Do I have insulated cavity walls?
Q. How can I find out whether I have cavity walls, and can you explain the
best way to determine whether they've already been insulated?
A. As a rule, almost all domestic buildings erected after about 1920 have
cavity walls. One of the easiest ways to check is to look at the
brickwork on the outside. In the case of cavity walls, this will
usually be in a regular pattern, with just the side of the brick
exposed. Older, solid-wall homes will display alternating brick ends
exposed on the wall face. Another good trick is to check the width of
the brickwork at a window recess. If the wall is more than 260mm deep,
it probably includes a cavity. You should be able to spot drilled holes
if the wall has already been filled. If all else fails, ask a
registered installer to drill in and check for you.
The Energy Saving Trust has some practical information and diagrams
(www.est.org.uk) or turn to page 25 of our eco supplement for more on
insulation.
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