Eaves Wind Tunnel

[diynoob]

My bedroom is in a converted loft. The eaves have been made into storage cupboards with little doors on. When it's windy, the noise of the wind in the eaves cupboards wakes me up. It also blasts open the cupboard doors and they start slamming.

There is insulation between the rafters and under the cupboard flooring. There is some jammed into the eaves too which doesnt look too neat.

How should I go about improving this? I can't see any vents in the soffits so I guess I need to be careful to make sure some ventilation remains?

 

[John D v2.0]

So if the insides of the cupboards are an inside/heated space then your expensive insulation is a waste of money as the inside is open to outside.
Basically you need to find the gaps and seal them up somehow.
Was it done recently? If so would be worth getting the builder back to rectify. Otherwise it's like having a window open.
Since the rafters look like they're a cold roof you need to make sure there's still ventilation above, but if it's a modern conversion it should have a breathable membrane there.
I'm sure there are other issues if the builder has left it in that state though.

 

[diynoob]

Hi, thanks. I've no idea who did it or how long ago, I've only lived here a few weeks.

I hope there's a breathable membrane above, then I'm safe to just block any holes I find without worrying about ventilation right? Shall I peel off some of that celotex type stuff between the rafters and post a pic of what's underneath?

 

[diynoob]

Only gaps I can find are along the edge of the roof

 

[Alastairreid]

Fit draught seals and put rigid insulation on the back of the cupboard doors, the area beyond the dwarf wall is by design supposed to be kept vented to dissipate moisture from the house.

 

[diynoob]

As John says then, all the expensive insulation is pointless if the eaves are vented. There's no heat to keep in. Should I remove it from the rafters and stick it to the back of the dwarf wall and cupboard doors?

 

[Alastairreid]

That's exactly how it should be done! The bedroom is the insulated capsule, above the insulation at ceiling level and behind the walls cool and vented.

 

[catlad]

There could be over fascia vents?
which ever way its been designed its wrong.

 

[John D v2.0]

Well, it can be designed so the cupboards are either part of the heated space of the house like a wardrobe would be, or unheated like a loft would be.
Heated would use slightly more insulation as it would cover two sides of a triangle and cost a bit more, but would be more useful for storage.

I wonder whether it was originally the basic design, and someone has moved the insulation to try to make it a warm space, but not done it properly.

The OP need to decide which design to go for and make the appropriate fixes. Insulated wall and doors would certainly be easier to detail at this stage.

 

[diynoob]

I'd prefer the wardrobe design option, but only if the ventilation is ok as is. If not I'll just insulate the cupboard doors as alistair said. I guess it comes down to whether the membrane behind the insulation is breathable or not?

It's the black plasticy stuff shown below. I guess it's not breathable is it?

 

[John D v2.0]

Correct that's the old style felt so you need a decent gap between it and the insulation to keep things dry. That applies to the sections of sloping ceiling in the room too. You should have the insulation pressed against your vcl, which appears to not exist. Either the warm side of the insulation should be taped to provide a vcl or it should be pressed against the plasterboard. This would turn stop any air moving through and around your insulation layer.


The other thing I noticed is your felt has been holed around your soil vent pipe, so any water that gets by the tiles will just leak through into the roof space and timbers below.

 

[diynoob]

OK thanks. I can't see me making this work as a warm design. Seems a shame someone went to all the bother of cutting and fitting that insulation between the rafters when it's a pointless waste of time and money.

I'll focus on insulating the dwarf wall and cupboard doors and leaving the roof as cold design.

PS That's a wood burning stove chimney not a soil pipe. I take your point though.

 

[diynoob]

It turned out the wind is not coming through soffits, it's coming up through the wall cavity. I had a cavity insulation company round but the guy said he can't do it because the cavity is 25cm and the product they use is only certified up to 10cm.

Anyone know of any companies that can handle big cavities?

 

[bobasd]

the best way to test the cavity for drafts isa smoke test - did the CWI guy do one.
did he use a boroscope to look into the cav?
altho some people are well good with their thermal machines when doin this stuff.
are you sure he said 250mm ie a 10" cavity?

that copper pipework is at risk of winter freezin.an those pushfit connectors could pop off an scaldin water could hit any sleeper below.
the hot vent looks to be to near to wood/flammable stuff.

seems like a diy job, probly no BCO involved.
how come surveyor an solicitor missed lookin an askin?

 

[diynoob]

the best way to test the cavity for drafts isa smoke test - did the CWI guy do one.
did he use a boroscope to look into the cav? altho some people are well good with their thermal machines when doin this stuff.

No he just held his hand over it. You can feel a gale blowing up the cavity.

are you sure he said 250mm ie a 10" cavity?

I measured it myself, see pic.