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Insulation for lath and plaster walls4/14/2024 So I'm leaving as it is as the system seems to work. In practice, I think the breathability could only cope with a bit of condensation, and if for some reason water got in, there would be trapped damp and then mould and rot. The roofer said that in, the new waterproof layers they put under the slates are breathable, so in theory, I could insulate the roof and have a warm roof. but it just dries out before causing damage. Also the internal gulley overflowed in one of last year's flash floods. There is no membrane and some tiles are cracked. The roof also works on the same principle. When the rainwater hopper got blocked and water poured down the building, the cement bit got black mould and had to be stripped back while the traditional bit was totally immune. In a couple of small areas, someone has removed the lath and plaster and cemented and skimmed directly on the bricks and then applied wallpaper. On the negative side, hot air is drawn up through floorboards etc and goes up the inside of the wall lining.Īnother good thing is that any damp coming from inside, dries out before reaching the inside, saving the decoration. On the positive side, the gap prevents the thermal mass of the outside wall cold-bridging into the rooms inside. I have a similar setup- solid brick walls lined on the inside with lath and plaster, leaving a gap for ventilation. The house will then be isulated by the original insulation, the warm air bubble and the second layer of insulation. Have you considered insulating the sloping part of the roof. I put forward an alternative idea below.įrom the description you give, you have insulated the loft horizontally and therefore the heat escapes into the roof space but is then able to escape unchecked by the insulation you have added. This I have to say is all theoretical and in practice small vents may be sufficient. However, even then unless the vent runs the total preimeter of the walls I think there is a risk of local areas not receiving sufficient ventilation leading to damp spots. To be certain you have sufficient air flow the area of the vents would need to match the total area of the gap at the top and at the bottom of the walls. Vents could be the answer but you run the risk of damp if the vents are not big enough to allow sufficient air flow. My view is that the air flow is essential to prevent damp. There must be a non-destructive way to reduce these current heat loss. To my mind the unknowns are the extent and effectiveness of this air movement and the risk of extranious drafts, from around the sash window frames for example. I'd guess that with the heat differences in the house a draft would be set up down the gap taking the cooler bedroom air back down to the warmer living room etc. The idea being that these would allow sufficient air circulation to keep the wall etc dry but keep, most of, the heat in the house. That is to say add vents at floor level on the ground floor and ceiling level on the upper floor. How about blocking the gap top and bottom but adding vents into the house. It basically the block the gap but with a twist. I'd appreciate the groups thoughs on one idea that has been suggested. Line the walls on the inside - would require the removal of the cornices Seal the top/bottom of the gap - potential of damp problem and or rot Replace the lath and plaster with modern insulation - would destroy to many original features of the house. The question is how best to reduce that heat loss. I'm guessing that an air flow is essential to prevent damp since it is a solid stone outer wall. I've lagged the loft with about 10" of glass wool but have hesitated to cover the top of that gap. In the loft I can feel a distinct warm airflow coming out of that gap at the top of the wall which must represent a very significant heat loss. The outside walls have lath and plaster cladding on the insides with the usual gap between the laths and the stonework. I've been squatting on this forum for a while in the hopes that someone might cover the issue I have with an Edwardian house but no one has so here goes:Īs I say, I live in an Edwardian house which is stone built.
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