polystyrene loft insulation
 

Since a neighbour discovered that this insulation eats into electric wiring
I have cleared 2 lofts of the stuff, smallish loose bits rather like that
used in packing.
Anyway, having cleared said lofts with broom/garden vac on suck and
blow/dustpan and brush etc.. I'm looking for a decent way of vacuuming the
nasty stuff. Hire shops cant help. I wondered if anyone here might have an
idea? Convert the garden vac?

To give an idea of volume. one attic filled 34 wheeliebin bags so rigging a
suction hose that empties thro the loft hatch into a bin in the hall below
would be perfect.
Otherwise its back to 120 degree pain for the next loft (in 3 weeks time)

Thanks

Peter

polystyrene loft insulation
 

"Peter" wrote in message
...
Since a neighbour discovered that this insulation eats into electric
wiring
I have cleared 2 lofts of the stuff, smallish loose bits rather like that
used in packing.
Anyway, having cleared said lofts with broom/garden vac on suck and
blow/dustpan and brush etc.. I'm looking for a decent way of vacuuming
the
nasty stuff. Hire shops cant help. I wondered if anyone here might have
an
idea? Convert the garden vac?

To give an idea of volume. one attic filled 34 wheeliebin bags so rigging
a
suction hose that empties thro the loft hatch into a bin in the hall below
would be perfect.
Otherwise its back to 120 degree pain for the next loft (in 3 weeks time)

Thanks

Peter


When I cleaned the filthy loose-lay insulation from my loft last year I
bought a huge roll of 500 gauge polythene tubing which i could cut to
length, tie up one end with string and hang down from the loft hatch. I
could then keep scooping up the debris with a dustpan and pour it in without
making a mess of the rest of the house.
When full, I just tied up the other end and folded the sausage into my car
to take to the tip and cut a new length to start again.
Muchly recommended by the wife for keeping the house clean :)

Franko.

polystyrene loft insulation
 

On Jun 14, 11:28 pm, "Franko" wrote:
"Peter" wrote in message

...



Since a neighbour discovered that this insulation eats into electric
wiring
I have cleared 2 lofts of the stuff, smallish loose bits rather like that
used in packing.
Anyway, having cleared said lofts with broom/garden vac on suck and
blow/dustpan and brush etc.. I'm looking for a decent way of vacuuming
the
nasty stuff. Hire shops cant help. I wondered if anyone here might have
an
idea? Convert the garden vac?

To give an idea of volume. one attic filled 34 wheeliebin bags so rigging
a
suction hose that empties thro the loft hatch into a bin in the hall below
would be perfect.
Otherwise its back to 120 degree pain for the next loft (in 3 weeks time)

Thanks

Peter

When I cleaned the filthy loose-lay insulation from my loft last year I
bought a huge roll of 500 gauge polythene tubing which i could cut to
length, tie up one end with string and hang down from the loft hatch. I
could then keep scooping up the debris with a dustpan and pour it in without
making a mess of the rest of the house.
When full, I just tied up the other end and folded the sausage into my car
to take to the tip and cut a new length to start again.
Muchly recommended by the wife for keeping the house clean :)

It was polystyrene?

Hard to imagine that being used. Are you sure it wasn't vermiculite, a
safely inert, natural mica type of earth?

polystyrene loft insulation
 

Peter wrote:
Since a neighbour discovered that this insulation eats into electric
wiring I have cleared 2 lofts of the stuff, smallish loose bits
rather like that used in packing.
Anyway, having cleared said lofts with broom/garden vac on suck and
blow/dustpan and brush etc.. I'm looking for a decent way of
vacuuming the nasty stuff. Hire shops cant help. I wondered if
anyone here might have an idea? Convert the garden vac?

To give an idea of volume. one attic filled 34 wheeliebin bags so
rigging a suction hose that empties thro the loft hatch into a bin in
the hall below would be perfect.
Otherwise its back to 120 degree pain for the next loft (in 3 weeks
time)

Two possible solutions;

Shred the polystyrene to reduce the volume. This means the stuff has to go
through the vac turbine - a garden vac does just that - its a 'dirty fan'
vacuum.

Litter Vacs operate on this principle.
http://www.macrogroundcare.co.uk/pag...FR8hEAodFCFVaA

If you could fit a hose in place of the bag on your garden vac, it should
work - you would still need a bag on the end of the hose though. It could
be a large bag.

Plan 'B'. Use a vacuum cleaner with an interceptor tank. This is simply a
large container fitted between the vacuum cleaner and the cleaning nozzle.


--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

polystyrene loft insulation
 

"Weatherlawyer" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Jun 14, 11:28 pm, "Franko" wrote:
"Peter" wrote in message

...



