Dampness/mould after pumped insulation!uj

waterford_21

Hope this is in the right forum !
My house is 1980s bungalow and last year I had it insulated and got grant from Home Energy Saving scheme. I got the walls pumped with gray bead, 200mm blown insulation in the attic and 100mm airlock floor to my attic.
First problem arose when I noticed black mould marks appearing on ceiling in bedroom, all along outside walls, and over window. Then i checked and saw it to a lesser extent in other bedrooms. I pulled off the cover on the air vent and it was full of insulation - no air getting thru! I then pulled out a wardrobe in another room and the wall is all damp and paint cracked and mouldy - so I expect all the vents are blocked thru the house! Also, I remember he told me they would leave a gap in the attic around the edges for ventilation, but to be honest I didn't fully understand this, so if I go up there, what am I looking for! The attic is floored over the worst bedroom - and you can't actually see into the corners as they are walled. What to do! I'd like to get my facts straight before going back to the Insulation company - so any help or advice much appreciated.

BryanF

waterford_21 wrote: »

Hope this is in the right forum !
My house is 1980s bungalow and last year I had it insulated and got grant from Home Energy Saving scheme. I got the walls pumped with gray bead, 200mm blown insulation in the attic and 100mm airlock floor to my attic.
First problem arose when I noticed black mould marks appearing on ceiling in bedroom, all along outside walls, and over window. Then i checked and saw it to a lesser extent in other bedrooms. I pulled off the cover on the air vent and it was full of insulation -

• no air getting thru!
• I then pulled out a wardrobe in another room and the wall is all damp and paint cracked and mouldy - so I expect all the vents are blocked thru the house!
• Also, I remember he told me they would leave a gap in the attic around the edges for ventilation, but to be honest I didn't fully understand this,
• so if I go up there, what am I looking for! The attic is floored over the worst bedroom - and you can't actually see into the corners as they are walled.
• What to do! I'd like to get my facts straight before going back to the Insulation company - so any help or advice much appreciated.

well boy, sounds like ventilation issue in the house: buy a RH sensor and keep an eye, unblock vents and see if this helps, then start leaving more windows open, see if that does it.
50mm continuous ventilation should be left between the felt and insulation at the eaves
when last year did you get this done? as there was a new brief from the seai regarding the installation of vents recently (cant put my finger on when)

remember the damp spots could be a few different things for instance thermal bridging due to poor construction but more likely air-movement/ ventilation.

it might be worth you getting an air-tight test - you never know, you may just have a really well sealed-up building and require mechanical ventilation or more walls vents

MicktheMan

+1 on what Bryan said.

I've come across this more than once where the vents are blocked as a result of pumping the walls. Unblock the vents, clean the mould off (white vinegar/water is great for this) and monitor. As BryanF said, get an RH monitor and if mould returns or high humidity readings over a long period (>70%) then have the house further investigated. Bear in mind to ignore the humidity readings during late spring, summer and early autumn.

waterford_21 wrote: »

and you can't actually see into the corners as they are walled.

What do you mean here? Maybe a pic?

creedp

MicktheMan wrote: »

+1 on what Bryan said.

I've come across this more than once where the vents are blocked as a result of pumping the walls. Unblock the vents, clean the mould off (white vinegar/water is great for this) and monitor. As BryanF said, get an RH monitor and if mould returns or high humidity readings over a long period (>70%) then have the house further investigated. Bear in mind to ignore the humidity readings during late spring, summer and early autumn.



What do you mean here? Maybe a pic?

Where would one pick up an RH Monitor for reasonable money. I'm moved into a new build 4 weeks ago and am having ongoing problems with condensation around perimeter of window panes, i.e. all along where frame meets glass. I have MHRV which has been 'stoked up' in order to help with drying out the house but problem persists. I would like to be able to measure the RH in the house now and over time to see if it is improving.

On this particular issue I've seen the same issue in a red brick 1980's house which was pumped autumn 2010. There is a very visible line of mould around the top of the external walls of 1st floor northfacing bedrooms. I also noticed mould on clothes in a wardrobe. Will have a look at vents to see if blocked.

MicktheMan

creedp wrote: »

Where would one pick up an RH Monitor for reasonable money. I'm moved into a new build 4 weeks ago and am having ongoing problems with condensation around perimeter of window panes, i.e. all along where frame meets glass. I have MHRV which has been 'stoked up' in order to help with drying out the house but problem persists. I would like to be able to measure the RH in the house now and over time to see if it is improving.

Chances are that your house is still drying out from the construction. As a result there will be a higher moisture load than normal and this may well be what you are witnessing.
Google is your friend:)
I use temperature/rh data loggers which are great for logging internal conditions over time.

creedp

MicktheMan wrote: »

Chances are that your house is still drying out from the construction. As a result there will be a higher moisture load than normal and this may well be what you are witnessing.
Google is your friend:)
I use temperature/rh data loggers which are great for logging internal conditions over time.

Thanks for that Mick.. Yea me and Google are aquainted:) Sometimes he depresses me because he confirms I have done something wrong/not done something right. One of these days he'll tell me something I want to hear:D

muffler

creedp wrote: »

One of these days he'll tell me something I want to hear:D

Who? Enda Kenny?

creedp

muffler wrote: »

Who? Enda Kenny?

Unfortunately it will most likely be a cold day in hell before that will happen .. and I had such high hopes ... a fallen idol:)

caesarthechimp

waterford_21 wrote: »

Also, I remember he told me they would leave a gap in the attic around the edges for ventilation, but to be honest I didn't fully understand this, so if I go up there, what am I looking for!

Around the edges you don't want to see the fibre has overflowed down into the soffit/fascia board area- there should be air free to come up from there.

There should be short lengths of 110mm pipe behind the vent grilles going right through to the outside grilles which would stop any bead getting into the vents.

Is this definitely a cavity wall, not a hollow block wall?