ECO funding for DIY external wall insulation

[champagnecharly]

Are you looking at mineral or EPS/XPS?
What type of construction have you got currently? What U are you trying to achieve?
If with mineral (my personal pref) you may find that most suppliers will not sell it to you unless you are qualified. However if you can cut boards and are good with a float then you can do the course.
http://www.wbs-ltd.co.uk/training/
Like that (and if I'm not mistaken) you should be able to give yourself the 20-30year guarantee!
Once this is obtained maybe you can find a way to become registered although at what cost I do not know.

Do note that
Apparently (according to the course tutor & other pros) the acrylic render is not so easy to apply. As yet I havent attempted it so can not comment.

If I am not mistaken the window should come out and be moved forward so it is 50:50 on insulation and brick as to avoid cold bridging.

 

[Alastairreid]

If I am not mistaken the window should come out and be moved forward so it is 50:50 on insulation and brick as to avoid cold bridging.

Its been a few yrs since we have done this type of work, i have no idea if the specs have changed but we never touched the windows.

This was full estates including multi storeys.

 

[ImperialCompleteSolutions]

You can only get ECO funding if you have got Pas2030, to get this it would be pointless for a one off job as its a long process and costs a lot of money, I install EWI but we are not Pas2030 registered but dont need to be as my customers dont receive funding as they pay outright, although I now able to get funding for my customers as my ewi system supplier is now pas2030 compliant and I can do the work through them !
I have tested this in the last few days as I have had A EPC (Energy performance Certificate) done on my property and submitted it to my supplier and they have came back to me and say I can now receive £2900 funding !!! which now means I will be able to get funding for my customers too as long as they have got a solid wall constructed property.

 

[champagnecharly]

That's very interesting and very helpful indeed.. not my post but thanks for sharing the info

 

[champagnecharly]

If I am not mistaken the window should come out and be moved forward so it is 50:50 on insulation and brick as to avoid cold bridging.

Its been a few yrs since we have done this type of work, i have no idea if the specs have changed but we never touched the windows.

This was full estates including multi storeys.

Just checked my research and found these
http://www.bbacerts.co.uk/CertificateFiles/49/4953ps1i2.pdf
and the diagram does not show or require the overlap.
however here it does.
http://www.greenspec.co.uk/insulated-render.php
and it sort of makes sense if frames are being replaced (which is my case)
I could completely understand why on high-rise it wouldn't be considered..

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Are you looking at mineral or EPS/XPS?

Mineral or phenolic.

What type of construction have you got currently?

Solid 9" brick.

What U are you trying to achieve?

Whatever I can get with a max of 100mm if insulation - any more would make the windows look ridiculous.

If with mineral (my personal pref) you may find that most suppliers will not sell it to you unless you are qualified. However if you can cut boards and are good with a float then you can do the course.

I have no intention of DIYing it...

 

[champagnecharly]

Mineral will let it breathe and without a cavity I would say it was crucial

Phenolic on the other hand is far better insulater but wont let the brick breathe.
If I'm not mistake Phenolic has a U of 0.21 where as Mieral wool 0.25.
I have solid and after my research and much thought phenloic is not a logical option.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

http://www.bbacerts.co.uk/CertificateFiles/49/4953ps1i2.pdf
and the diagram does not show or require the overlap.
however here it does.
http://www.greenspec.co.uk/insulated-render.php

Actually - they show both leaving existing frames where they are, and positioning new frames further forward.

and it sort of makes sense if frames are being replaced

Mine aren't.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Mineral will let it breathe and without a cavity I would say it was crucial

Phenolic on the other hand is far better insulater but wont let the brick breathe.
If I'm not mistake Phenolic has a U of 0.21 where as Mieral wool 0.25.
I have solid and after my research and much thought phenloic is not a logical option.

Interesting.

EWI vendors do sell phenolic boards...

 

[ImperialCompleteSolutions]

I would not reccomend using phenolic board as they can warp quite a lot when on the wall, in all honesty its never happend to me but I have spoken to a few people who say its happened to them, apparently its due to the boards getting wet before insulation and then warping when drying out, I tend to use eps board or xps as they are both resistant to moisture, ive never used mineral wool as it needs to be at least 150mm thick to bring a solid wall up to current building regs value wheras xps or eps only needs to be 90-110 mm thick, phenolic board only needs to be 70mm as its the most dense but like I say it fraught with problems, plus its very expensive compared to the other options.

 

[champagnecharly]

I'm unsure on the warping of phenolic re moisture content. Looking at spes isnt it the least vapour permeable let alone moisture permeable? Maybe there is another reason for warping. Curious as how they would have been fixed to warp.
Using a demo of builddesk required thickness of mineral (@u =0.25) you can achieve current new build regs with 120mm and if renewal of thermal element with 110mm.. in fact EPS is substantially less performant (@0.3) than XPS (0.21) or MW(0.25-0.28 ) .

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'll use aerogel then - that'll perform.


Oh - and bankrupt me, let's not forget that.

 

[ImperialCompleteSolutions]

I'm unsure on the warping of phenolic re moisture content. Looking at spes isnt it the least vapour permeable let alone moisture permeable? Maybe there is another reason for warping. Curious as how they would have been fixed to warp.
Using a demo of builddesk required thickness of mineral (@u =0.25) you can achieve current new build regs with 120mm and if renewal of thermal element with 110mm.. in fact EPS is substantially less performant (@0.3) than XPS (0.21) or MW(0.25-0.28 ) .

They absorb lots of water before installation if it rains, as it soaks into the edges, I know as we a left a unopen pack out once and it rained and the boards got soaked and they were literally double the weight.

If fitted dry they are fine when on the wall because the edges dont show and they are butted up tight together so dont let in water, also the front and back have protective paper on this is what probably makes them the most moisture /vapour permable although im not sure.

Thanks for info on thermal values of board, we always use EPS as thats what our system manufacturer recommends.

As far as mineral wool is concerned, whenever I have been on system manufacturers training days, ive always been told that 150mm is the minimum thickness required, although I have now looked online and you can use thermoshells mineral wool at 120mm thickness, I guess it depends on the brand of mineral wool used as some have better u values than others.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Interesting.

I once wondered how much water PIC boards would soak up, so I got an offcut lump of 50mm Kingspan, removed the foil layer, and put it in a bucket of water (weighted down), and left it for a week or more.

I can't remember the actual results, but it was "almost none" - certainly did not double in weight. Surely the whole point is that they are closed-cell construction - where would the water go?

 

[ImperialCompleteSolutions]

In all honesty im not too sure where the water would go then if its closed cell then it wouldnt go into the board like you say.

Maybe its the other way around then and the paper on front and back gets wet, which increases the weight when wet, it does makes a difference though ! I dont use phenolic anymore so dont have any around but if I come across Some I will try and get a sample to do a test on.