Protect your tenants from retrofit regret with Safeguard’s PAS 2035 & Retrofit Insulation CPD Webinar

We’ve all seen the horror stories around retrofit cavity wall insulation. Every day, new reports of tenants suffering with mouldy walls hit the headlines. These stories often start the same way: “We never had a damp problem until we had new insulation put in…”

The good news is that this wave of penetrating damp in properties with retrofitted cavity wall insulation is entirely preventable. Upskill yourself with all the latest retrofit regulations and methods with Safeguard’s RIBA-approved PAS 2035 and Retrofit Insulation CPD Webinar. Join Product Development Chemist Michael at 1:00 PM on Tuesday 5th April for a masterclass on managing retrofit installation works. Sign up here.

There are about 28 million homes in the UK. It is estimated that around 19 million properties need some form of energy efficiency upgrade as a part of the UK’s commitment to Net Zero by 2050. For older homes, these necessary upgrades may include cavity wall insulation to improve heat resistance alongside other upgrades like renewable energy generation and draught-proofing. Poor management has plagued UK green initiatives, often as a result of rogue traders eager to take advantage of grants. The condition of these homes’ brickwork has not been considered and these important works have been installed in a rush.

The recent Home Ombudsman’s Spotlight: on Damp and Mould pointed the finger squarely at housing associations and private landlords for unfairly blaming tenants when they experience damp problems. The report makes the case that  housing association professionals hand-wave structural damp issues away as “lifestyle habits”. Although some day-to-day behaviours can cause damp and mould, the uncomfortable truth is that poor energy-saving retrofit cavity wall insulation has been installed in the past. As part of our commitment to Net Zero, It’s important to keep installing it, so make sure it’s done right.

Damp in homes with cavity wall insulation retrofit is often caused by penetrating damp. Wind-driven rain soaks through brickwork, travels across insulation and makes interior walls wet - the perfect conditions for black mould growth. Remember - we retrofit homes with energy-saving cavity wall insulation to improve thermal resistance. Rising energy prices mean that preventing heat loss will be a huge focus for the housing industry this winter. After all, wet walls are cold walls.

Of course, technical risks are important to manage with any building renovation. The risks of installing solid, cavity or party cavity wall insulation are considered higher due to the delicate balance of factors involved. Once a surveyor has identified that cavity wall insulation is the right way forward for a property, the actual process can seem intimidating and disruptive. These projects are massive in scope. Let Safeguard break complex retrofit works down into manageable chunks.

Above: A home photographed with a FLIR camera. The brighter areas show where heat loss is occurring.

Above: Safeguard's Stormdry heat loss and energy saving

With an emphasis on diagnosis, technique and regulation, discover the practical moisture management considerations that need to be made to adhere to PAS 2035:2019 guidelines. These guidelines must be followed by any company wishing to carry out publicly-funded energy-saving retrofit works. Learn what to look out for when choosing an approved Retrofit Coordinator and how to pick the right TrustMark-registered contractor for the job. Get the know-how to select contractors with the know-how, avoiding contractors without the retrofit know-how and suspected scam artists. Discover the process that contractors use to get TrustMark-approved to gain the confidence that future retrofit works will be installed to a high standard.

This webinar also covers a variety of different retrofit insulation possibilities, covering the three main types of wall insulation: internal, external and cavity. Every property is different and special considerations must be made for each individual case.  

Sign up here for the PAS 2035 and Retrofit Insulation CPD Webinar on Tuesday 5th April at 1:00 PM.

Safeguard hosts monthly RIBA-approved CPD Webinars, covering all things damp and condensation-related. Explore the Spring and Summer CPD schedule here.