If your home has a cavity wall insulation that was installed incorrectly and led to damage to your property you could very well qualify for compensation. Not only could you deserve compensation due to loss of value to your property, but if the damage caused by improper cavity wall insulation resulted in adverse health then you may also be entitled to compensation.
It is an issue that has impacted thousands of homes throughout the country over the past few decades, yet not everyone is aware that such a problem exists – until the damage has already been done. However, many are becoming aware of cavity wall insulation compensation, with more and more people gaining deserved compensation.
What is cavity wall insulation?
As the name suggests, cavity wall insulation is the process where the cavity between a wall is filled with material to aid with insulation. This is achieved as the insulation material will prevent movement of air, making the air more effective as an insulator.
The air itself is the main insulator, but as it is much better at doing this when still, materials such as glass fibre or rock wool must be inserted between the walls to prevent the air from moving. In doing so, the walls retain heat much better, keeping the home warmer for longer.
As of the 1980s, regulations state that all newly constructed homes must have cavity wall insulation. Because of this, millions of older homes that were not built with cavity wall insulation had to be updated to meet these regulations, but many were performed by less than reputable businesses.
How can it cause problems?
Problems arise when the cavity wall insulation has been incorrectly installed, whether done when the house was first built, from a retrofit or when replaced due to housing repairs (i.e. damage from a flood), and it can cause significant damage the property.
The main issues caused by this is damp, which tends to develop near areas with improper cavity insulation, caused by the likes of condensation and water seepage that occur when there are gaps in insulation.
This can take some time to develop however, so many homeowners are not noticing issues until several years later. Other possible causes include degrading materials in older homes, damage from flood or fires, or from installing wall cavity insulation in unsuitable homes.
Dampness can lead to the likes of black mould developing, which has obvious health concerns (especially if you suffer from respiratory) issues, while the walls, bricks and woodwork become damaged and less effective at retaining heat – think of your home wearing wet clothes all the time and you will have a rough idea of how bad this can be!
So, not only can it cause severe damage to a property that make less suitable to live in and reduce the overall value, but it may even lead to significant health problems as well!
How do I claim for compensation?
First, you will need to identify whether your home has problems due to improper cavity wall insulation.
There are obvious signs to keep an eye out for, such as damp walls, rotted wood, mould/fungus growth on walls, so if these were to appear after you have wall cavity insulation installed then you could be entitled to compensation.
If you believe your home or health has suffered because of improper wall cavity insulation, then be sure to contact a specialist solicitor that can help purse compensation. Even if you do not know who installed the insulation, a cavity claim specialist can help deal with the various processes involved.
Most will offer a free consultation to see if you are eligible for a claim, so there no harm in contacting one today to see if you could have a case!