Since a neighbour discovered that this insulation eats into electric
wiring
I have cleared 2 lofts of the stuff, smallish loose bits rather like
that
used in packing.
Anyway, having cleared said lofts with broom/garden vac on suck and
blow/dustpan and brush etc.. I'm looking for a decent way of
vacuuming
the
nasty stuff. Hire shops cant help. I wondered if anyone here might
have
an
idea? Convert the garden vac?

To give an idea of volume. one attic filled 34 wheeliebin bags so
rigging
a
suction hose that empties thro the loft hatch into a bin in the hall
below
would be perfect.
Otherwise its back to 120 degree pain for the next loft (in 3 weeks
time)

Thanks

Peter

When I cleaned the filthy loose-lay insulation from my loft last year I
bought a huge roll of 500 gauge polythene tubing which i could cut to
length, tie up one end with string and hang down from the loft hatch. I
could then keep scooping up the debris with a dustpan and pour it in
without
making a mess of the rest of the house.
When full, I just tied up the other end and folded the sausage into my
car
to take to the tip and cut a new length to start again.
Muchly recommended by the wife for keeping the house clean :)

It was polystyrene?

Yup, had to clean the wiring where it was eating through, bits stuck all
the way along. Mind you it had taken 30 years to chew thro the outer cable
sheath. Rewiring was necessary of course. So far 2 houses, same street same
builder same insulation.

Peter

Hard to imagine that being used. Are you sure it wasn't vermiculite, a
safely inert, natural mica type of earth?

polystyrene loft insulation
 

"Franko" wrote in message
...

"Peter" wrote in message
...
Since a neighbour discovered that this insulation eats into electric
wiring
I have cleared 2 lofts of the stuff, smallish loose bits rather like
that
used in packing.
Anyway, having cleared said lofts with broom/garden vac on suck and
blow/dustpan and brush etc.. I'm looking for a decent way of vacuuming
the
nasty stuff. Hire shops cant help. I wondered if anyone here might
have
an
idea? Convert the garden vac?

To give an idea of volume. one attic filled 34 wheeliebin bags so
rigging
a
suction hose that empties thro the loft hatch into a bin in the hall
below
would be perfect.
Otherwise its back to 120 degree pain for the next loft (in 3 weeks
time)

Thanks

Peter


When I cleaned the filthy loose-lay insulation from my loft last year I
bought a huge roll of 500 gauge polythene tubing which i could cut to
length, tie up one end with string and hang down from the loft hatch. I
could then keep scooping up the debris with a dustpan and pour it in
without
making a mess of the rest of the house.
When full, I just tied up the other end and folded the sausage into my car
to take to the tip and cut a new length to start again.
Muchly recommended by the wife for keeping the house clean :)

Franko.


Great idea, polystyrene sausages here I come. (mind you, would still love a
vacuum on a stick with an outlet into the sausage)
Thanks

Peter

polystyrene loft insulation
 

"Peter" wrote in message
...

It was polystyrene?

Yup, had to clean the wiring where it was eating through, bits stuck all
the way along. Mind you it had taken 30 years to chew thro the outer cable
sheath. Rewiring was necessary of course. So far 2 houses, same street
same
builder same insulation.

The polystyrene should be bonded using pva glue and not be loose.
Then the plasticisers in the pvc cause the polystyrene to shrink which
remove the contact and stops the plasticiser being absorbed by the
polystyrene.
Polystyrene doesn't eat away pvc but it can make it brittle as it removes
the plasticisers.

polystyrene loft insulation
 

"Peter" wrote in message
...


Great idea, polystyrene sausages here I come. (mind you, would still love
a
vacuum on a stick with an outlet into the sausage)
Thanks


http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.a...sfile=1&jump=0

polystyrene loft insulation
 

The Medway Handyman wrote:

If you could fit a hose in place of the bag on your garden vac, it should
work - you would still need a bag on the end of the hose though. It could
be a large bag.

Plan 'B'. Use a vacuum cleaner with an interceptor tank. This is simply a
large container fitted between the vacuum cleaner and the cleaning nozzle.

How about:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.a...sfile=1&jump=0

used with the big polythene sausage, and a chip collector like blower.
Stick the blower on the fill side of the lid, stick the blowers filter
bag on the exit side, and get a long length of 4" hose to connect to the
blower.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

polystyrene loft insulation
 

In message , Franko
writes

When I cleaned the filthy loose-lay insulation from my loft last year I
bought a huge roll of 500 gauge polythene tubing which i could cut to
length, tie up one end with string and hang down from the loft hatch. I
could then keep scooping up the debris with a dustpan and pour it in without
making a mess of the rest of the house.
When full, I just tied up the other end and folded the sausage into my car
to take to the tip and cut a new length to start again.
Muchly recommended by the wife for keeping the house clean :)

This is an unpleasant job I need to get done too, the sausage idea is
excellent, where did you get the polythene tube?


