The awful legacy of cavity wall insulation

I AM writing after watching a news item broadcast on February 15, BBC Wales evening news report. It highlighted the problem of a South Wales couple with cavity wall insulation and the terrible damp it created in their home. They are not the only ones. This is a national disgrace.

During the 1990s the Government with local councils conceived an initiative to encourage homeowners to insulate their properties. Flyers from the council came, giving householders the opportunity to take advantage and promoted the scheme. As an extra encouragement the council gave a grant to approved contractors to carry out the work. A CIGA (Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency) certificate was given as a guarantee.

The scheme was ill conceived – namely filling the cavity. The cavity is there to stop the outer wall transferring damp to the inner wall.

Subsequent studies from the British Research Establishment have shown properties subject to prevailing south westerly wind and rain should not have this procedure done. Reports now say it should not be carried in south-west England and Wales. Obviously a complete lack of research prior to the rollout.

Filling the cavity with a “rockwool type fibre” acts like a sponge soaking up and transferring damp across the cavity. This creates damp coming out of the plaster, cracks, peeling and blown plaster, especially around windows, skirting boards and corners. The building becomes a soaking wet structure, unable to breathe, holding on to all the moisture.

This happened to my house. I consider the Government and councils responsible for encouraging home owners to carry out this work and the terrible legacy that has left. I wrote to the company that carried out the work. Like most of the companies they have gone bust. No redress. The CIGA certificate of no use. Basically a worthless piece of paper.

Now 10, 20 years later people are left with the terrible problems this cavity wall insulation created.

I had a new damp course put in to rectify damp, new gutters, re-rendered the outer walls, all to no avail, as the problem was still trapped inside. I got a damp specialist in and they said it was the cavity wall filling and the only thing to do was remove it. Ultimately at great cost, mess and noise I had the cavity filling removed. I re-rendered the walls again and redecorated indoors. I was lucky as we could afford to do this but many can’t.

This is a scandal that needs addressing. The legacy is ruining people’s homes and health. Responsibility cannot be washed away.

Mrs VA Morris Vale of Glamorgan