Cavity Wall insulation... Yay or Nay?

mrcheez

I'm a little discouraged after reading http://www.askjeff.co.uk/cavity.html

Has anyone had experience of increased dampness due to cavity insulation?

sydthebeat

mrcheez wrote: »

I'm a little discouraged after reading http://www.askjeff.co.uk/cavity.html

Has anyone had experience of increased dampness due to cavity insulation?

we generally do not pump cavities with mineral wool here.

the agrement cert of every material used should be adhered to.

mrcheez

The engineer told me they pump a "pearly substance" into the cavities. Any disadvantages using that method?

muffler

mrcheez wrote: »

The engineer told me they pump a "pearly substance" into the cavities. Any disadvantages using that method?

He was probably referring to Eco-Bead which has basically been tried, tested and approved by NSAI who have issued a cert approving its use and also conditioning the method and situation in which it should be used.

I got my own walls pumped with this about 4 years ago and I have a very exposed 2 storey gable wall and have not encountered any problems with it.

sydthebeat

mrcheez wrote: »

The engineer told me they pump a "pearly substance" into the cavities. Any disadvantages using that method?

Like I said, every material should be used as recommended by it's agrement certificate. Using it outside of these terms may lead to problems.

Bullseye1

muffler wrote: »

He was probably referring to Eco-Bead which has basically been tried, tested and approved by NSAI who have issued a cert approving its use and also conditioning the method and situation in which it should be used.

I got my own walls pumped with this about 4 years ago and I have a very exposed 2 storey gable wall and have not encountered any problems with it.

Was your wall partially filled already? I am contemplating getting my own partially filled cavity wall (circa 2001) filled.

muffler

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Was your wall partially filled already? I am contemplating getting my own partially filled cavity wall (circa 2001) filled.

Yes, my house was built in 1984, had a 100mmm cavity with 38mm Aeroboard.

mrcheez

The wall space that can be insulated is approx 15.5ft wide by 8ft high. Front and back. (bungalow)

I got a quote of around 425 for this. Sound about right?

mrcheez

Quick question, does filling the cavity INCREASE noise transmission along the wall compared to leaving the gap. I.e. does making the wall solid increase likelihood that noise will carry along the wall from a noisy neighbour's house, compared to existing?

muffler

mrcheez wrote: »

Quick question, does filling the cavity INCREASE noise transmission along the wall compared to leaving the gap. I.e. does making the wall solid increase likelihood that noise will carry along the wall from a noisy neighbour's house, compared to existing?

Short answer...no.

Brave Harvey

Quick question, does filling the cavity INCREASE noise transmission along the wall compared to leaving the gap. I.e. does making the wall solid increase likelihood that noise will carry along the wall from a noisy neighbour's house, compared to existing?

I just heard recently that air carries sound, as is the best conductor of sound. However what your saying by filling the cavity; I heard a neighbour say that when she filled her cavity with insulation the sound from outside became louder!! But if I were you and I wanted to fill the cavity just check the acoustic properties of the beads and ask an independent professional.

mrcheez

Brave Harvey wrote: »

I just heard recently that air carries sound, as is the best conductor of sound. However what your saying by filling the cavity; I heard a neighbour say that when she filled her cavity with insulation the sound from outside became louder!! But if I were you and I wanted to fill the cavity just check the acoustic properties of the beads and ask an independent professional.

I'm not too worried about sound from outside.. I'm more worried about sound coming along the wall from the attached neighbours house

The houses are indented, so half of my external wall is outside in the neigbour's garden, the other half is internal wall.

I had the wall sound-proofed, but now I'm worried about sound travelling along the insulated outside wall and getting around the corner into my house.

At the moment it's fine, but as long as the beads don't vibrate and carry sound it should stay the same

mrcheez

Incidentally the cavity fill product is called "CertainFil", not Ecobead

muffler

mrcheez wrote: »

Incidentally the cavity fill product is called "CertainFil", not Ecobead

Thats fine as it's IAB certified

You should read that cert.