What is Cavity Wall Insulation Extraction?

Did you know 35% of heat lost in an uninsulated house escapes through the external walls? Insulating cavity walls is a smart way to slash energy bills, reduce your carbon footprint, and create a snug, cosy home. Well, as long as you do it right.

If you have cavity wall insulation installed, yet your home is hard to heat or you’ve identified unexplainable damp issues, your insulation may be faulty. And this calls for cavity wall extraction. There are a number of culprits for this – from the previous use of incorrect insulation material to flooding. Regardless, defective insulation must be removed to facilitate an energy-efficient home.

Read on for more on the cavity extraction process, including how cavity insulation is removed & why it may need to be removed.

How Does Cavity Wall Insulation Work?

The concept of cavity wall insulation is rather simple. An insulating material fills the cavity between masonry bricks to slow the loss of heat in the external wall.

Cavity wall insulation serves a dual purpose. When the weather outside is chilly, the insulating material maintains heat inside your home. And when the summer sun is shining bright, the insulated walls keep the scorching heat outside. The outcome?

Your house is warm in the winter and cool in the summer, your energy bills are low, and you help the environment by reducing your carbon footprint.

What is Cavity Wall Insulation Extraction?

Cavity wall extraction is exactly what it sounds like – i.e., defective insulation is removed to make way for proper installation. The process demands the use of special equipment and accredited professionals. Here’s more on why you might need your cavity wall insulation removed and how the removal process goes down…

 

Why Should You Remove Cavity Wall Insulation?

The simple answer is that cavity wall insulation is removed when it becomes inefficient. Some causes of defective insulation include:

• The external walls are exposed to flooding or wind-driven rain. Water can penetrate the external wall’s brickwork into the insulation material and create damp problems.
• Construction issues such as replaced windows, burst pipes, overly porous brickwork, and substandard wall ties.
• The use of defective insulation material such as urea-formaldehyde, can degrade over time and sit at the bottom of the cavity. Urea-formaldehyde also presents health risks owing to the toxic gases released as it breaks down.
• Incorrectly installed cavity wall insulation – leads to voids that can cause cold spots and damp issues. Examples of poor installation practices include failure to determine the correct fill rate, not accounting for wall vents, and incorrectly spacing drill holes.
• The use of old, less-effective insulation material that was not held to the same stringent regulations we see today.

PS: It’s important to keep in mind not all properties are suitable for cavity wall insulation extraction. Get in contact here for more information.

How Do I Know If I Need Cavity Wall Extraction?

Pinpointing a cavity wall insulation problem is a tough nut to crack. It’s not immediately obvious and even when you have your suspicions, it often takes an expert’s eye to be sure. It can take years before you realize you have defective insulation.

Here are some tell-tale signs that should prompt you to dig deeper into whether you need your cavity wall insulation removed:

• You’re noticing damp issues
• There are cold areas on the internal walls
• Your home’s external walls are damaged
• Energy bills are unusually high
• Your external walls have been exposed to flooding or burst pipes
• Retaining heat inside the house is an uphill battle
• You have doubts over the effectiveness of the original installation process or insulation material

If several of these signs resonate with your situation, you might have defective insulation. And in this case, it’s advisable to contact an insulation company to investigate and help you chart the best way forward.

Cavity Wall Removal Process

The cavity wall extraction process starts with a property technical survey to assess the insulation issues and form a basis for the extraction work.

Compressed air is blown into the wall cavity through strategically removed bricks, while an industrial vacuum machine sucks up the insulation at the bottom of the wall. The team works its way up the drilling pattern to ensure that all the defective insulation material is collected and bagged for safe disposal.

Cavity extraction is labour-intensive, and the process may take up to 2 days depending on the scope of the task. After a borescope scan confirms that the cavity insulation is completely extracted, you can then start planning for proper cavity wall insulation using effective insulation materials such as ThermaBead.

Mass Foam Systems Cavity Wall Extraction Services

In need of a cavity wall insulation inspection or extraction? Our skilled and friendly team of specialists, registered in England, can effectively, quickly, and safely remove defective insulation from commercial or domestic properties. All this is done in accordance with our company policy of ensuring minimal disturbance to the property and its occupants.

Contact us at 0800 246 5051 to discuss your options and to find out how we can help.

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