Sweaty beams or toasty insides?

[simonescapes]

Anyone know how I can insulate the walls of a very old timber framed farmhouse with lime render.
Someone advised Celotex but another advice said this would not allow the walls to breathe and the wood would sweat.
clues???

 

[noseall]

Surely the timber framing in this instance is and external issue, i.e. the insulation will be on the internal side of the framing?

If so, then the relationship between the framing and the outside will remain the same in terms of moisture movement - i.e. the timber can breathe as it had done before insulation.

 

[simonescapes]

That is what i thought in the first place.
thanks noseall

 

[stuart45]

Insulating the interior of an old timber framed house will not stop the walls from breathing, but will stop most of the internal heat from getting to the timber. In some cases on very old houses this has been thought to have changed the balance of the moisture content of the timber.
I am not saying that you can't insulate your house internally, but it is something to keep in mind. Its not really possible for someone to give a definite answer without seeing the property.
I did work on an old house where the rot in the joist ends and timber lintels was blamed on the house having internal insulation fitted.