Solid Wall Insulation: Internal Wall Insulation Tips
Warming up cold external walls with internal wall insulation from the inside is a great way to save on heating if your property has no cavity walls

It’s an ideal time to consider internal wall insulation when you are plastering or decorating a room. Some people choose to insulate the entire house in one go, which is suitable for large renovation projects, ideally when the person is not living in the property. Others choose to insulate each room as they go round.
Very old period properties may consider a ‘breathable’ insulation solution which could be made up of mineral fibre or wood fibre boards covered in a lime plaster. A more readily-available solution is an insulated plasterboard with PIR or PUR insulation on the back. If you choose this material, be sure the board is around 6-7cm thick and has an integral vapour layer and is installed by professionals. You will want to avoid condensation from inside your home settling inside the insulation system. This could lead to black mould which could, in turn, could lead to respiratory issues.
Here are our top tips when installing internal solid wall insulation
1. Fix any damp problems (and be absolutely sure they are fixed) prior to any insulation. Insulating over the top of damp will only make the problem worse and moisture could be trapped behind the insulation permanently.
2. Ideally fit any new windows first. They can even be made up with extra thick frames that are part-concealed with the insulation which is better for thermal efficiency. If the window fitters are also fitting the internal window boards, they should be made extra long to consider the thickness of the insulation
3. If you have period features such as coving this will be partly obscured by the insulation. You should be prepared to see a change in the coving to either one or two walls or loose it or have it re-created.
4. It’s an ideal time to add plug sockets, so get the first fix electrics in place first. There are plasterboard back boxes which the electrician can use to fix double sockets to once the plastering is complete.
5. Radiators should be added AFTER the internal wall insulation. The pipes may need to be in place first – i.e. extended beyond the thickness of the insulation. Provide the dimensions of the radiators, in particular, the fixing points, to the insulation installers so they can create braces for the insulation.
6. Think about other heavy objects that need bracing behind the insulation such as curtain poles. If you change your curtain poles, the braces will need to be in the right place.
7. Be mindful about curtain poles and blinds needing to be altered or renewed as the new insulation will probably make the area smaller
8. Skirting, picture rails and dado rails all need to come off so you can use the opportunity to get new fixtures such as these.
9. Finally, energy-efficiency improvements like internal wall insulation can lead to condensation problems. As we seal up older properties they are not as well ventilated (i.e. draughty) as they used to be. In such cases ask us for advice on mechanical ventilation options
Contact us today on 0121 666 7706 for further information or to arrange a free consultation on internal wall insulation by email: hello@sixstargroup.com