cavity wall insulation

[rena mac.net]

what are the pros &cons of cavity wall insulation?

[mrutley]

My parents had the foam type about 20 years ago pumped into the walls. It seeped out of the air vents and your eyes would water in the down stairs loo from the smell. I'm pretty sure the "fumes" weren't dangerous though as my dad is big on safety and did a degree in chemical engineering.

[bhvma]

Wall cavity insulation is a wonderful way to save money and make a home much more comfortable. In a retro-fit case a specialist can drill holes abouty 1.5" dia.at the top of each cavity and blow in a pelletised cellulose or fiberglass fill. The blowing process is great because it fulls all voids and reduces draft and infiltration. The insulation itself is very cheap but all the process and patchwork can become expensive, depending on your circumstances. But bear in mind that the roof insulation, window and door fit, cellar and roof perimeter sealing, are vitally important, so the best walls in the world won't make much difference if the rest of the house is not improved as well..

[ijdijd]

do not under any circumstances go for the blown in fibre material...usually Dow Corning stuff...white and looks like snow...it settles in the cavity leaving huge voids...it should have been in my house but an NHBC investigation showed the setling and extracted only 6 bags of the stuff...each bag was about 3feet high...we shoul have had 24 such bags. We opted to replace it with the PolyPearl bonded polystyrene balls...now the house actually stays warm and retains its heat far longer