Tír Na HiFi

augean-4354 wrote: ↑Wed Feb 12, 2025 1:45 pm House Insurance companies can have views on this.

In what sense?

If the spray foam installer doesn't use "cards" there is a danger of lack of air circulation between the roof membrane and the insulation, build up of moisture and then rot. Lots of cases in the UK apparently where spray was just sprayed directly on under the membrane. Installers just use cardboard stapled between the rafters, and then spray onto that - once the foam solidifies durability of the card doesn't matter and a small gap is left between the top side of the foam and the membrane.

Insurance companies saw the risk and sought to limit their exposure by not insuring where spray insulation was done in that way. Not sure what the position is here.

Fran wrote: ↑Thu Feb 13, 2025 12:05 am If the spray foam installer doesn't use "cards" there is a danger of lack of air circulation between the roof membrane and the insulation, build up of moisture and then rot. Lots of cases in the UK apparently where spray was just sprayed directly on under the membrane.

Yes, I do remember us discussing that. I'll keep an eye on quotes as we get them.

Since we're talking about house isolation; did anybody fixed squeaking noisy floors, and maybe added some sound proofing inside floors or walls?

Recently we got our UPVC windows and doors serviced. The fitter replaced the seals, all opening handles and any hinges that were worn. The windows were replacements for the original teak windows and around 25 years old. Air tightness and sound isolation are the big wins resulting from this work.

My iPhone has an app called DB, it measures sound levels. I am not very familiar with DBs but the following test might mean something more to you than me. There is a solar farm being built close to our house (about 2 to 2.5 Km as the crow flies). The machinery being used emits a staccato like sound which goes on continuously most days. Standing on our doorstep the sound reading is a steady 85DB. Inside the closed door the reading is 75DB. Audibly that is a significant difference whatsoever the readings say.

I can't recommend a company, but just to say, make sure whoever does it pays attention to details, e.g. around windows, around the footing etc. cold bridging is a big challenge in any retrofit.

dubber wrote: ↑Sat Feb 22, 2025 12:01 pm I can't recommend a company, but just to say, make sure whoever does it pays attention to details, e.g. around windows, around the footing etc. cold bridging is a big challenge in any retrofit.

What exactly do you mean by cold bridging?

Cold bridging is a break in insulation continuity.
I know that’s a very simplistic answer, there’s a lot on the internet explaining the pros and cons of different types of insulation, covering ways to lessen or avoid cold bridging.
Insulating the inside of a house is more prone to cold bridging than a wrap, due in part to the fact that inner walls connect to outer walls and the dept/thickness of that wall acts as a thermal conduit.
Say you have two bedrooms back to back separated by a wall. That wall is connected to the outer building wall. That connection is a thermal bridge.

Derek wrote: ↑Mon Feb 24, 2025 8:40 pm Cold bridging is a break in insulation continuity.
I know that’s a very simplistic answer, there’s a lot on the internet explaining the pros and cons of different types of insulation, covering ways to lessen or avoid cold bridging.
Insulating the inside of a house is more prone to cold bridging than a wrap, due in part to the fact that inner walls connect to outer walls and the dept/thickness of that wall acts as a thermal conduit.
Say you have two bedrooms back to back separated by a wall. That wall is connected to the outer building wall. That connection is a thermal bridge.

Thanks for the explanation. There are SO many companies out there now doing this insulation 'thing', it is hard to ''separate the wheat from the chaff''.

I often wonder to myself will all this insulation cause a problem down the road in older houses!

Thanks again all... the windows aren't a problem and the issue of cold bridging is something Id be aware of... but a reminder is always useful.
It will be a week or two before we get active on quotes...