Draughty pocket doors

Citizenpain · 14-03-2019 1:01am #1

I have pocket doors in a single story extension, block wall and slab . They are really draughty, particularly in current weather. Is this a big job to get fixed ? Who should I be looking for builder , plasterer or both ?is this a big job ?In Galway if anyone wants to pm a recommendation

Bonzo Delaney · 14-03-2019 8:56am

Citizenpain wrote: »

I have pocket doors in a single story extension, block wall and slab . They are really draughty, particularly in current weather. Is this a big job to get fixed ? Who should I be looking for builder , plasterer or both ?is this a big job ?In Galway if anyone wants to pm a recommendation

Builder/carpenter probably .
In order to to seal the cavity properly, the doors and frame would have to come out possibly part of the wall also to create an airtight seal around the premier of the whole unit.
Then refit replaster and repaint

Bonzo Delaney · 14-03-2019 8:59am

I'll also add that doing this will more than likely send the draught to come out elsewhere in the house.
The problem is not the doors it's the airtight fabric of the entire structure

Citizenpain · 14-03-2019 8:28pm

Thanks!! The airtightness might be down to how the the wall that the door is on was finished too

Calahonda52 · 15-03-2019 10:36am

I don't believe the problem is the pocket doors per se, as noted earlier.

You need to see where the wind is coming from, is this a new problem since the extension was built?
That is the wall buildup in the extension?

Citizenpain · 15-03-2019 11:07am

We extended before we moved in , but would say it is related to extension. That wall with the pocket doors is halfway down the extension running between the 2 external walls . I assume if opening up the plasterboard it might be obvious where the wind is coming from. I had just thought the cold wall on one side was creating a draught but realized something else was amiss this week in the bad winds

Calahonda52 · 16-03-2019 3:14pm

is the wall dry lined?
If so take off a vent cover on inside and post some pics

Citizenpain · 16-03-2019 3:55pm

Calahonda52 wrote: »

is the wall dry lined?
If so take off a vent cover on inside and post some pics

Will do. Not sure if i’ll Be able to move piping though

housetypeb · 16-03-2019 5:04pm

What's the ceiling and roof detail around that internal wall peak? Or is a gable wall?

The fact that it was felt more during the gales would seem to point more in that direction.

It would need incredibly bad block work at the junction ,depending how the cross wall is tied into the external walls, and a bad insulation job in the cavity too, be that draughty.

Citizenpain · 16-03-2019 6:23pm

It isn’t a gable wall . And unfortunately I don’t remember what that detail was . If might just have been plasterboard. You might be right about the issue being there . Now you mention it in frosty weather the line of that wall on the roof never has frost

Calahonda52 · 17-03-2019 12:44pm

Citizenpain wrote: »

Will do. Not sure if i’ll Be able to move piping though

Piping?
Housetype could be on the money here as if you think about the studs for the wide wall to take the pocket door, maybe putting the studs on two rafters and leave the gap open to the felt.

Might be worth striping off a few tiles and get a little CCTV camera in there though a cut in the felt

Citizenpain · 17-03-2019 1:30pm

I took a look at the “pocket” should the exterior wall at the very back be insulated?

Citizenpain · 18-03-2019 10:11am

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Piping?
Housetype could be on the money here as if you think about the studs for the wide wall to take the pocket door, maybe putting the studs on two rafters and leave the gap open to the felt.

Might be worth striping off a few tiles and get a little CCTV camera in there though a cut in the felt

4 inch.pipe behind vent

Citizenpain · 18-03-2019 10:12am

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Piping?
Housetype could be on the money here as if you think about the studs for the wide wall to take the pocket door, maybe putting the studs on two rafters and leave the gap open to the felt.

Might be worth striping off a few tiles and get a little CCTV camera in there though a cut in the felt

I’d say you could be right . Would this be a big job to fix ?

Calahonda52 · 18-03-2019 11:26am

Well looking at the latest picture, I assumed the wall was a stud wall.

Citizenpain wrote: »

4 inch.pipe behind vent

Is the wall dry lined, can you post a picture of the 4" pipe please

Citizenpain · 18-03-2019 11:36am

Yes , exterior wall is dry lined . One side of the pocket door is stud the other is block . Exterior wall is dry lined but not stud

Calahonda52 · 18-03-2019 11:40am

Great so pipe not sealed to the plasterboard which means air can get inside the plasterboard and move around the house.
You will find some ideas I have posted before about how to seal that off properly

Citizenpain · 18-03-2019 12:31pm

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Great so pipe not sealed to the plasterboard which means air can get inside the plasterboard and move around the house.
You will find some ideas I have posted before about how to seal that off properly

Thanks , i’ll do that . Plasterboard is fixed directly to the wall , not a stud wall .
Would that be the cause of the draft from pocket doors, or is that wishful thinking ?

