External wall hole filling within car port structure

[SplanK]

Hi all,

Just getting used to our new house and first time we have lived here through a winter. We have noticed that one side of the house is considerably cooler, both upstairs and downstairs, than the other.

We have a car port structure attached between mine and my neighbours house. Whilst running some cables through the car port, I noticed there are some rather large gaps in the external wall, looks like these were intentional for the car port support. There is also a vent pipe running between the ceiling/floor void into the car port, I can only guess this was for a extractor pipe previously as it terminates above the kitchen ceiling. I believe these gaps in the external wall, and the vent pipe could be the source of the coolness on this side of the house and could do with being filled as best as possible.

The vent pipe, I was planning on stuffing up with roof insulation. I don't want to completely block it as it could be useful in the future for either cables or other access.

The gaps around the wood supports on the external wall, can I use the same method, just wodge in some loft insulation to fill the gaps to seal it up or would is there a better solution?

The pictures attached show:
1. The external view. The structure in the red box on the left is the car port which attaches to our house (on the right)

2. The view of the car port inside where it has broken through into the wall for support. Notice the gap.

Thanks

 

[tony1851]

None of the fixes you propose will make the slightest difference.

The coldness is something far more fundamental than filling a few gaps.

Is the carport a wind tunnel? Is it shading that side wall from the sun? Is the insulation in the cavity satisfactory?

 

[SplanK]

Thanks for your reply,

The car port is quite sheltered but it will be naturally the coolest side as the rear is south facing, but I would not expect it to be that cool, especially with the heating switched on. My thought was that the heat being pumped into these rooms could be lost, or eroded by these gaps, more so the vent pipe. that lands in-between the ceiling and floor void.

As for insulation in the cavity, I believe there is none, or very little from what I have seen through a number of holes (the ones in the car port, hole for the vent pipe for the tumble dryer and a removed socket in the conservatory which goes all the way through to the cavity), and to be honest I am weary of getting it re-filled due to stories I have read of damp issues being caused. The ceilings above the bedrooms on the coolest side do have sufficient ceiling insulation, in fact, more than the warmest side.

 

[tony1851]

Are the radiators in the right place? ie under the windows and not opposite them?