Insulation

[Pablo]

hi fellas I've a question for yous. Next job on my list for house improvements is sorting the insulation. Installing the new stuff isn't a problem but removing the old is. The previous owner kindly filled all 3 lofts with sh*t loads of busted polystyrene which is now reacting with the pvc in the power cables so needs sorting asap. I've estimated there's at least 5 cube of the stuff and access is terrible to some spots so it's gonna be a filthy job if I hand ball it in bags and it'll take days. Is there any kind of industrial vaccum that's up to the job and what's it called. Cheers.

[local patios and driveway]

All electric companies have a quota of insulation the must fulfill over a year or face massive fines, call british gas, they did ours completely free, just had to open the door and make tea

[GB_Groundworks]

yeah machine mart do some big ones, we got a cheap wet and dry one from there a while back or you could hire one that fills bags i bet,

http://www.hss.com/c/1014431/Vacuum-Cleaners.html

proper job hehe


this looks the dog bollocks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOGhdlSBzg8

or this one

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NibWX2biDM8&feature=related



Edited By GB_Groundworks on 1324683372

[lutonlagerlout]

days work for 3 lads with a henry hoover and lots of bags
loose fibre glass is 10 times worse


LLL

[Pablo]

Tony I've just measured my Henry and done the maths and it works out at nearly 700 bags and it'll wreck the Hoover to. Tbh 5 cube is optimistic it's 2ft deep in places. We have virtually no deregulation of our utilities over here but because the house has historical importance the insulation and installation is free but I have to prep it. They won't insulate the eaves just deadlink beam so I've got to do that with kingspan myself which will be a nightmare because there's so little room and access.



Edited By Pablo on 1324721342

[lutonlagerlout]

no pablo i meant just shovel it in to heavy duty bin liners then hoover the small stuff
3of us did a house 15M wide and 9 M deep in a day just like this last summer, we had an 8yd skip with the doors and it filled it
I give the lads a good drink each as it was horrible work
have you considered the flexible quilt expensive but easier to install when things are tight
LLL

[Pablo]

Yes I was looking into that but I've not compared u values yet. I couldn't face bagging it some of the spaces are accessed through 2 stones walls where the hole barely fits a human so a bag will be tight and probably rip. There's about a 4" gap in the eaves that needs insulating how much of a gap needs left for airflow Tony. Other than the fact the polystyrene is melting my electrics the problem is the 4ft of uninsulated eave/roof that allows the heat from the upstairs to disapate in minutes.

[Pablo]

Trying to find a photo.



Edited By Pablo on 1324722400

[lutonlagerlout]

we normally use breathable felt but on existing they like at least 25 mm airflow 50mm if possible
might be different in NI
so if we are celotexing existing 125 mm rafters we put 80mm between the rafters and 50mm underneath(this is for loft conversions)
on joists it is 200mm between the joists and 100mm perpendicular over the top of rockwool or similar
thing with kingspan or celotex and old house is that it needs to be cut tight for it to work
and in old houses the timbers are often twisted
a real bugger of a job
LLL

[Pablo]

thanks for bearing with me Tony am I right in understanding that the kingspan is rendered totally or only partially ineffective if I don't achieve a perfect fit. Is there such a thing as a thin dense but flexible reflective backed rockwool type product that I could push down the eaves with a stick.

[lutonlagerlout]

ideally it needs to be a snug fit,and i have done old houses and its a nightmare scribing it in
we normally push rockwool into the eves but you need a ventilation tray on top of the rafters to allow airflow
have a gander here mate
LLL