Shoddy insulation job?

[neglected_goldfish]

Hi,

My mum was visited by a rep from an insulation company. Since she's about to sell the house, she went ahead with their offer to better-insulate the home.

About 15 years ago, she had the loft converted into a bedroom. The room was 'squared-off', which created handy storage 'rooms' on opposite sides of the bedroom (where the roof meets the house wall).

The insulation person surveyed the re-purposed attic space, and quoted £210 to make it 'better insulated'.

As instructed by the insulation company, my mum cleared everything out of the large storage space. The insulation company arrived a couple of days later and were done within an hour or two.

My mum was working when it was installed, and when she got home after the insulation work was complete, she was a bit disappointed.

The insulation company had simply laid 270mm of glass-fibre insulation on top of the existing floor boards. Nothing else was done.

To me, this seems completely useless. Aside from the fact that she now has 32 square meters of unusable storage space, I don't see what insulation benefits this has.

I always thought that insulation was about keeping heat within the home. The floor area they've insulated equates to approx one third of the total floor space at that level (the remaining 2 thirds being the actual bedroom). I don't see how it will stop any more heat leaving the house.

I'm also concerned about the glass fibres in the bedroom space. The storace space is obviously partitioned from the bedroom with two small access doors, but is this safe? The people installing it wore respirators.

After their efforts, the temperature inside the storage spaces is still the same. It still continues to chill the bedroom the same as it did before, and the house is now 32 sq m down.

If anything, this insulation has devalued the house, not added value.

Can anyone who knows better on me comment on whether this sounds like a good solution, and if they would have chosen to do the same?

Many thanks,

Fish

 

[donotdelete]

She was robbed

Kingspan insulation would have been ideal between the roof trusses/rafters and fibreglass insulation would be ideal underneath the floorboards and definately not on the top of them.

I would personally remove this insulation immediately as you don't want to be breathing in the glass fibres and if it is possible to lift the floorboards,then lay the insulation between the joists.

 

[neglected_goldfish]

Hi,

Thanks for reply; very much appreciated.

Would you agree that the work already done does not provide an adequate level of insulation?

Thanks,

Fish

 

[mointainwalker]

The insulation person surveyed the re-purposed attic space, and quoted £210 to make it 'better insulated'.

Was there a written quotation ?

Would you agree that the work already done does not provide an adequate level of insulation?

Not relevant unless they agreed/confirmed that they would do more than they did.

If there was nothing in writing you have no chance : just word against word.

 

[donotdelete]

Hi,

Thanks for reply; very much appreciated.

Would you agree that the work already done does not provide an adequate level of insulation?

Thanks,

Fish

Hi.............also see mountainwalkers comment but their is a health issue here as glass fibres will probably be blown around the house through the eaves.

re adequate.......Its a bit like a chocolate fireguard as it won't insulate the downstairs and it would make little difference to the loft room because the insulation (not glass fibre) would have been better fitted between the trusses or onto the cupboard walls,plus still giving you usable storage
space.

 

[mointainwalker]

their is a health issue here as glass fibres will probably be blown around the house through the eaves.

Have to disagree with this. Whilst individuals may be allergic to the fibres, there is no general recognised risk.

Kingspan insulation would have been ideal between the roof trusses/rafters and fibreglass insulation would be ideal underneath the floorboards

Also disagree with this. As has frequently been pointed out on here , it is a total waste of time and money to insulate the ceiling and rafters

 

[donotdelete]

Totally disagree.

1. If you breath in glass fibres and they stick into your lungs and throat,then their is a health issue.

2. It is likely that the rafters in the cupboard are not plasterboarded and "if" so,the only thing stopping a draft is the roof tiles and the roofing felt.

England 1 France 0

 

[mointainwalker]

Do take the trouble to read what I wrote and attempt to understand it.

1) I wrote that I agree that some people are affected by the fibres ( as you say ) but you cannot argue that there is a generally recognized risk (like asbestos ) because there are no general risk warnings and no diseases that are attributed to breathing in g-f particles.

,the only thing stopping a draft is the roof tiles and the roofing felt.

2) It is essential that the roof is ventilated ( or has a draft as you call it ). If you tried to build a new roof without ventilation, Building Control would stop you and insist on mimimum spacing to allow ventilation to prevent decay of roofing timbers. If you disbelieve this, do a search on "insulating rafters" or similar and I'm sure all the threads will emphasise the necessity of ventilation in the roof.

You really ought to find out what you are talking about before giving wrong, bad advice.