--
bof at bof dot me dot uk

polystyrene loft insulation
 

On Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:58:42 +0100, bof
wrote:

In message , Franko
writes

When I cleaned the filthy loose-lay insulation from my loft last year I
bought a huge roll of 500 gauge polythene tubing which i could cut to
length, tie up one end with string and hang down from the loft hatch. I
could then keep scooping up the debris with a dustpan and pour it in without
making a mess of the rest of the house.
When full, I just tied up the other end and folded the sausage into my car
to take to the tip and cut a new length to start again.
Muchly recommended by the wife for keeping the house clean :)

This is an unpleasant job I need to get done too, the sausage idea is
excellent, where did you get the polythene tube?

http://www.aetaylorltd.co.uk/catalog/

(I have no connection with this company)

--
Frank Erskine

polystyrene loft insulation
 

Frank Erskine wrote:


http://www.aetaylorltd.co.uk/catalog/

(I have no connection with this company)


Aaaargh! I hate e-commerce sites that don't have prices. It always
reminds me of the find-out-what-the-customer-can-afford to pay
philosophy of double-glazing salesmen and the like.

Andrew

polystyrene loft insulation
 

"bof" wrote in message
...
In message , Franko
writes

When I cleaned the filthy loose-lay insulation from my loft last year I
bought a huge roll of 500 gauge polythene tubing which i could cut to
length, tie up one end with string and hang down from the loft hatch. I
could then keep scooping up the debris with a dustpan and pour it in
without
making a mess of the rest of the house.
When full, I just tied up the other end and folded the sausage into my car
to take to the tip and cut a new length to start again.
Muchly recommended by the wife for keeping the house clean :)

This is an unpleasant job I need to get done too, the sausage idea is
excellent, where did you get the polythene tube?


I bought it from http://www.polybags.co.uk/index_scro...?main=cs_5.htm
Cost me about £45 when I did mine - money well spent !

polystyrene loft insulation
 

In message , Franko
writes
"bof" wrote in message
...
In message , Franko
writes

When I cleaned the filthy loose-lay insulation from my loft last year I
bought a huge roll of 500 gauge polythene tubing which i could cut to
length, tie up one end with string and hang down from the loft hatch. I
could then keep scooping up the debris with a dustpan and pour it in
without
making a mess of the rest of the house.
When full, I just tied up the other end and folded the sausage into my car
to take to the tip and cut a new length to start again.
Muchly recommended by the wife for keeping the house clean :)

This is an unpleasant job I need to get done too, the sausage idea is
excellent, where did you get the polythene tube?


I bought it from http://www.polybags.co.uk/index_scro...?main=cs_5.htm
Cost me about £45 when I did mine - money well spent !

Thanks Franko and Frank too, sadly I have no excuse to avoid the job now
:-(

--
bof at bof dot me dot uk

polystyrene loft insulation
 

John Rumm wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:

If you could fit a hose in place of the bag on your garden vac, it
should work - you would still need a bag on the end of the hose
though. It could be a large bag.

Plan 'B'. Use a vacuum cleaner with an interceptor tank. This is
simply a large container fitted between the vacuum cleaner and the
cleaning nozzle.

How about:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.a...sfile=1&jump=0

used with the big polythene sausage, and a chip collector like blower.
Stick the blower on the fill side of the lid, stick the blowers filter
bag on the exit side, and get a long length of 4" hose to connect to
the blower.

That's exactly what an interceptor tank uses for a lid.



--
Dave
The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

polystyrene loft insulation
 

On Thu, 14 Jun 2007 15:32:55 -0700, Weatherlawyer
wrote:

It was polystyrene?

Hard to imagine that being used. Are you sure it wasn't vermiculite, a
safely inert, natural mica type of earth?

It was very popular for many applications particularly roofs.

I bought several very large bags from the factory and gave one to my
neighbour. She put it in her lounge. Her 10 year old daughter came
home from school, hooted with delight and took a run and jumped onto
the bag.

It took about 2 years before they eventually cleared the stuff from
the house. :))

polystyrene loft insulation
 

The Medway Handyman wrote:
John Rumm wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:

If you could fit a hose in place of the bag on your garden vac, it
should work - you would still need a bag on the end of the hose
though. It could be a large bag.

Plan 'B'. Use a vacuum cleaner with an interceptor tank. This is
simply a large container fitted between the vacuum cleaner and the
cleaning nozzle.
How about:

http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.a...sfile=1&jump=0

used with the big polythene sausage, and a chip collector like blower.
Stick the blower on the fill side of the lid, stick the blowers filter
bag on the exit side, and get a long length of 4" hose to connect to
the blower.

That's exactly what an interceptor tank uses for a lid.

yup, except I was suggesting filling a bag with the stuff and not a
dustbin. Since the bag is non rigid it can not be on the suction side of
the blower. So its not being used as an interceptor in this case, more a
dirty fan vacuum on steroids.

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/