insulating car port

[joeturbo]

I don’t really know what would be classed as a decent amount? Still worth replacing the 50mm polystyrene with kooltherm? Do you have a link to what type I would need?

I have just measured out of the window to see where the vents line up and looks like they are approx in line with the polystyrene

So flooring is

20mm chipboard
50mm polystyrene (in line with vents)
Concreate
80mm Void
5mm plasterboard?
Carport

 

[endecotp]

The different Kooltherm products differ primarily in their dimensions and their surface finishes. For your case you don't need any special surface finish; dimensions will depend on the spacings of the battens (if there are any; or is the chipboard floating?) or, more likely, get 1200x2400 boards and cut to suit. Most likely "K103".

 

[motorbiking]

Have you checked that you even have the right to carry out this work? If the flat is a leasehold I doubt very much you are permitted to modify the building fabric.

 

[endecotp]

What are your internal walls made of?

Replacing the polystyrene with kooltherm will make a difference but you might want more. Filling the 80mm void is the next option. You could use mineral wool there (there are fire safety issues), but is the void needed for some reason? I don't know. Anyway insulating there, if the void is continuous below the bottoms of your internal walls, will make those walls warmer too; this will be significant if they are solid walls though not so much if they are studwork.

 

[joeturbo]

Thanks for both replies,

I have checked my lease and it states “the floors of the demised premises including any deck screed chipboard and insulation material but excluding the structure beneath said floors” so should be fine within the apartment but may need concent for ceiling of carport (although I own the carport so this maybe elsewhere in the lease, I will check and email to confirm)

All walls within the apartment are stud walls.

 

[joeturbo]

Bit of an update.

I emailed the new block management company explaining the makeup of the floor/carport ceiling asking for advice regarding insulation and the director has advised that he will visit me on Monday to take a look and go from there.

Also is there much to gain from moving to plywood over chipboard. someone mentioned marine plywood previously but the fitters (b&q) do not seem to stock this

P.s, I assume the only reason there is a void between the carport ceiling and the concrete is to run the wires for the lights?

 

[motorbiking]

Given the age of the property, I can't help thinking there must be some insulation in the concrete. Or perhaps there should have been. You could try the local authority to see if you can get a copy of the plans including proposed construction. If it should have been there and wasn't you might have a better angle on consent and even possible contribution from the maintenance pot.

 

[endecotp]

Also is there much to gain from moving to plywood over chipboard.

Possible tongue-and-groove flooring materials include chipboard, OSB3 and ply - in increasing order of cost and "quality".
Any problems with the existing chipboard? If you're happy with it, just replace with the same.

 

[joeturbo]

The new management company seem pretty focused on health/safety/upkeep etc so hopefully they will see this as something to invest in.

I moved my thermostat to the kitchen floor overnight to capture the temps and showed less than 13degrees.

The kitchen chipboard is damaged/lifting at the seams due to water ingress I assume (was like when I moved in) so will need to replace so just wondered if ply would be less likely to do the same thing

 

[endecotp]

You might like to ask in "flooring" about alternatives to chipboard. You can use different materials in the kitchen & bathroom than the rest of the flat, if you want, as long as the thickness is the same.

 

[joeturbo]

So, the block management director attended today. Said that from their point of view they are happy for me to go ahead and install insulation to either the carport ceiling or under the apartment chipboard. Suggested that I speak to the maintenance team for advice on what would be best to use.

I called and spoke to the maintenance team who suggested I could try Rockwell under the chipboard (although from reading on here this is not the best choice)

Also mentioned the plasterboard carport ceiling is not standard boarding, is fire rated etc so would be expensive to replace

 

[motorbiking]

Management company probably don't have authority to grant you permission, unless the landlord and management company are one and the same? Assuming for a moment that someone forgot to insulate the concrete and all you have is 50mm of poly.. then U-value estimate is something between 0.5 and 0.7 depending on the other bits. If you put 80mm (e.g. 100mm rolls) of rockwool in the void, then you should get that down to something closer to 0.3. It wasn't that long ago that this was considered good.

IMO its not worth spending a lot on:
- you can't easily insulate the side of the underside, so its never going to be perfect.
- better insulation will be harder to fit and have fire issues
- addressing the fire issues with a combustible material will be expensive.
- lowering the U-value below 0.3 probably wont get you a payback

I notice lidl are selling IR thermometers this week. I'd buy one and conduct a thermal loss survey, before spending any money at all.

You can then experiment with a small patch to see if it works

 

[endecotp]

I'd be happy that the management company are happy to say "yes" without charging you £hundreds to issue a piece of paper saying so!

 

[joeturbo]

The main area I’m looking at initially is under the kitchen chipboard floor as the floor is coming up anyway to install new kitchen.

Still worth getting them to put in kooltherm K103 instead of the polystyrene. (The chipboard and polystyrene currently does not even run wall to wall, some edges I can’t feel any polystyrene)

When I get the dishwasher out I may be able to get one of the chipboard panels up prior to b&q coming

Btw, the original builders do not fill me with confidence. The cooker hood ventilation pipe was not even connected to the hood..)

 

[joeturbo]

Diagram just to make it a bit clearer. Although plasterboard is aparently not plasterboard