Removal of plasterboard has transformed the house heat wise

[j_s]

Sorry for the long title and wasn't sure which section to put this in.

 

I've been doing a lot of work over the last year to improve this sieve of a house, taking rooms back to block work and filling any mortar gaps - some you could fit your hand through. I then paint blowerproof over all cracks and mortar joints and all repaired sections. So far it's been 3 rooms but those were in the summer. With the cold weather recently the house has rapidly cooled again to around 16-17 but you felt really cold with it. Fast forward to yesterday and we began work on the dining room and big spare bedroom. Big spare bedroom has 2 external walls and so does the dining room. Both have north east facing walls and the bedroom has another east facing one. Dining room is completely plasterboard free now including ceiling as we need to sort out the levels to straighten up the ceiling.

 

The transformation last night and this morning is amazing, it's like a new house. No more chilly draughts now, house retaining its heat much better, hall way dropped by 0.5c rather than 1.5 to 2c. Out bedroom remained the same over night. This is without any heating on whatsoever.

 

Now I know it's not that cold yet, but I can see the wind was blowing a little this morning and it was about 7c outside, normally this would result in it feeling much cooler. 

 

I am assuming the plasterboard was allowing the air to move in a different way and air pressure plays a part in how the air push/pulls?

 

Check out examples of the holes we have uncovered:

 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/UCXWTaJN8KRuxQ518

 

Yes if you zoom in you will see the cavity insulation, there are at least 20 odd visible gaps in the dining room alone that are not quite as bad but not great. Let alone thin cracks.

 

Plasterboard does indeed hide a lot of sins, I am aware of the term  plasterboard tent, I think I have something worse. There is an even bigger hole between floors that I picked up on my IR camera last year and can now see from the bedroom, I'd like to get a photo but as said between floors right now and won't be uncovered for a couple of weeks. 

 

House is 10 years old by the way, celcon and thermalite lightweight blocks with 7.5-8cm insulated cavity and brick outer.

 

I thought I would show what I am dealing with.

 

 

Edit: plasterboard was dot and dab with no perimeter adhesive on all sides of boards or adding it in such a way to reduce any possible air flow behind the boards

Edited September 28, 2018 by j_s

[joe90]

Wow, an example of rubbish build quality, good for you for putting it right. Attention to detail is a major factor in my opinion and a reason that us self builders get a better result even with the same materials. Are you going to wet plaster or dot and dab (lots on here don’t like it). But if done properly is better than most do it. I would wet plaster as this will parge the blockwork (stop even more air leakage).

[gravelld]

Interested in your use of blowerproof... I notice they also talk about coating the entire wall in it. Did you consider this?

[j_s]

We will dot and dab but full perimeter + breaking up the plasterboard into smaller zones as it were. Builder has had far too many issues with lightweight blocks and parge coats and wet plaster before. He is meticulous, his internal blockwork jointing is better than most brickies external brickwork. I can't doubt his experience. I've not gone full blowerproof as they have changed their advice with regards to plastering over it, it now requires a grit finish to be painted over apparently and I was worried about the plasterboard adhesive on it.

 

[Gone West]

@j_s Well done, sounds like you're doing an excellent job. It's a disgrace that a ten year old house is so poorly built.

[ProDave]

What was probably happening is you had what we have come to know as a "plasterboard tent" where the gap behind the plasterboard is often through poor or no detail,. open to somewhere cold like a roof space. 

 

Removing that and sealing the holes in the wall is a good move.  Now put the plasterboard back but seal up all perimiter gaps so there is no rout for cold air from anywhere to get behind the plasterboard.

[gravelld]

5 hours ago, j_s said:

Builder has had far too many issues with lightweight blocks and parge coats and wet plaster before

 

What sort of problems?

 

Interested in what you find next week!

[Cpd]

I have two houses, my main house and the cottage that I am renovating, I have got the upstairs nearly airtight using calotex, foam and taping and the difference is amazing. It was blowing 50-60 mph wind outside and yet inside it was totally still, even with a badly fitting door to the outside. On contrast my main house is madness with the wind howling through any available gap and there are plenty of them. I am doing very carful detailing on the insulation and air tightness and when the time comes to line the inside I will be  100% happy that there will be no unwanted draughts.  

[j_s]

34 minutes ago, gravelld said:

 

What sort of problems?

 

Interested in what you find next week!

 

Next couple of weeks are me filling all of those holes and back in the loft to do more insulating , large 100m squared loft to do 

 

I can't remember the exact issues but the fact they crack just be looking at them and issues with parge coat not sticking so well due to the celcon and thermalite sucking all the water out in no time at all. He's fine using a different block , just not the ultra lightweight ones.

[j_s]

A further update.

Not as great as previously thought. A lot more to do since the colder weather is here. Major issue last night! 40mm conduit from lounge to loft and office to loft full of condensation where it hits the cold space. I hadn't sealed the lounge conduit with the pro clima stoppas, and I had removed the stoppa from the office one ready to drop some cat5. The warm moist air of the house therefore drawn up the conduit to the vented loft space. Lesson learned , oops.

 

Have also insulated the top of the conduit for now so will check tonight and through the week to make sure there isn't any more condensation

Edited November 26, 2018 by j_s