Charlesland Wall Construction

Mullie

Can anyone clarify something for me regarding the construction of the walls in Charlesland houses:
How exactly is a cavity wall built?
According to the info I've searched on the web, going from the inside to the outside a wall is structured as follows:
Plasterboard
4 inch block
Insulation
Cavity
Outside block

This image also corresponds to that general description.


If I'm not mistaken, in Charlesland, starting on the inside:
Plasterboard
Large Cavity
....other stuff that I can't see.

My problem is that there is a gale blowing through this cavity that enters the house at the base of the wall below the skirting boards/under the wardrobes/on the underside of the window sills/plug sockets and generally anywhere that there is a gap.
Is this normal building practice?
Is there something wrong with my walls in the fact that there is free airflow immediately behind the plasterboard?
Thanks!

pixbyjohn

Are you in the same house that you had this done >

Thats what I was wondering. Its up near the top of the scale so I think its fairly good. Thats after a bit of work though cause our insulation was a disgrace.

We got the insulation and upgraded heating controls done recently and most of its been covered by the SEAI grant scheme:
http://www.seai.ie/Grants/Home_Energy_Saving_Scheme/

Mullie wrote: »

Has anyone else got a BER assessment in Charlesland? We've recently got cavity wall insulation installed and scored a B3 after the works.
What sort of ratings are 2-beds in Charlesland getting?

recedite

and its a double post;
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056802125

the Lamb Post

Mullie wrote: »

According to the info I've searched on the web, going from the inside to the outside a wall is structured as follows:
Plasterboard
4 inch block
Insulation
Cavity
Outside block

If I'm not mistaken, in Charlesland, starting on the inside:
Plasterboard
Large Cavity
....other stuff that I can't see.

The above build up would be correct for the cavity wall construction, but in my house (2 bed, Court) the internal wall is finished with the dry-lining installed on timber battens. This is can be quite common in external wall construction with the gap about 25mm, but it should be no more than 50mm.

Mullie wrote: »

My problem is that there is a gale blowing through this cavity that enters the house at the base of the wall below the skirting boards/under the wardrobes/on the underside of the window sills/plug sockets and generally anywhere that there is a gap.
Is this normal building practice?
Is there something wrong with my walls in the fact that there is free airflow immediately behind the plasterboard?

This shouldn't happen. There could be a multitude of reasons as to why wind is getting in the cavity but the first thing I'd check would be the vents in each room. There should be a pipe crossing the cavity behind the grill. This pipe should be sealed around the outside between the wall and the outside of the pipe, but very often is not. If the seal is missing, or broken, this could be where the wind is getting in to the cavity. Checking the seal on the external wall with the pipe might be a good place to start. Unscrew the grill on the inside wall and see if the pipe is free to move. If it is there could be a possibility that the seal is broken.

Mullie

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Are you in the same house that you had this done >

Thats what I was wondering. Its up near the top of the scale so I think its fairly good. Thats after a bit of work though cause our insulation was a disgrace.

We got the insulation and upgraded heating controls done recently and most of its been covered by the SEAI grant scheme:
http://www.seai.ie/Grants/Home_Energy_Saving_Scheme/

Yeah, same house. Which is why I'm all the more baffled at the whole thing. I'm now starting to think I was done with the insulation.

Mullie

recedite wrote: »

and its a double post;
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056802125

Wanted to see if I could could get two perspectives on this issue, one from Charleslanders and the other from the general DIY forum.

2011

the Lamb Post wrote: »

There could be a multitude of reasons as to why wind is getting in the cavity but the first thing I'd check would be the vents in each room. There should be a pipe crossing the cavity behind the grill. This pipe should be sealed around the outside between the wall and the outside of the pipe, but very often is not. If the seal is missing, or broken, this could be where the wind is getting in to the cavity. Checking the seal on the external wall with the pipe might be a good place to start.

Agree totally.
I have seen this problem with many houses in Charlesland. Fixing this problem will help significantly and is not that hard to do.

I have found that attention to detail and finishing is very poor across this development.

Another problem that I have seen throughout Charlesland is the way that the ESB and gas meter cabinets are not sealed properly to the exterior wall. This allows cold air get into the cavity.



This applies to the ETU boxes for the phone and cable TV (see ETU box here). In fact I have often seen these lying on the ground exposing a large hole to the elements in an exterior wall.

This problem can be fixed easily with a can or two of expanding foam which can be purchased from Chadwicks in Bray. This foam has a high U-value and will not only secure the box in place but prevent drafts too. The picture below illustrates how the foam fills all available gaps (don't worry it is easily trimmed once dry).