Calahonda52 · 18-03-2019 1:09pm

Citizenpain wrote: »

Thanks , i’ll do that . Plasterboard is fixed directly to the wall , not a stud wall .
Would that be the cause of the draft from pocket doors, or is that wishful thinking ?

How is the slab fixed to the wall?

I still think the roof is worth a look

Citizenpain · 18-03-2019 1:13pm

Calahonda52 wrote: »

How is the slab fixed to the wall?

I still think the roof is worth a look

Screwed in . Are they called mushroom screws ?

sydthebeat · 18-03-2019 1:21pm

Citizenpain wrote: »

I took a look at the “pocket” should the exterior wall at the very back be insulated?

I assume it's an internal pocket door....??

Citizenpain · 18-03-2019 1:23pm

sydthebeat wrote: »

I assume it's an internal pocket door....??

Correct. Wall it’s on runs between 2 external walls and runs up to roof . No attic space

Citizenpain · 29-03-2019 12:17am

Had a roofer out today to fix a leak and decided to leave slates alone . Going to cut out a strip of plasterboard 8 or do inches wide above door from one side to the other and seal up as far as wall plate with rock wool and expanding foam

Calahonda52 · 29-03-2019 9:11am

Citizenpain wrote: »

Had a roofer out today to fix a leak and decided to leave slates alone . Going to cut out a strip of plasterboard 8 or do inches wide above door from one side to the other and seal up as far as wall plate with rock wool and expanding foam

Neither are airtight, the foam more than the rock wool, you need wind barrier

Citizenpain · 29-03-2019 10:12am

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Neither are airtight, the foam more than the rock wool, you need wind barrier

Thanks for that , i’m enthusiastic but pretty clueless:) can you give me a link to what you mean ?

Calahonda52 · 29-03-2019 10:23am

No exact link, you need to stop the wind coming through the space. If you just stuff it with rock wool air will still pass through.
Modern insulated roof makeup is breathable wind barrier on out side, insulation, then a breathable airtightness layer on inside, so no wind gets at insulation.

look here
http://www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com/Irelandhttp://www.ecologicalbuildingsystems.com/Ireland

Citizenpain · 30-03-2019 12:04pm

Is an angle grinder the best tool to use to remove the plasterboard ?

Calahonda52 · 30-03-2019 1:13pm

Citizenpain wrote: »

Is an angle grinder the best tool to use to remove the plasterboard ?

NO, you will wreck the place.!!

https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-pad-saw/p76863

Drill a 10mm hole first to make it easier, once you get a cut open you can use an old hand saw.

If you have a helper, get them to hi=old a vacuum cleaner near the cutting, keeps dust down a bit

Be aware of any cables, pipes

Citizenpain · 30-03-2019 2:42pm

Calahonda52 wrote: »

NO, you will wreck the place.!!

https://www.toolstation.com/roughneck-pad-saw/p76863

Drill a 10mm hole first to make it easier, once you get a cut open you can use an old hand saw.

If you have a helper, get them to hi=old a vacuum cleaner near the cutting, keeps dust down a bit

Be aware of any cables, pipes

Thanks , no cables or pipes . Thought grinder would be tidier but a lot of dust I guess

Citizenpain · 08-05-2019 11:12am

Opened it up today and no insulation at top of pocket, just a beam and felt above it . Need to pack it with something.

GreeBo · 08-05-2019 1:49pm

Calahonda52 wrote: »

Neither are airtight, the foam more than the rock wool, you need wind barrier

Not to get back into an old debate, but for draught proofing it doesnt need to be airtight, just cut down on air leakage.

OP, If it was me I would foam it first and determine if its making any difference before expending any more energy on it.

Calahonda52 · 08-05-2019 6:21pm

Citizenpain wrote: »

Opened it up today and no insulation at top of pocket, just a beam and felt above it . Need to pack it with something.

Pictures?

Citizenpain · 08-05-2019 6:34pm

Nope , all closed up again and plastered,while I was at work after much debate and ringing round , they packed it with rock wool above and to the sides
We’ll see how it goes and if it fails it didn’t cost a fortune

Citizenpain · 09-05-2019 12:57am

Only 2 pics

Citizenpain · 30-05-2019 1:32am

Pretty gusty today and it seems to have worked!

Draughty pocket doors

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