loft questions (2)

[MetManMark]

Hi all
Got the keys to our new place on Friday so only a few days in but already shattered. Will provide photos in due course but I had a couple of probably non 'period' questions.

1) We are having the place treated for woodworm. They will be treating all the floorboards (both sides) and also the loft. They say that they prime the rafters by rubbing them down and move all the loft insulation before spraying - then replace them. I went into the loft today to inspect it properly for the first time. Everything looks good but while the roof is relatively new it is clear that when they replaced it they didn't replace the insulation. The insulation is about 3 inches deep and absolutely covered in dust (presumably from the previous roof). Should I ditch the insulation and replace with new stuff or just add the new stuff on top? A friend of mine vacuum clean his loft before having woodworm treatment. I though about this today but couldn't face it! The ceilings are lath and plaster...

2) The loft doesn't have a fire wall. Any top tips on this front (it is a semi).

Cheers
Mark

 

[Feltwell]

First off, the benefits of spraying for woodworm are highly questionable - but I won't go over old ground, there are plenty of old posts on this if you want to read those.

I don't see any benefit in replacing your existing loft insulation, I would would just lay more on top. Usual stuff about making sure pipes are well insulated / water tanks are not insulated underneath / cables run on top of insulation / ventilation into the loft is maintained all apply.

Lack of a fire wall is not uncommon, many rows of terraces have interlinked lofts. If it bothers you then you could construct one up there - two layers of plasterboard on a metal stud frame is a common commercial method, but in a loft getting plasterboard up there could be tricky. Is the party wall below built in masonry? To build it up in aerated concrete block would be easy - the blocks are very light, you can pass them up through a loft hatch no problem, and you cut them with an old handsaw -they are very soft. They offer good fire resistance. Strictly speaking I guess you'd need to abide by the party wall act and serve notice on your neighbour, but in reality it depends on how well you get on with them plus this would of course be to their benefit as well.

 

[MdB]

What Feltwell has said with the addition that if you have active woodworm then you have a damp problem and that needs to be identified and sorted.

 

[AMc]

I wouldn't treat for woodworm unless there is strong evidence of an active infestation. As noted before most wood worm needs wet wood - that's the problem you need to fix.
If you're surveyor recommended a treatment because the vendor couldn't produce a 10 year insurance backed guarantee then I would question him/her if this was simply a boilerplate part of the report or there is a genuine reason to suspect the roof has woodworm.

The current recommended depth of loft insulation is about 12". I wouldn't bother removing the existing insulation as it will be horribly messy, hard to dispose of and who needs a 'clean' loft. I would simply add on top to get the right depth picking up rolls at the DIY stores subsidised by British Gas etc.
Before you do that take a look around and work out how you can build up to get access around once there is a foot of insulation - in mine it's now quite tricky to work out where it's safe to tread and if I'd thought about it I would have fixed blocks to the rafters and planks across them to avoid the risk of sticking my foot through an old reed and lime plaster ceiling.

Not sure about the firewall as we've never had a shared loft - but I would fit good smoke alarms and not worry unless your neighbours are chip frying, pyromaniacs

 

[Penners]

Another tick for everything Feltwell said.

 

[Moo]

As well as fire resistance, do think about sound insulation, just in case you and your neighbour should ever embark on loft conversions.

 

[MetManMark]

Thanks all for your advice. As always well worth posting...
I understand your comments about the woodworm but being cautious people we thought it would be worth it. I think the quote came to £700 for the loft and all the floorboards and ceiling space which we thought was OK.
Not sure sure now whether we should do the firewall. The property next doors is rented and as we have yet to move in we don't know them. There is lots more to think about in this house (more postings imminent) so the firewall might have to take a backseat for the time being.
Cheers
Mark

 

[Matt Green]

I understand your comments about the woodworm but being cautious people we thought it would be worth it.

Suckers.

 

[Lime]

I understand your comments about the woodworm but being cautious people we thought it would be worth it.

Suckers.

That's what I thought too.
Then the firewall in the loft is put on the backburner because of other expenses.
Something seriously wrong with the priorities IMV.

 

[AMc]

Thanks all for your advice. As always well worth posting...
I understand your comments about the woodworm but being cautious people we thought it would be worth it. I think the quote came to £700 for the loft and all the floorboards and ceiling space which we thought was OK.

£700 is a lot of money for something you don't need. I'm sorry if you think this is being cautious but I think spreading noxious chemicals around your home for no apparent reason is pretty reckless.

£700 would probably build a lightweight block wall in your loft. Your house and your money though.

 

[JoceAndChris]

Oh, poor OP. I have to say I agree though - and am so glad this forum stopped us from wasting a similar amount. 3 years later, and not a single worm.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

As well as fire resistance, do think about sound insulation, just in case you and your neighbour should ever embark on loft conversions.

Or loft convesations. 8)

I echo all the comments about spraying posionous chemicals all over the place you and your family are then going to live in for years. Madness and pretty pointless.

If you really want to do that, I have a glass of creosote I'll sell you for just £500. Drinking it has not disimilar health benefits, and you'll have £200 towards your fire wall.

Sorry. :roll: