Green Building Forum - Government insulation scheme ruined my home Tue, 19 Dec 2023 08:32:51 +0000 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/ Lussumo Vanilla 1.0.3 Government insulation scheme ruined my home http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301519#Comment_301519 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301519#Comment_301519 Thu, 11 May 2023 16:03:01 +0100 borpin https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-65543897

My take is that the whole building would have been damp before the insulation was fitted. Once fitted, the inherent dampness couldn't escape causing the issues.

I suggest that, once installed, the whole building needed to be subjected to intense de-humidification and then small dehumidifiers fitted to maintain the RH (as folk tend not to ventilate sufficiently).]]> Government insulation scheme ruined my home http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301521#Comment_301521 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301521#Comment_301521 Thu, 11 May 2023 16:23:57 +0100 djh Government insulation scheme ruined my home http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301523#Comment_301523 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301523#Comment_301523 Thu, 11 May 2023 17:40:24 +0100 WillInAberdeen
I would guess that East Kilbride (and Glasgow generally) might be in one of those zones.

Edit: yes E Kilbride is in high exposure zone 4 so CWI only suitable in special circumstances. Maps available online (oddly, in English building regs but not Scottish!). Installing and then removing CWI has perhaps left the cavity bridged and spoiled the air and water flow routes through the cavity?]]> Government insulation scheme ruined my home http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301534#Comment_301534 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301534#Comment_301534 Fri, 12 May 2023 09:43:32 +0100 borpin Posted By: djhI don't believe in dehumidifiers, I believe in adequate ventilation.Yes, but if you cannot be sure the occupnts will ventilate, then there is a need for dehumidifiers.

Also, the initial de-humidification to remove years of dampness in the building fabric is vital, just like it often is used in new builds. To my mind, this is the key issue here.

I'd also cite the situation of a relative in a student flat. No amount of ventilation worked - a small dehumidifier has worked wonders.]]> Government insulation scheme ruined my home http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301536#Comment_301536 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301536#Comment_301536 Fri, 12 May 2023 09:59:21 +0100 djh Posted By: borpinYes, but if you cannot be sure the occupnts will ventilate, then there is a need for dehumidifiers.If they're not going to ventilate, why on earth can you assume they will use the dehumidifier? One involves actively defeating a system that is wired to run permanently and requires no action normally; the second involves actively switching on a noisy device and tending to it.

I'd also cite the situation of a relative in a student flat. No amount of ventilation worked - a small dehumidifier has worked wonders.
I'd be interested in the details.]]> Government insulation scheme ruined my home http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301537#Comment_301537 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301537#Comment_301537 Fri, 12 May 2023 11:10:52 +0100 WillInAberdeen
In that part of western Scotland the outside air is usually very humid 80%+; a home with bridged/blocked cavities will leak in many kg of wind-driven rain; and with insulation botched then removed the surfaces will be cold. So no amount of ventilation is going to dry that out. Needs dehumidifiers, or a lot of heating, or EWI.

Whereas in Eastern England or Scotland, in a watertight and insulated home, just ventilation with dry outdoors air can easily keep on top of the moisture load.

Horses, courses, etc.]]> Government insulation scheme ruined my home http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301539#Comment_301539 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301539#Comment_301539 Fri, 12 May 2023 11:26:51 +0100 djh
And please remember the context. We're discussing failed insulation schemes, which were implemented without adequate ventilation, and perhaps incompetently as well. If the scheme had been carried out well then ventilation would be correct.]]> Government insulation scheme ruined my home http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301540#Comment_301540 http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=17836&Focus=301540#Comment_301540 Fri, 12 May 2023 11:36:48 +0100 WillInAberdeen
Edit: here's one of those risk maps for CWI mentioned earlier - "X marks the spot"! The scale is >100 litres windblown rain per m² of wall, so if even a small % of those litres are being bridged across the cavity by bodged CWI, then no realistic ventilation will be able to dry it.]]>