Wall affected by mould and paper coming off.

Paper removed PIR insulation board fitted

Background:

An end of terrace Victorian property which had been extended and upgraded some 15-20 years ago. . An energy audit was carried to produce an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) for a private landlord. (From October 1st 2008 all new leases have to produce an EPC to give to the new tenant.) The inspection showed that the main roof insulation was below the recommended level of 270mm and that flank wall of the rear bedroom was only half brick thick (115mm) and the bedroom was very cold.

The EPC calculated at this point was 59 in band D for Energy Efficiency Rating and also band D for the Environmental (CO2) Impact Rating

The Work Required:

In order to improve the conditions in the bedroom and the Energy Efficiency for the house generally, top up fibreglass insulation was added to the roof void.

The right flank wall was lined with PIR insulation (polyisocyanurate rigid) battens and plasterboard giving an increased u value for the wall of 0.25.

An essential requirement of the building insulation is to ensure that the building fabric is well insulated as possible for the age and type to prevent excessive heat loss.

This reduces the amount of energy required to provide space heating, which in turn reduces the use of fossil fuel (e.g. gas, oil, coal) and CO2 emissions.

The very low thermal conductivity of PIR insulation boards enables low fabric U-values to be achieved with the minimum of thickness. This minimises the overall thickness of the building fabric allowing maximum utilisation of internal space for a given 'building footprint'.

The Schedule of work:

Wall surfaces prepared by removing any wallpaper and skirting boards including the removal of electrical fittings. Celotex GA3000 boards are fitted from floor to ceiling. horizontal treated timber battens are fitted over the insulation at the top and bottom of the wall to hold the boards in place.The board joints are sealed with tape to create a vapour control layer (VCL).

Vertical battens are then fitted over the insulation at appropriate spacing to provide adequate fixings for plasterboard. Additional battens are required around all openings to provide fixings for linings and grounds for skirtings, etc Plasterboard lining was then fitted and skim finished. Skirting boards and electrical sockets etc are then refitted.

Conclusion

The EPC has now been recalculated and has increased to 64 for Energy Efficiency Rating and reduced the CO2 emissions to give a better Environmental (CO2) Impact Rating.
The house is now warmer and the bedroom much more comfortable for the tenant, with lower energy consumption and running costs and more energy and carbon efficient for the environment.