Trying to improve soundproofing and air tightness in 80s Brick and Block house

[Rachel G]

Hi all,

I just bought a little 80s back to back end of terrace house and for some reason there are deep holes in the breeze block underneath the existing plasterboard. A lot of the neighbours complain about hearing their neighbours so I suspect the whole street is built like this. Given the pattern, it looks like maybe the builders ordered blocks with holes at the sides and then tried to fill them in and gave up, who knows. Anyway, I've been stripping off the plasterboard and filling the holes with this mortar- is this a sensible approach? It seems to work with little holes but the ones all the way through to the party wall (like 12 inches deep) never really end so not quite sure what to do there. The house is supposed to have cavity wall insulation but I haven't actually had it checked to see if it really does.

Any advice please?

Thanks
Rachel

 

[Deleted member 292770]

fill the ‘never ending holes’ with expanding foam

 

[tell80]

Finish filling the holes in the blocks as best you can. Fill them all - no gaps.
Then think about having some insulated plasterboard dot & dabbed on the party wall?
The loft above the ceiling might also have a failing party wall?
You will probably have floor joists that are seated in the party wall - most sound transmission, so I'm told, passes thro joists!

 

[Nige F]

Have a look at ...SoundStop on t'web.