How is Cavity Wall Insulation Extracted?

When cavity walls insulation was first installed many years ago, the foam used at the time actually breaks up as time goes by. When this happens, it releases urea formaldehyde. This gas is toxic and can cause health problems. This kind of cavity wall insulation is no longer used, so if you have a newer home, rest assured, you will not be exposed to this toxic gas.

In many instances, the insulation in the cavity walls is actually causing damp problems. This could be due to improper installation of the insulation within the cavity walls themselves, or due to other reasons.

These include where there is water damage to a property due to flooding, or where the insulation was installed in walls that were not suitable, such as those exposed to rain or where the bricks or mortar are porous.

Another problem is steel or timber structures.

The reasons for the problem may vary, but the result is the same. You have damp problems.

Removing Cavity Wall Insulation

If you have a damp problem due to cavity wall insulation gone wrong for whatever reason, DO NOT DESPAIR. There is a solution to the problem. This solution is having a cavity wall insulation extraction. This is, however, not something a do it yourself enthusiast can pull off. Rather, you need the services of the professionals with a proven track record.

How is Cavity Wall Insulation Removed?

Most types of cavity wall insulation can be removed, including urea formaldehyde, mineral fibre, and expanded polystyrene.

The removal starts with the drilling of holes right where the installation had been done in the first place.

A high-pressure vacuum machine is then hooked up to these holes and the insulation sucked right out through them. For safety, the sucked out wall insulation material is then bagged, removed from the property, and disposed of.

Sometimes, though, due to aesthetics, the homeowner might want certain bricks replaced and touch ups done.

This is usually not a problem for the cavity wall extraction company but has an extra cost attached to the job.

Why Should You Remove Your Cavity Wall Insulation?

Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself and your property is to have the cavity wall insulation extracted. There are a number of reasons why you should have this done. Removing the cavity wall insulation will be the first process in rectifying your damp issues in your home.

• Poisonous gas

For many years, urea formaldehyde was used to insulate wall cavities. Thousands of homes’ walls were insulated with it. The problem is that it degrades after a number of years and loses its insulation properties. Besides this, it releases gas as it degrades which are potentially harmful to your health as well as that of your loved ones.

If your home’s wall cavities were previously insulated with urea formaldehyde, consider getting an extraction to remove the insulation as soon as you can.

• Poor installation

There are many cases of poorly installed cavity wall insulation. The reasons for this may vary. Sometimes the wrong drill pattern was used, or the blowing pressure was wrong and left cold spots that result in condensation inside the home. You cannot fix the problem at a later stage by filling in the cold spots. The only way to fix the problem is by removing the old cavity wall insulation and reinstalling it.

• Water damage

There are a number of reasons why the insulation within cavity walls is damaged due to water. These include damage due to flooding, the wall in question may be exposed to wind and rain, or the runoff from the house is either damaged or not performing correctly. The result is wet or damp cavity wall insulation that poses a further problem in that the water is carried over into the inner wall, causing damp problems. Damp inner walls pose a possible health problem due to the occurrence of mold.

• Unsuitable building material

Sometimes, a wall or building should not have had any cavity wall insulation installed in the first place. Buildings that should not have cavity wall insulation are those built from porous bricks or mortar, timber or steel framed homes, or where a building is exposed to a lot of moisture.

If you are in a situation where this sounds familiar, do consider having the cavity wall insulation extracted.

• Old, slumping insulation

Certain types of insulation, especially in older homes, degrade after some time, compacts, and slumps. This leaves cold spots in the home that lead to added condensation.

Call a professional cavity wall insulation extractor

If you find yourself in a position where you need your wall cavity insulation removed, make sure you call a professional. This could potentially be dangerous, and you do not want someone who does not have a proven track record doing the job for you.

The Removal of the insulation can come in different types of systems

There are 3 main systems that are used in UK, below are the main insulation systems that have been used in cavity wall insulation.

• You have Mineral wool, this is either glass wool or rock wool, and is a very common insulation.

• You might have seen the little plastic balls coming out from your air flow bricks this is polystyrene bead, the bead is made up of small polystyrene beads the are injected with a binder and can be removed the same way.

• UF foam, now this one was introduced in the late 1960’s and involves a water based chemical system that produces a foam into the cavity wall, this can also be removed the same way.

Cavity wall insulation is a simple process that can be injected the same way that it can be removed, we just use a hover type machine, this will suck all the insulation form your walls.