Hi,
I'm trying to locate draughts (drafts?) in my timber frame house and I don't expect to find everything, just any faults or things that could be fixed in DIY jobs where possible. I know this is a never ending task for some houses so I'm just looking for big wins (autocorrect says big wind!). However I might keep this thread for any on-going work or issues I find or resolve.
Some queries about correct construction too.
It's a timber framed semi-detached house built during the building boom in Ireland around 2006/2007. I know regs are/were similar to the UK so hoping for some good advice here on that.
External is cavity blocks, plastered. So not bricks (like most of the info I've seen online for timber framed houses).
Having occasionally had to do small work (sockets, replacement of a few sections of plasterboard) I have noticed that the structure is:
<Cavity-blocks> <air gap> <insulated plasterboard>
Insulated plasterboard is kingspan. There is no osb "layer" in any section I have had to open up - this is something I see in most diagrams I find of timberframed houses that have brick on the outside, however as I say mine is plastered cavity blocks on the outside so would that mean that the osb "layer" is not necessary? Anyway that's not really something I can remedy I think.
One thing I did find (and asked here before) was that the cavity is open at the top (in the attic), and I have let the insulation in the attic lie on top of this (I only completed this recently). I have not "blocked" it as such with a barrier but I think I have done enough to stop the wind coming in through the soffit vents and down into the cavity - it's too early to say if this is having an effect.
I also tidied up some of the external vents in terms of ensuring that they is no way for air to get in "around" the vent duct and into the envelope - I think I'll have to do that for another couple of vents but not sure yet.
Also, any sockets on the external wall mean that there is a full hole all the way through the insulated plasterboard, with the box screwed/nailed to a stud that itself is fixed to the inside of the concrete blocks.
I have a false fireplace/chimney (gas fire) and I am not sure what the caivty behind that looks like - it's a fake chimney breast that is about 20cms deep. Also, above the front bay-type window there is a roof, and I am not sure what the structure around the window looks like and if there is any potential for the wind to get into the cavity at that point.
As it is a plastered house, I have not yet been able to find any perpend vents (would these be visible externally?)
My main queries are:
- Should the cavity between blocks and insulated plasterboard be draughty? I feel that if the cavity was a (relatively) closed envelope then this would help a lot
- Any general tips on looking at draughts coming into the house I mean inside the env For example: bottoms of plasterboard don't go to floor all the way around the external (but that's hidden by skirting board or kitchen units etc. In that case should I stuff insulation in there at the bottom?
- Does anyone have a diagram of what the internal structure around the bay-type window and roof above it would be? Have attached a picture.
Thanks.
I'm trying to locate draughts (drafts?) in my timber frame house and I don't expect to find everything, just any faults or things that could be fixed in DIY jobs where possible. I know this is a never ending task for some houses so I'm just looking for big wins (autocorrect says big wind!). However I might keep this thread for any on-going work or issues I find or resolve.
Some queries about correct construction too.
It's a timber framed semi-detached house built during the building boom in Ireland around 2006/2007. I know regs are/were similar to the UK so hoping for some good advice here on that.
External is cavity blocks, plastered. So not bricks (like most of the info I've seen online for timber framed houses).
Having occasionally had to do small work (sockets, replacement of a few sections of plasterboard) I have noticed that the structure is:
<Cavity-blocks> <air gap> <insulated plasterboard>
Insulated plasterboard is kingspan. There is no osb "layer" in any section I have had to open up - this is something I see in most diagrams I find of timberframed houses that have brick on the outside, however as I say mine is plastered cavity blocks on the outside so would that mean that the osb "layer" is not necessary? Anyway that's not really something I can remedy I think.
One thing I did find (and asked here before) was that the cavity is open at the top (in the attic), and I have let the insulation in the attic lie on top of this (I only completed this recently). I have not "blocked" it as such with a barrier but I think I have done enough to stop the wind coming in through the soffit vents and down into the cavity - it's too early to say if this is having an effect.
I also tidied up some of the external vents in terms of ensuring that they is no way for air to get in "around" the vent duct and into the envelope - I think I'll have to do that for another couple of vents but not sure yet.
Also, any sockets on the external wall mean that there is a full hole all the way through the insulated plasterboard, with the box screwed/nailed to a stud that itself is fixed to the inside of the concrete blocks.
I have a false fireplace/chimney (gas fire) and I am not sure what the caivty behind that looks like - it's a fake chimney breast that is about 20cms deep. Also, above the front bay-type window there is a roof, and I am not sure what the structure around the window looks like and if there is any potential for the wind to get into the cavity at that point.
As it is a plastered house, I have not yet been able to find any perpend vents (would these be visible externally?)
My main queries are:
- Should the cavity between blocks and insulated plasterboard be draughty? I feel that if the cavity was a (relatively) closed envelope then this would help a lot
- Any general tips on looking at draughts coming into the house I mean inside the env For example: bottoms of plasterboard don't go to floor all the way around the external (but that's hidden by skirting board or kitchen units etc. In that case should I stuff insulation in there at the bottom?
- Does anyone have a diagram of what the internal structure around the bay-type window and roof above it would be? Have attached a picture.
Thanks.