How to airtight new build?

Lyixd

Hi all, new to this site, though have been following for a while reading and learning loads! I'm beginning a selfbuild on a 2700sq foot bungalow in January.
Had thought originally about timberframe but because of budget restrictions I have decided to go block build now with 150mm cavity. I will try and insulate as best I can as I go and I am thinking of using thermal block on inner leaf. One thing among many! I'm not sure about is how do I achieve air tightness when building a block house? Is it something I should be thinking about or do I just concentrate on my levels of insulation. A rough idea of what I'm thinking is 150mm caving pump filled, thermal block, 40mm insulation under joists, 150mm floor insulation with ufh, triple glazing. Any advise appreciated thanks

lowkeys

Plastering your rooms will make it the thermal blocks airtight. The same principals need to be applied to thermal blocks as with the standard concrete blocks. Make sure to plaster down to the floor (or seal with air tight tape at this junction) and detail correctly between ground and first floor.

fealeranger

lowkeys wrote: »

Plastering your rooms will make it the thermal blocks airtight. The same principals need to be applied to thermal blocks as with the standard concrete blocks. Make sure to plaster down to the floor (or seal with air tight tape at this junction) and detail correctly between ground and first floor.

I'm not sure on this but I didn't think there would be much of a price between timber framed and block. But I would think the thermal blocks is more expensive than both methods?

Lyixd

lowkeys wrote: »

Plastering your rooms will make it the thermal blocks airtight. The same principals need to be applied to thermal blocks as with the standard concrete blocks. Make sure to plaster down to the floor (or seal with air tight tape at this junction) and detail correctly between ground and first floor.

So if I tape up all junctions such as windows,doors,floor,ceiling this should work?

The timber companies I got quotes from both agreed they would never beat a block house on price, and using thermal block on inner leaf only comes in about 1500 more.

dfader

lowkeys wrote: »

Plastering your rooms will make it the thermal blocks airtight. The same principals need to be applied to thermal blocks as with the standard concrete blocks. Make sure to plaster down to the floor (or seal with air tight tape at this junction) and detail correctly between ground and first floor.

Watch the videos on website below. There is good company in meath specializing in airtightness products too worth checking out.

http://www.greenbuildingstore.co.uk/page--denby-dale-passivhaus-technical-film.html

MicktheMan

Lyixd wrote: »

Hi all, new to this site, though have been following for a while reading and learning loads! I'm beginning a selfbuild on a 2700sq foot bungalow in January.
Had thought originally about timberframe but because of budget restrictions I have decided to go block build now with 150mm cavity. I will try and insulate as best I can as I go and I am thinking of using thermal block on inner leaf. One thing among many! I'm not sure about is how do I achieve air tightness when building a block house? Is it something I should be thinking about or do I just concentrate on my levels of insulation. A rough idea of what I'm thinking is 150mm caving pump filled, thermal block, 40mm insulation under joists, 150mm floor insulation with ufh, triple glazing. Any advise appreciated thanks

Airtightness details should be worked out as early as possible in planning a new build and is just as important as working out the insulation levels / thermal bridging details (even possibly more important in our temperate climate).
One of the main air tightness materials company run monthly a one day course specifically aimed at the domestic house builder which might be the best investment of 50 quid and time you spend.

Lyixd

MicktheMan wrote: »

Airtightness details should be worked out as early as possible in planning a new build and is just as important as working out the insulation levels / thermal bridging details (even possibly more important in our temperate climate).
One of the main air tightness materials company run monthly a one day course specifically aimed at the domestic house builder which might be the best investment of 50 quid and time you spend.

Could you possibly pm me details of this. I'm in the north but willing to travel a bit.

MicktheMan

pm sent

heavydawson

MicktheMan wrote: »

pm sent

Mick, would you mind PM-ing me the details also? Thanks

john_eire

would you PM me the details also? Thanks

MicktheMan

heavydawson wrote: »

Mick, would you mind PM-ing me the details also? Thanks

pm sent

MicktheMan

john_eire wrote: »

would you PM me the details also? Thanks

pm sent

gooner99

Could you please pm me the details also,thanks

Rushy Fields

I am at this stage with my self build also. could you pm me if you wouldnt mind. thank you

fclauson

I have just completed my build and got 0.54 ACH for a block build
all I can say is detail detail detail - in my build at the air test stage you are only looking for a hole acorss the whole of the fabric of the build which is less that 1/3 of an A4 sheet of paper

that is a very very small hole in reality - every nick, crack, or pin whole all adds up to this total

before you start a build make sure you fully understand your airtight stratergy - its not something which can be done when the building is half built

e.g. we had a lot of problems between the screed and the wall and the radon barrier - air was going down the wall past folds in the barrier and out side - took a lot of tape to fix

hexosan

MicktheMan wrote: »

Airtightness details should be worked out as early as possible in planning a new build and is just as important as working out the insulation levels / thermal bridging details (even possibly more important in our temperate climate).
One of the main air tightness materials company run monthly a one day course specifically aimed at the domestic house builder which might be the best investment of 50 quid and time you spend.

Can you PM the details of this company also

muffler

As I said in a few other threads here would people please stop posting these silly "PM me" type comments. These posts are disruptive to the flow of the various threads. I cant understand why some people continually ask for PMs to be sent to them instead of contacting the person directly by PM themselves.