Cavity Wall Fixings to Safeguard Your House from Damage
Before we begin, we first need to know what a cavity wall is. A cavity wall is made up of two thin walls that are usually made up of bricks and have a cavity or gap in between them. This kind of cavity is often seen in houses that are old. People usually choose to fill these cavities by cavity wall fixing techniques. Now the question arises as to why people usecavity wall fixings. Filling the cavity wall with insulation is a cost-effective method of retaining the heat in the home and also to save the energy bills. Almost one-third of the heat which is lost from the homes takes place through the walls. Therefore, cavity insulation helps to save a lot of expenses in heating bills.
How to Detect Cavity Walls?
As already mentioned above, the first and foremost factor that will help to determine cavity walls is the age of the house. If you are not sure about the age of your house, you can have a look at the brickwork and check if it is exposed. This might help you to detect the cavity walls and suggest that you are in need of cavity wall fixings. However, if the bricks of your house are not visible, then you can look for wall cavities by examining how thick the outer walls are. Also, pay attention to the doorways and the windows. If you see that a brick wall is thicker than 10 inches, it might be an indication that there is a cavity wall behind it. However, one should not mistake the thickness of the stone walls for a cavity wall.
When Should You Consider Cavity Wall Insulation?
Given below are certain conditions under which you should decide having cavity wall fixings for your house:
- If there are brick cavity walls in your house which are unfilled.
- If the cavities are wide, at least 2 inches.
- Do not opt for cavity wall fixing if the masonry or the brickwork of your house is in delicate condition.
- Before cavity wall fixings, you need to make sure that the internal walls of your house are dry. Insulating wet walls will not do any good. It will, instead, worsen the situation. Therefore, if there are dump patches, you need to eliminate them before you think of insulating the walls.
- Your house shouldn’t have more than 4 storeys.
How Are the Walls Insulated?
The cavity wall fixings procedure involves a number of steps. Initially, the installer starts by checking the condition of the wall. If it is in good condition and free from damp, then it is considered suitable to carry the work forward. Once they are satisfied with the condition of the wall, they drill a number of small holes in the wall and then begin blowing insulation inside the cavities. There are special instruments which are designed for this purpose. Once done, the holes are filled with mortar and the walls are ready to trap heat inside, thereby making them energy efficient and helping you save money in the long run.
Conclusion
Thecavity wall fixings are done by using polyurethane foam, polystyrene granules or mineral fibre wool as the common materials for insulation. Out of all these, mineral wool is the one which is most commonly used. Granules and beads are also a popular option because they can trap the heat and also help to create wall insulation which is completely gap-free. However, granules which are loose may escape through the air bricks, causing damage all over again. Have a word with your insulator and choose the one that suits you the best.