Insulating under floors

Alison556 · 25 Feb 2008

I want to get under my floors insulated cos we've got such a deep void (depending on who has been under, it's anything between 8 and 15 feet deep) and it's bloody cold on a windy day.

I've been phoning round insulation installers and so far, I'm not having any success. All I get is "Under floor insulation? {sharp intake of breath over teeth} Hmmm, nobody will do that. Health and safety you know".

Am I wrong in phoning insulation installers? Who should I be phoning? Am I unlikely to get anyone to do it?

And I'll do most things myself, but wild horses would not get me under the floor - it's dark and there's spiders.

^woody^ · 25 Feb 2008

The cheap migrant labour and lack of any real insulaton knowledge of 99% of installers would be a problem in doing anything other than cavity walls or roofs.

Also the fact that they prefer grant work where they can inflate the charges - generally floors are not included in grants

Its nothing to do with H&S, more likely its a bit awkward for them

Anyway, try a small builder or carpenter

bozzle · 25 Feb 2008

Insulation Contractors won't do it as they normally use mineral wool which is nasty to install overhead and they probably assume they will be lying on their back in a small void. Suggest you try carpenter /general builder , explain depth of void and say you want sheets of pu insulation fixed on the underside of joists. Not a difficult job

Alison556 · 25 Feb 2008

Ahh, didn't think about the grant stuff. Every one of them did say that they could do my loft and my cavity walls, but since I have neither, they weren't interested!

I'll try some builders - thanks - never thought of that.

JohnD · 25 Feb 2008

Tell them it's a cellar (which I think it is) and they will be able to visualise the job better. it's an indoor job out of the rain so not too bad in winter.

I would have thought rigid slabs would be the thing, but stuff fibreglass into the ends between the joists to prevent draughts blowing up. You can buy it now with a plastic sleeve round it to prevent fibres falling out at you.

If you think it's dark and dusty, go down there with a vacuum cleaner and a wanderlight and clean it up. I think you ought to go down there while it's being done with the tea and to see the quality of work.

You ought to have an access hatch at least 600mm square, and preferably leave it in place afterwards for future work. Insulation slabs are usually 1220 mm wide x 2440 but they also come in 600mm wide at higher cost. You can easily cut them with a saw but it is a bit dusty.

Step ladders will also need to be passed through the hatch. if it was mine I am sure i would have a fixed ladder, and lighting down there, and probably paint the walls white after cleaning it up. It could be made reasonably pleasant.

Alison556 · 25 Feb 2008

Thanks guys.

Sorry, but I won't be going anywhere with tea - except to the access hatch! Actually the access is from outside on our path. There are cast iron covers then there is a little tunnel of about 6 feet long I think that you need to crawl through then it steps down apparently. I've seen down there when some floor boards were up and it's all lovely and dry (it was tanked 2 years ago) and I keep getting told there's another house under there, but unless I get a door in the side of the house, I can't see me going under there - it's the crawl tunnel - can't stand enclosed spaces.

Getting supplies under might actually be a problem, but I'm sure if and when I get somebody to come and look they'll be able to tell me.

There's a man up the road from me has put a door in the side of the house for access. I've not been brave enough to ask him what it's like cos I don't know him and he'd think I was a right nosey sod! It would be nice to do though - loads of storage space. I'm sure the walls could be boarded out and, once insulated, a ceiling put in............and a window.

I kinda thought the slabs would be best (especially after my friend informs me that rockwool is an excellent home for spiders - don't wanna be doing that!)

JohnD · 25 Feb 2008

I think you will need a hatch in the floor above to get things down. If you have wooden floors this is easy for a carpenter to do. similar to a loft hatch but lifts or hinges upwards.

Under the stairs is usually a good place, or next to the front door (but to the side of it). Next to a wall in the cellar gives somehwre to put the ladder.

Being in an enclosed space where you have to crawl through a tunnel to get out can be dangerous in an emergency, e.g. the worker falls off his ladder and breaks his leg, or drops his lamp on some dusty rubbish and starts a fire. For underground working you really ought to have an emergency exit.

When you have a hatch you can go down there with your hoover and duster.

If it is dark and enclosed there will be no flies down there, so no reason for spiders.

How about some pics?

Is it old enough to have been used in air raids?

Are you on a steep hill?

^woody^ · 25 Feb 2008

Lets just hope that there are none of these beauties lurking down there

If there are, then they are probably big enough to give you a hand with the insualtion!

JohnD · 25 Feb 2008

is that the one that chases your shadow because it wants to shelter from the sun?

^woody^ · 25 Feb 2008

I wouldn't know - neither would I be looking back to find out either!

JohnD · 25 Feb 2008

if it is, the Arabs hate them, because they appear to chase you when you run away - in fact they are running towards shade.

Balenza · 25 Feb 2008

^woody^ said:
Lets just hope that there are none of these beauties lurking down there

If there are, then they are probably big enough to give you a hand with the insualtion!

What is that ?. Looks like that thing in the Alien movie.

JohnD · 25 Feb 2008

http://www.snopes.com/photos/bugs/camelspider.asp

JohnD · 25 Feb 2008

Note the attractive toes of the camel spider.

Alison556 · 25 Feb 2008

You sod! I had to scroll past that at 100mph then find some other rotten git has quoted it - and I went past that fast I don't know who it was or what they said!

I am very very phobic about spiders.

Getting back to my floor. We used to have a tiny little access in the bathroom floor (it's a ground floor maisonette I think you'd call it) which you had to wriggle past the main gas pipe to get past. Then some bright spark came along and laid plywood on the bathroom floor ( which I can't lift unless I take out the toilet and sink), so the only access now is through this outside tunnel thing.

I did think about the safety thing - I actually had a nightmare about it one night - about being in the dark under the floor and not being able to get out.

I guess I could lift the small section of floor boards that were replaced in one of the bedrooms.

And yup, we're on the side of a very steep hill - I think that's why I've had varying descriptions of it being anything from 8 to 15 feet deep - I would imagine that it's gonna dip down further down the hill - either that or the guy that said it was 15 feet has no concept of length..............and I'll say no more on that subject!!

I do know that when my friend's husband did our phone extensions, he went in at the shallow end and still needed to be up a step ladder to reach the underfloor.

Pictures? Of the hill? Or under the floor? You're determined to get me under that floor!

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Insulating under floors

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