Side extension with 150mm cavities.

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Wife wants a new kitchen and I want to exceed building regs for heat loss in the walls.

Are there any pitfalls in a cavity 150mm wide, using solid insulation.


Thanks

Excited...
 
None physical. But I'd guess one could question whether spending more elsewhere in the property instead would provide better value for money.
 
You would be increasing the insulation thickness by around 50mm above normal.
That 50mm might be better applied in the roof.
 
I'm not sure whether you can get cavity lintels or housing ties for that width.

You need to ask the question - at what point does a wider cavity become ineffective?

As the guys have said there will be a point at which making the cavity thicker than say a standard 100mm will only boost your thermal resistance by smaller and smaller percentages, the wider you go.

Look at building more robustly, i.e. making sure your builder does all he can to alleviate drafts around openings, floors abutments etc. We use foam, mastic and tape wherever we see a hole, crack or gap!
 
You would be increasing the insulation thickness by around 50mm above normal.
That 50mm might be better applied in the roof.
Probably not though, as insulation obeys the law of diminishing returns...so increasing from 100mm to 150mm in the walls would give more benefit than increasing from 300mm to 350mm in the roof.

Would it be possible to build the wall using 75mm blocks to keep the wall to 300mm thickness, I wonder...
 
Normally use 100mm celotex or similar with a 50mm cavity on 150mm cavity walls, so you are doubling the thickness.
Wall skins normally need to be at least 90mm thick.
 
If it's single storey, why not use timber frame for the inner skin? Lots of space to pack insulation.
 
Normally use 100mm celotex or similar with a 50mm cavity on 150mm cavity walls, so you are doubling the thickness.
Wall skins normally need to be at least 90mm thick.
Ah, sorry, I was thinking of full fill insulation.

I wonder why 75mm block is not used. I'm sure structurally at least it would be fine if well tied together.

Ancon make some heavy duty, thermally efficient wall ties for large cavities.

Easiform housing was made with 75mm inner and outer skins and a 50mm cavity. Solid concrete admittedly...
 
I wonder why 75mm block is not used. I'm sure structurally at least it would be fine if well tied together.
Did build an extension in the early 80's with 75mm blocks on the outer skin, but was told that the render was included in the thickness, unlike tile hanging or cladding.
 

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