Government grants - insulation

[tek-monkey]

The light went twice, then the fan stopped too. Reckon its better to replace it all as I'll be boarding over it? Probably for the best really.

 

[Gramaisc]

Leave an easily removable board over it - and mark the board..

For £30 you could spend a lot of time arsing about trying to fix it. Get a new one and fix the old one at your leisure for future use as a spare when the new one goes..

 

[tek-monkey]

Good thinking

Also got some double stip lights to mount up there, am hoping I can drop a cable into the current light switch on the landing and put a double switch on it to control the ones in the loft. Fun fun fun...

 

[Gramaisc]

It can be difficult to get a new cable down to a switch - see what happens. If you do switch the loft lights from the landing then it is worth putting a light on the landing ceiling to indicate that they are on - you will leave them on...

 

[Gramaisc]

Further thought on the fan. Bring the flexi-pipe through the new floor and mount the fan on the floor. Just leave enough pipe on it now to do that and then everything is accessible from above the floor or below the ceiling when the floor is down. Could even take the pipe back down through the floor after the fan, if you're concerned about it getting stood on..

 

[tek-monkey]

Apparently he's been, all can be done for free. Loft insulation will be 200mm, no idea on the cavity wall stuff but will find out tonight when I get back.

Yay, I'm a government sponger!

 

[Gramaisc]

How long will you have to wear the fluorescent vest for?

 

[tek-monkey]

Only while sponging, so as the installation is permanent....

 

[tek-monkey]

Incidentally, I see the surveyor has listed bonded beads as they cavity insulation rather than glass fibre. Anyone know the difference? Obviously I know the physical difference, but any reason to choose one over the other?

My other issue is that they will have to do some internal drilling, they can't access one wall of the extension due to my nighbour also having one in the way. He thinks he can hide all the holes in cupboards, and some across the top of the wall cupboards. Apparently the extension has no insulation whatsoever, and was carried out by 'enthuseastic amateurs'. Something the wiring backs up!

 

[Gramaisc]

I imagine that bonded beads are less likely to wick, or settle, than glass fibre is..

 

[tek-monkey]

Suppose so, also means any work on the wall will result in beads everywhere? Sod it, tis free and will save me monies

 

[Gramaisc]

If there is stuff everywhere, then better beads than fibre-glass, no?...

 

[tek-monkey]

True....

Next question, timber for raising the floor. I rather naively thought I could just buy some 200mm deep planks to lay over the current ones, I now realise this is actually quite a thickness! Any thoughts, other than using 4 layers of 50mm stuff?

 

[cookie_monster]

Yay, I'm a government sponger!

for gods sake dont tell shoes!

thats great news though, its always such a nice surprise when you get things you dont expect and dont hold out much hope of getting...i know thats how i felt.

hope it all goes well.


x

 

[tek-monkey]

Cheers

Means I can spend the insulation money on the loft hatch/ladders/flooring etc. Otherwise I'd have had no choice but to insulate without raising the flooring, cos I couldn't afford both.

Hey, shoes, I'm spending your taxes

 

[tek-monkey]

True....

Next question, timber for raising the floor. I rather naively thought I could just buy some 200mm deep planks to lay over the current ones, I now realise this is actually quite a thickness! Any thoughts, other than using 4 layers of 50mm stuff?

Also, I assume I should lay them at right angles rather than directly over the current joists?

 

[Gramaisc]

For storage purposes you could just build the existing beams up to a total height of 200mm. The existing beams should be around 100mm already. Remember when buying any lengths of wood that you have to actually get them up into the loft through the hatch....

 

[Gramaisc]

Also, I assume I should lay them at right angles rather than directly over the current joists?

If you lay the additional beams at right angles it will make the laying of insulation in roll-form quite difficult..

 

[tek-monkey]

I thought they generally laid the first layer of insulation one way, then the second across it at 90 degrees? May be wrong, just what I was hearing on a few forums.

 

[tek-monkey]

They are currently doing the cavity walls, drilling lots of holes in my house!