Re: Home Insulation

From what Mollie told me, the weed is growing against the wall and they need to drill into the wall. It will only take a couple of minutes to cut it down if its what I think it is.

Re: Home Insulation

And what do you think it is. And why are you answering on her behalf.

Re: Home Insulation

But it is not their job to cut down the mess that the owner has left her garden in. Who the hell is picking up the tab for her neglect.
She is already getting freebies what more does she want.

Re: Home Insulation

Mesco M, The funding for this scheme will be running out shortly, and the insulation firms are falling over themselves to get the work before it's too late, they will do anything to get a sale.
Have you got a problem with Mollie?, you seem a bit harsh with her.

Re: Home Insulation

We had a visit from a government-approved surveyor a month or two ago - he was astounded at our 12 inches of loft insulation!
We may be in our sixties but we're not brain-dead!

B&Q did a special five years ago on loft insulation - it came rolled tight and "inflated" itself up to eight inches - and we already four inches up there.
I thought it'd help keep the house warmer - and it does.

B&Q were selling it ridiculously cheap at the time - mid-summer and we bought enough to do all the loft for £120!!

It also cuts drastically the heat lost through the roof so our roof has hardly any moss at all now that the sun's dried it all up - it just rolls off the roof and lands in the garden!

We can't have cavity wall insulation because our house is unsuitable - we have a small under-build about 36" high so pumping in that foam stuff anywhere in the house would lift all the floor boards and probably cause damage to the building.
Some people up the road from us had it done and had to spend thousands putting the house right again - put me right off the idea!! stevmk2

Re: Home Insulation

Thanks again for replies and yes Jimmy, Mesco does have a problem with me for some reason, hence her cynicism toward me on virtually everything I post, but I can only read her replies when she's been quoted. I don't know why she replies to me when she knows I have her on Ignore! She just likes trying to spoil my threads on here.

Mags, I'll make him a nice cup of tea and, like Jimmy said, if that weed/triffid isn't removed, the work can't be carried out as it's massive. It's literally about two feet from the wall in the ground, but is touching the wall, and I think it was very good of the Surveyor to offer to chop it down for me. Not everyone thinks the worst of others, nor do they think there's an ulterior motive.

StevMk2 thanks for your reply as well. It's good to hear the feed-back that the house will be warmer, but it's a pity you can't have cavity wall insulation done.

Meg: All systems go. I'm having the week off work from Monday 3 September because the loft insulation will be on the 4th, I have a dental appointment again on the 5th, so I hoped to get the cavity wall done in the same week, but they couldn't fit me in, which is a pity, but not to worry.

Thanks everyone.

Re: Home Insulation

I have no problem with Mollie. I only have a problem with the fact that the surveyor has to come out in his own time, on a weekend, to solve a problem that is not his, to give her a free service, that will benefit her. Has she no regard for that man's time or his other commitments. He is not a kind man, apparently, if he does not cut down the offending tree, weed, or whatever it is, he will not be able to do his job, so he has no choice. Nice.

Re: Home Insulation

I've been away a bit and just caught this thread. My partner and I have run a residential insulation business here in Canada for 5 years and he's been an insulator since 1989.

My 2 cents' worth for anyone doing retrofit (not new construction) home insulation:

Foam insulation injected into wall cavities does not spread much past 12" if blown through a straight nozzle. Installers often leave gaps (unintentionally) simply because of this limitation. Ask how many holes are drilled and if they offer thermal imaging to check for deficiencies after the work is done. Also note that some companies are not skilled at reparing the mortar where they drill and the result is a patchy look that detracts from the appearance of the house. Get references if you can, and talk to other homeowners.

Cellulose (shredded paper) insulation will absorb moisture from the air and eventually collapse under its own weight. Expect about 20% reduction over a few years. It is also treated with chemicals to make it fire-retardant but these chemicals leach out over time. My brother ("Arthur Dent" on this forum, though he doesn't log in often) had a section of wall and attic/loft go up in flames when old cellulose ignited as he was doing a simple plumbing repair. He suffered burns to both hands (now well healed fortunately) and there was extensive damage to the house.

Both foam insulation and aged cellulose are flammable. Be sure any wiring is up to date and pot lights are either IC-type (Insulation Contact) or boxed out with 5/8" drywall before the insulation work is done.

Ask your local fire dept about possible foam insulation hazards. The exothermic reaction that occurs as the chemical and catalyst work together has been the cause of fires. Here's one link: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/...ource=W2210ENL

So based on his industry experience, the only product my partner will use is fiberglass (batts, blanket or loosefill/blown in). Not only is it the safest, it does not give off any volatile organic compounds (off-gassing), it never settles or loses its thermal resistance, is inorganic and does not attract vermin or support the growth of mold or mildew.

Re: Home Insulation

Many thanks again folks. The person (Jim) came yesterday to cut down the tryffid in my back garden to allow access for the cavity wall insulation.

What a lovely man to have done this for me and how very kind. It didn't take him long, so now there's free access to carry out the work.

Sue, thank you so much for that information, but this work will be carried out to British Standards so I'm confident that all will be okay.

Re: Home Insulation

That's good Mollie I hope they come and install it for you before winter sets in . I will be interested to see if it makes a difference to the warmth of the house during the winter.