A bit of history…

It sounds a bit weird, even to us, but cavity walls sometimes receive less respect than they should! This hundred-year-old building method is essential to maintaining your home’s warmth, dryness, and energy-efficiency of your home. Who knew, right?!

Although you have probably heard the words before, do you know just how important they are to your house’s comfort?

A Brief History of Cavity Walls

If you lived in the 19th century, your house was probably constructed with thick, strong, but sadly prone to dampness, solid walls. Usually composed of stone or brick, these thick walls were intended to keep the cold out but had little effect in preventing moisture from seeping in.

Builders began experimenting with a novel kind of wall construction whereby two layers of brickwork were separated from one another. The “cavity,” this air gap served as a buffer to stop water from seeping into the inner wall. After all, bricks aren’t waterproof so heavy rains will ‘bleed through’ a solid wall. This kind of building became popular over time, especially in the 1920s and 1930s, when moisture management and insulation became more important. Cavity walls were standard in British homes by the time the post-war construction boom arrived, and building rules caught up to formalise their use.

How Do Cavity Walls Work?

What, then, specifically makes cavity walls so successful?  The idea is basic. Picture two walls side by side, split by an air-filled void. While the interior wall keeps your house warm, the outside wall bears most of the weather. Two main uses for the space between are insulation and preventing moisture from passing through the wall. The capacity of this architecture to prevent dampness is among its most important benefits. The hollow blocks rainwater from seeping inside your house as rain falls on the outer wall.

Your walls remain dry as a result, which lowers the usual problem of mildew and mould development with solid walls. Many cavities in contemporary houses are now occupied with insulating materials to increase the energy economy even more. This extra insulation helps to lower heat loss, thereby enabling you to keep warmer in the winter and save on heating costs.

Why Cavity Walls Are Still Important Today

Given all the modern materials and technology available, you might wonder whether hollow walls are still relevant. Their efficiency holds the key. Although more modern techniques, including timber frame building and even environmentally friendly substitutes, have become popular, cavity walls are still a dependable, tried-through choice for homes throughout the United Kingdom.

First and most importantly, they enable you to cut energy costs. Cavity walls lower the heat loss from your house by offering improved insulating value. Having a well-insulated house is more crucial than ever in an era when energy efficiency is a major issue, particularly with growing power costs and climate change.

Beyond only energy efficiency, hollow walls guard against one of Britain’s most constant enemies—damp. Damp is a major problem in many properties, especially older ones. Cavity walls help to keep your living space dry and healthy, therefore lowering the danger of structural damage from too much moisture and respiratory problems.

Cavity walls also have longevity. Generally, cavity-wall buildings endure longer and demand less maintenance than those with solid walls. From conventional brick houses to more modern designs, the building technique is also flexible and fits many kinds of residences.

The Modern Adaptation of Cavity Walls

Cavity walls have developed outside their intended intent in the twenty-first century. High-performance insulation materials like wool, or polystyrene beads—which fill the void between the walls to trap even more heat—are now included in many cavity ceilings. Modern hollow walls actively assist in keeping your house warmer and more energy-efficient rather than merely preventing dampness.

Retrofitting insulation into existing cavity walls appeals to many homeowners. If your house was built between the 1920s and the 1980s, chances are it features cavity walls but may not have insulation. Fortunately, a professional can quickly install insulation, greatly enhancing the energy performance of your house.

The Long-Term Benefits for Homeowners

If you’re considering a new build or thinking about making improvements to your current home, understanding the benefits of cavity walls can help you make informed decisions. Here are a few things to consider:

• Energy Savings: Insulated cavity walls can cut your energy bills by up to 15%, depending on the age and construction of your home. This makes them a sound investment that pays off in the long run.
• Healthier Home: Cavity walls help maintain a dry environment, reducing the likelihood of damp-related health issues like asthma and allergies.
• Sustainability: With the focus on reducing carbon footprints, cavity walls that include insulation can contribute to your home’s overall sustainability by reducing the amount of energy required to heat it.
• Increased Property Value: Well-maintained and insulated cavity walls can add value to your home, as energy efficiency is becoming a key selling point for buyers.

Moving Forward with Cavity Walls

Cavity walls are not out-of-date building techniques. In fact, they are still popular in modern homes, offering benefits such as increased energy efficiency, dampproofing, and more living space.

There is just one issue—if installed in the wrong style of property, cavity insulation can have the opposite of the desired effect and create cold spots and even dampness. We install insulation but will also remove it from homes and business properties where it is unsuitable.

November 2024 update: