United Kingdom

4108 readers

76 users here now

General community for news/discussion in the UK.

Less serious posts should go in [email protected] or [email protected]
More serious politics should go in [email protected].

Try not to spam the same link to multiple feddit.uk communities.
Pick the most appropriate, and put it there.

Posts should be related to UK-centric news, and should be either a link to a reputable source, or a text post on this community.

Opinion pieces are also allowed, provided they are not misleading/misrepresented/drivel, and have proper sources.

If you think "reputable news source" needs some definition, by all means start a meta thread.

Posts should be manually submitted, not by bot. Link titles should not be editorialised.

Disappointing comments will generally be left to fester in ratio, outright horrible comments will be removed.
Message the mods if you feel something really should be removed, or if a user seems to have a pattern of awful comments.

founded 1 year ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

110

Why did we give up on insulation? (lemm.ee)

submitted 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

58 comments fedilink hide all child comments

I just watched some video about Yakutsk Siberia which is meant to be the coldest city in the world. Thought "Those poor bastards, wonder what they need to wear indoors when it is -40 outside."

Turns out a pissing tank top and PJ bottoms. We really need to start demanding better things in this country don't we?

I'm also reading a book about coal mining. All the unpaid labour, minimising wages and dodgy things the bosses did then still happens now. Now I'm not a tankie so don't get the wrong idea here. But why are we all okay living like this I don't get it? Why is the UK population so forgiving at living it shit conditions.

Also I'm going to jump in before anyone says no insulation keeps you cold in the summer. Insulation works both ways, it can keep heat out or it can keep heat in. It's better in the summer and in the winter.

Siberia video in question:

https://youtu.be/K0z7Avc9ZtY?si=_KTob2YYMn2HLwkv

Also I hope I havent broken any rules. I can't see any. This seems mostly news posts but I guess text posts are allowed? Sorry if not.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] killeronthecorner 4 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

For new builds, yes. But some houses in the UK are really fucking old. I lived in a house built in 1791. It didn't have any insulation and, due to listed building regulations, only had single glazed, wood framed windows.

There's a bit of contention between preservation and modernisation in that sense.

I still think it's a bit of a con with new builds as you get insulation but the walls are only a brick length thick generally.

[–] Nastybutler 4 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Alaskan here checking in. Most of the housing here is what we call stick frame, and it's usually framed with 2x4" spruce. In case you don't know 2x4s aren't actually 2 inches by 4 inches as they plane off the rough stuff so they're really about 1.8 x 3.8" if memory serves.

That means your outer walls usually only have 3.8" of space to stuff insulation between the outer barrier and the Sheetrock inside. Unless you use spray foam insulation which is more expensive, so most builders don't do that, so the cheaper insulation at that thickness isn't great.

I now live in the first house I've had with 2x6" framing, and let me tell you, that extra 2 inches makes a world of difference.

[–] reptar 5 points 10 months ago

1.5x3.5.

Not important but I couldn't move on