all the way to the wooded beams
2. from the wooden beam to the plasterboard use celotex
3. then use polythene sheet over the celotex and wooden beams
4. then attach plasterboard.

Again im sorry to be such a dum arse but I am a electronic gadget freak and this is my first house.

So the wall is hung with slates onto battens which have been fixed to the blockwork exterior?

In that case you are ok to insulate between and over (or behind) the studs, and add a layer of polythene over the lot before plasterboarding (cheaper) or use foil backed plasterboard (easier)

I would be inclined to cut 150mm wide strips of 50mm celotex, and somehow fix the to the back of the studs to eliminate cold bridging, then flush fill remainder, and tape over the front of the studs with 100mm aluminium tape, then fix up your plasterboard.

The foil boards, plus the foil covering the studs will provide your vapour barrier.

Provided the room is kept warm and ventilated (ie open a window regularly or keep it slightly open for long periods) then you'll have no major condensation issues.

*edit* bah, johnny come lately again.

Yes mate, on the side wall there is blocks then slates on the outside of that. On the rear wall where the window is there is no blocks/brisk just the slates.

Thanks for advice.

Also just like to add, I will be doing the entire house and although I dont know much I will take on board all advice and put it into practice

 

[ColJack]

if you don't mind losing a little extra you can even get plasterboard with the foam on the back.. though it would probably be overkill at this point..

studs = "wooded beams" as you call them..

it's a pity you can't get double sided sticky foil so you can stick it to the studs then stick the foil backed boards to them...