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Cavity Insulation in an old house

  • 02-09-2008 2:41pm
    #1
    oldsalt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭


    My daughter lives in an old (c140yrs) house which the previous owners drylined. However, there are draughts in the rooms and I suspect the cavity has not been sealed, which must make the drylining more or less useless for heat retention purposes. The walls are rubble/masonry over a foot thick with a 2 inch (I think) cavity to the drylining. Could she fill the cavity with insulation or would this have no effect, or worse? I'd like to help her out before the winter!


Comments

  • #2
    ircoha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,290 ✭✭✭ircoha


    oldsalt wrote: »
    My daughter lives in an old (c140yrs) house which the previous owners drylined. However, there are draughts in the rooms and I suspect the cavity has not been sealed, which must make the drylining more or less useless for heat retention purposes. The walls are rubble/masonry over a foot thick with a 2 inch (I think) cavity to the drylining. Could she fill the cavity with insulation or would this have no effect, or worse? I'd like to help her out before the winter!

    If the DL has been done properly there should be a continuous horizontal batten at top and bottom to act as a firebreak so to start with maybe establish if it is there?
    In addition I would imagine that the ceiling is tight to wall behind the DL so tough to see how the air is getting in from above.

    From your post it is not clear how the air is getting in.
    Is the house single/2/3 story?
    What are the floors? suspended timber floors or what with what finish?
    Windows?
    How well fitted are the skirting boards?
    How well fitted is the floor against the wall?

    Are there wall vents from outside that are not ducted across the DL cavity?


  • #3
    RKQ
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,292 ✭✭✭RKQ


    IMO its important to maintain a air gap between the dry-lining and the masonry wall, if this wall is constructed out of stone c.140 years. If so, it has a lime mortar with allows the structure to breath.

    Filling the gap, if there is one, will promote the growth of mould.

    Can you post more details of the construction and the position of the draught?


  • #4
    oldsalt
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2 ✭oldsalt


    Thanks ircoha and RKQ for replying: I've asked my daughter to get me the info you asked for: she lives in Sligo and I'm in Dublin, so I can't do it myself.

    The damp transfer was one of the things that was worrying me - I'm sure the house hasn't a DPC, for one thing, and I don't remember seeing any vents.


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