Damp problems / Cavity wall insulation grants

[Stobo91]

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-cavity-loft-insulation#how

Just wondering if anyone has taken advantage of any of these wall/loft insulation grants?

We are new home owners, bought our first property (4 bed semi) last October and before that lived with the parents. We only moved in in March so this is the first winter we are experiencing.

The guttering is gash, wind has disconnected and broken the downpipe and it really needs replacing all round. Aswell as the soffits and fascias.

This is a priority as we are starting to get damp patches around the home which we believe is due to the guttering. The bricks are mortar on the outside of the house (where the damp is) looks ok so we believe water must be getting inside the cavity and running down the wall? We have two major patches of dame, one is upstairs on the side of the house in the babies bedroom in the bottom corner (right next to her cot). And the other is downstairs in the kitchen behind all our new kitchen units and appliances.

This has then led me onto looking at the wall insulation grants. British Gas are doing one which it looks like we meet the criteria for:

[Rogerborg]

AFAICT, loft and cavity insulation grants are independent. We had our cavity not[*] done independently of the loft.

Damp, are you sure that there isn't already cavity insulation in there, causing you problems by tracking damp across?

[*] There's insulation board in the walls. We had four? Five? surveyors say "No problem, we can do it [previous installer was an idiot who didn't know what he was on about, ours will be fine with it]". Then every single installer who turned up said "No chance, I'm not putting my name on the 25 year guarantee, surveyor was an idiot who didn't know what she was on about."
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[Stobo91]

[angryjonny]

Is the damp in the kitchen in the same wall/corner as the upstairs damp? A couple of feet above the floor level I'd be worried about rising damp. How old is the house?

(I had polystyrene bead insulation in my last house and there were no obvious external signs of it having been done. I didn't know it was there until I had a vent knocked in)

[Stobo91]

[Raffles]

[Diggs]

If your house is that age it should have an unfilled cavity of about 50mm - unless somebody has 'drilled and filled' it in the meantime. You can tell if this has been done by looking for blobs of replacement pointing at regular intervals. The holes will be in the pointing not in the centre of any brickwork - if you see any in the centre there is a fair chance the house will have had a wall-tie job at some point. If the house has been totally repointed or rendered you will need to be Sherlock feckin' Holmes...

Ground level should always be no less than 150mm below your dpc. Any closer and chances are you will get damp moving up the outer skin which can transfer to the inner skin if there is rubble in the cavity - most likely cause... Also, if you can take a look under the floor as it is possible your joists will be rotting if the moisture has been around for a while. If this is the case 1st get rid of the ingress then get a builder to sort the joists. Make sure any raised ground level hasn't covered your airbricks also, as this may result in a buildup of condensation in the void and damp also.... All assuming your floor is suspended timber of course, which given the age I suspect it will be.

If you are going for thicker loft insulation you need to be looking at 300mm all over including the loft hatch. Be careful though as you may end up reducing airflow in the loft and get condensation as a result. Talk to your installer beforehand to let them know you are aware that this can happen, to put them on their toes...

Hope this helps!
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[scoobydaz]

If the grant is related to Green Deal then I would steer clear of it, the prices are MASSIVELY hiked by the suppliers as they know they can get away with it. Also the loan would be attached to the house which would make it very difficult to sell in the future.

The best bet is to sort it yourself.

Firstly get the guttering mended, if you can't do it yourself get in a local trade guy who is on checkatrade or comes recommended. Wait a few weeks to see if the problem has subsided or gone away if so problem fixed.

If not then further investigation is required, there may be other leaks.

Insulating your own loft is easy, get to wickes buy the stuff, put it in your car and have a fun weekend putting it in between your joists. Its easy to cut and lay with the correct equipment and really isn't that expensive.

Walls are a different matter and require having the stuff blown in, its something you can find locally and for not too much money.

If your strapped for cash then take out a bank loan or increase the mortgage but don't sign up for the green deal its a nightmare.
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[Diggs]

I agree - Green Deal is offered at much higher rates of interest than you can get if you go to a bank yourself.

Something else to bear in mind - from April 1st 2018 it may be against the law for anybody to sell an 'ordinary' house if it doesn't make an E or higher rating on an Energy Performance Certificate. Have a look at the EPC that will have been done for the house when the previous owner put it on the market. If it is an F or G make sure that whatever works you do will bring it up to standard, otherwise you may well find you have to spend more when you eventually come to sell it... The EPC Certificate will contain recommendations to enable you to improve it together with costings. Ignore the costings as they will be way-out, but look closely at the recommendations...
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Now - Speed Triple, old ratty GS550, GSXR750M
Gone (in order of ownership) - Raleigh Runabout, AP50, KH125, GP125, KH250, CBX550, Z400, CB750FII, 250LC, GS550, ZXR750H1, Guzzi Targa, GSX750F, KH250 x2, Bimota SB6R and counting...

[Stobo91]

Most of the leading energy suppliers are doing the work and then claiming the costs back from the government i think.

British gas seems to be the best one as the criteria is purely based on the house rather than the income of the owners/tenants.

A surveyor is coming out on the 5th of Feb to take the measurements etc but sounds like we should be getting both the walls and loft done FOC

Thats if we get the damp sorted in the meantime...

The house has concrete floor throughout and the immediate ground outside the kitchen is concrete too. A little uneven mind you and doesnt look like its level.

Suppose its possible is could still be related to the guttering problem and the water is accumulating at the bottom?

Anyhow, got a firm coming to give a quote for guttering tonight so will see what the damage is!