Airtight my arse

[Alwayslearning22]

My new home that I bought from a developer which is supposed to be air tight leaks air from some of the sockets on outside wall.  Is there any tips on how I could find the area of leakage?
The sockets right by my bed and it’s like a fan on me at night. 
 

thanks 

[Russdl]

Is it brand spankers? Did the developer give you a figure of how airtight it was?
 

If so, get a professional air test done to find the real figure and demand the builder rectifies the situation. 

[Alwayslearning22]

3 minutes ago, Russdl said:

Is it brand spankers? Did the developer give you a figure of how airtight it was?
 

If so, get a professional air test done to find the real figure and demand the builder rectifies the situation. 

Yeah it’s less than a year old. 
 

to be honest the developer is useless I can’t even get them here to fix small snags. Don’t have much hope for tearing down plasterboard looking for air leaks. I’ll have to rectify it myself somehow 

[Roundtuit]

What's the wall make-up out of interest?  Dot and dab? Timber frame? Service void? Which ever, I suspect the fix will the same 'sticking plaster': remove socket/back box, fill all gaps with something (foam, airtightness tape, mastic, all of the above), refit.

[Roger440]

19 minutes ago, Russdl said:

Is it brand spankers? Did the developer give you a figure of how airtight it was?
 

If so, get a professional air test done to find the real figure and demand the builder rectifies the situation. 

 

I think you can safely assume no physical air test was ever carried out.

 

The wall build up questions above will determine the next sensible step.

[JohnMo]

40 minutes ago, Alwayslearning22 said:

developer which is supposed to be air tight

So what did they actually promise? Any figures?

 

What ventilation system did they install?

MVHR?

dMEV?

Intermittent running fans?

[Alwayslearning22]

It’s a timber frame house. 
 

12.5mm plasterboard 

service Batten

foil Vapor barrier 

PIR 

rockwool 

140mm stud 

The way it’s leaking i wouldn’t be surprised if they skipped the test 

[Alwayslearning22]

8 minutes ago, JohnMo said:

So what did they actually promise? Any figures?

 

What ventilation system did they install?

MVHR?

dMEV?

Intermittent running fans?

MEV 

and hole in the wall 

[saveasteading]

1 hour ago, Russdl said:

find the real figure and demand the builder rectifies the situation

That's your money though.

Demand first.

A little local pressure might help too. Such as asking thd selling agent fof "advice" " they won't have any but might pressure (oops can't think of a better word) the developer. Ask them for the specifications. 

Then social media... without being too disparaging at first...

I've got a new house by Bodgit Ltd  on "Used to be an orchard" Mews. Does anyone else have this problem of know what I can do?

 

[JohnMo]

If that's the case the normal would be an airtightness of 3-5m³/m², so not really airtight in the grand scheme of things. With MEV you should have trickle vents as well - there are improvements you can make there (new thread)

 

To get a timber frame airtight you need to use a membrane behind the plasterboard. I would find a double socket and unscrew from wall, clip out the pattress box and have a feel and look about.  Then report back. Switch of the electric off - if you are messing about near electric.

 

 

[Alwayslearning22]

It has a continuous foil membrane. I’m assuming it’s not taped well or it’s punctured somewhere 

[Alan Ambrose]

A practical option might be a smoke source e.g. incense stick or smoke pen to figure out where the worst leaks are. If they’re small leaks, there’s a system called Aerobarrier that might help. Agree though that a ‘professional’ leak test measurement would be something to go back to the developer with - particularly if the result is outside the building control limits.

[JohnMo]

1 hour ago, Alwayslearning22 said:

It has a continuous foil membrane. I’m assuming it’s not taped well or it’s punctured somewhere 

Inside or outside the frame?

[Redbeard]

Was there anything in your purchase 'stuff' which states an air-tightness test result. If not, ask the developer what is was. It may cost around £400 to get a basic A/T test which will give you a 'number' (in m3/m2/hr or air-changes per hour), or a fair bit more to get A/T and thermography at the same time. De-pressurise the house with the fan on a day when you can get a +10 degree C diff between inside and outside temp, and you get an IR 'pic' of the leaks. If the discrepancy between the developer's stated no. and yours is significant, ask awkward Qs.

Edited Saturday at 11:48 by Redbeard

[ADLIan]

The EPC should give the air pressure test result - either ‘as measured’ in this house or based on site average value.

[SimonD]

3 hours ago, Alwayslearning22 said:

It has a continuous foil membrane. I’m assuming it’s not taped well or it’s punctured somewhere 

 

If you've got breeze coming from your sockets, it's very likely they punctured the membrane while installing the electrics - it happens a lot because the contractors simply don't understand airtightness.

[Alan Ambrose]

Of course a simple option is to take one or more sockets out and see if you can see what’s going on behind them.

[Nickfromwales]

As built airtightness test is required for b regs sign off. 
 

Go directly to the BCO and ask for the test results which ‘they must have had presented to them’…..

 

Prob be a lot of squirming from anyone you approach, but I’d go directly to the BCO and start there.

[saveasteading]

17 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

I’d go directly to the BCO

I don't know how you would find who they are. Ask the BCO at the LA I suppose as they should have been informed.

[Roger440]

33 minutes ago, saveasteading said:

I don't know how you would find who they are. Ask the BCO at the LA I suppose as they should have been informed.

 

That always assumes they keep those records. As i found out when in Buckinghamshire, Bucks council dont keep, or register, in any way, completed inspections by private BC's.

 

And assuming of course you can even contact them. Again, not possible in Bucks. Other councils may vary of course.

[Roger440]

54 minutes ago, Nickfromwales said:

As built airtightness test is required for b regs sign off. 
 

Go directly to the BCO and ask for the test results which ‘they must have had presented to them’…..

 

Prob be a lot of squirming from anyone you approach, but I’d go directly to the BCO and start there.

 

Are the big boys still able to "get away with" not doing every house? 

 

A freind of mine built a small number of houses in shefifeld. They got the guy out to do the air tightness. His starting point was "what number do you want on the report". It took much persuasion to get him to actually do the job. 

 

Anyway, we all know what really went on.

[Alwayslearning22]

To be honest id rather just fix it myself I wouldn’t be bothered with chasing airtight results as they probably lied anyway. 
Is my only option ripping down plasterboard on that wall and inspecting vcl? 

[Roundtuit]

15 minutes ago, Alwayslearning22 said:

To be honest id rather just fix it myself I wouldn’t be bothered with chasing airtight results as they probably lied anyway. 
Is my only option ripping down plasterboard on that wall and inspecting vcl? 

If you've got air circulating behind the plasterboard it could be coming from anywhere, and potentially multiple leaks; service penetrations, joist ends, window reveals, poorly taped joints etc... I'd just focus on the sockets where you can feel a problem and seal them up as best you can. 

[Roger440]

5 minutes ago, Roundtuit said:

If you've got air circulating behind the plasterboard it could be coming from anywhere, and potentially multiple leaks; service penetrations, joist ends, window reveals, poorly taped joints etc... I'd just focus on the sockets where you can feel a problem and seal them up as best you can. 

 

Yes, but worth pointing out, that effectively its a plasterboard tent. Thermal performance likely to be woeful.

 

[Roundtuit]

2 minutes ago, Roger440 said:

 

Yes, but worth pointing out, that effectively its a plasterboard tent. Thermal performance likely to be woeful.

 

Absolutely, but no easy fix without stripping back to what was supposed to be the airtightness strategy...