Hi all I've read articles on these forums with interest and would like to share with people an ongoing problem I'm having regarding White mineral wool cavity wall insulation.

My house is a 3 bedroom semi built approx 1950's, I purchased the house from my parents approximately 10 years ago and then started various home improvement projects. Unfortunately one of my early decisions was to have cavity wall insulation installed.

The first signs of any problems became apparent 4 years later when I was having a new kitchen fitted and had to have a rotten joist replaced and a couple of floorboards. Next signs of trouble were peeling wallpaper on my staircase outer wall (Gable end) aswell as damp floorboards adjacent to this wall. About two years ago I had a new physical damp installed, cavities cleaned and brickwork repointed, at the time the brickies did point out that the insulation material was wet.

Last year I whilst installing a downstairs cloakroom, my builder again mentioned that whilst coring through the wall he felt damp insulation.

Now earlier this year I had to look under my floor (Suspended wooden) and to my horror it smelt very very musty and the solum was damp. On investigation I found that I have not had any under floor ventilation for all these years.

I have had two new airbricks fitted to the front of my property and one to the side, also asked for the existing 9" ones to be cleaned out, guess what, they were also full of insulation material.

That was the final straw and I finally contacted CIGA who administer the 25 year guarantee that comes with CWI. I was told by them to contact my original installer, however the company has changed hands / name twice. Thankfully the last purchaser is a very well known company. Yesterday they sent a surveyor round, on drilling a mortar joint and scoping the cavity he told me a couple of things, firstly that my cavity was only approx 40mm so not suitable in the first place also he could see big voids were insulation hadn't been blown in. When I told him about the damp material below floor level he said this was not possible so I pulled some out for him, now what did surprise me was that on seeing this he instantly recommended having the insulation material removed.

This should be happening next week, if anyone is interested I will post pics of the process. Now finally a couple of questions:

1. Once the stuff is taken out should I ask them to put in another couple of cavity vents to aid drying out or will existing suffice?

2. Also has the lack of under floor ventilation added to my problems of damp at the foot of my stairs / hallway.

3. Finally, does anyone think that I would be able to claim compensation for damage / redecoration costs. If they are removing the insulation is this admitting liability?

Sorry if I've rambled.

I would get a surveyor in to check for dry rot, if any is found then I would be looking to the insulation company to pay any costs involved.

There was a TV prog. on the bbc year or so ago with Dominic Littlewood, highlighting this issue of blocked ventilation when installling cavity insulation..



EDIT...oooops manners...

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Verwood Handyman
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