The attic is boarded. Since I've lived here I've discovered lots of
things have not been done properly so I decided to try and check what
insulation there was between the ceiling and the floor panels.

Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
whether it's been squashed down or not.

Thought I'd try by looking up one or two ceiling roses but of course
there's just a small hole for the wire.

If work is required on the insulation it's going to be a massive job
(for me anyway). Approx 30' x 12' for the boarded section.

There's then a few feet either side to the edge of the gable roof,
which has loose insulation. 1960's build so is it reasonable to
assume that is what is under the floorboards?

I'd guess the boarding was done in the 1980s.

--
AnthonyL

Why ever wait to finish a job before starting the next?

On 17/10/2022 in message <634d4f0d.189536046@news.eternal-september.org>
AnthonyL wrote:

>Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
>non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
>whether it's been squashed down or not.

What about an endoscope:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=borescope+inspection+camera&crid=JDPP910HYX1T&sprefix=borescope%2Caps%2C224&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_9

Could be fun afterwards.....

--
Jeff Gaines Dorset UK
I take full responsibility for what happened - that is why the person that
was responsible went immediately.
(Gordon Brown, April 2009)

Jeff Gaines <jgaines_newsid@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> On 17/10/2022 in message <634d4f0d.189536046@news.eternal-september.org>
> AnthonyL wrote:
>
> >Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
> >non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
> >whether it's been squashed down or not.
>
> What about an endoscope:
>
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=borescope+inspection+camera&crid=JDPP910HYX1T&sprefix=borescope%2Caps%2C224&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_9
>
> Could be fun afterwards.....

I have one of the Depstech ones. You can get them in wifi versions (that
need an app), screen versions (with a fairly small screen), or camera-only
versions that present as a USB webcam. I have the webcam version - turns
out USB webcam support on Android is poor but the official app just about
works. Using it on a laptop is much better, and with a bigger screen.

The main thing is they have a focal depth of a few cm, and often the bump
into things closer than that (eg in a pipe) which you can't see clearly.
But still very handy for exploring under the floorboards and down pipes.

For a cheapskate approach, you could just cut a hole in the ceiling to
insert a phone camera. Would need filling afterwards, but perhaps not such
a big deal? Cut-and-fill is commonly done for fishing wires through ceiling
voids.

Theo

On 17/10/2022 13:59, AnthonyL wrote:
> The attic is boarded. Since I've lived here I've discovered lots of
> things have not been done properly so I decided to try and check what
> insulation there was between the ceiling and the floor panels.
>
> Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
> non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
> whether it's been squashed down or not.

Just circular along the joints either side of a board, lift it and look.
Then screw (nailing might crack ceiling plaster below) the board back
down. It'll be fine without the tongue and grooved joints - just as many
houses have unjointed floor boards where wiring or piping has been added
later.

On 17/10/2022 14:34, SteveW wrote:
> On 17/10/2022 13:59, AnthonyL wrote:
>> The attic is boarded.  Since I've lived here I've discovered lots of
>> things have not been done properly so I decided to try and check what
>> insulation there was between the ceiling and the floor panels.
>>
>> Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on.  I can't see an easy,
>> non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
>> whether it's been squashed down or not.
>
> Just circular along the joints either side of a board, lift it and look.
> Then screw (nailing might crack ceiling plaster below) the board back
> down. It'll be fine without the tongue and grooved joints - just as many
> houses have unjointed floor boards where wiring or piping has been added
> later.

That should have been "circular saw along"

On Monday, 17 October 2022 at 14:20:58 UTC+1, Jeff Gaines wrote:
>
> https://www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=borescope+inspection+camera&crid=JDPP910HYX1T&sprefix=borescope%2Caps%2C224&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_2_9
>
> Could be fun afterwards.....
>
No, it can really hurt.

Bill

On Monday, 17 October 2022 at 13:59:21 UTC+1, AnthonyL wrote:
> The attic is boarded. Since I've lived here I've discovered lots of
> things have not been done properly so I decided to try and check what
> insulation there was between the ceiling and the floor panels.
>
> Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
> non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
> whether it's been squashed down or not.
>
> Thought I'd try by looking up one or two ceiling roses but of course
> there's just a small hole for the wire.
>
> If work is required on the insulation it's going to be a massive job
> (for me anyway). Approx 30' x 12' for the boarded section.
>
> There's then a few feet either side to the edge of the gable roof,
> which has loose insulation. 1960's build so is it reasonable to
> assume that is what is under the floorboards?
>
> I'd guess the boarding was done in the 1980s.
>
>
> --
> AnthonyL
>
> Why ever wait to finish a job before starting the next?

On Monday, 17 October 2022 at 13:59:21 UTC+1, AnthonyL wrote:
> The attic is boarded. Since I've lived here I've discovered lots of
> things have not been done properly so I decided to try and check what
> insulation there was between the ceiling and the floor panels.
>
> Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
> non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
> whether it's been squashed down or not.
>
> Thought I'd try by looking up one or two ceiling roses but of course
> there's just a small hole for the wire.
>
> If work is required on the insulation it's going to be a massive job
> (for me anyway). Approx 30' x 12' for the boarded section.
>
> There's then a few feet either side to the edge of the gable roof,
> which has loose insulation. 1960's build so is it reasonable to
> assume that is what is under the floorboards?
>
> I'd guess the boarding was done in the 1980s.
>
>
> --
> AnthonyL
>
> Why ever wait to finish a job before starting the next?
https://www.tool-wise.com/collections/featured-products/products/new-mhs-hole-saws-from-morse-14mm-30mm

On Mon, 17 Oct 2022 11:47:34 -0700 (PDT), "wrights...@f2s.com"
<wrightsaerials@f2s.com> wrote:

>On Monday, 17 October 2022 at 13:59:21 UTC+1, AnthonyL wrote:
>> The attic is boarded. Since I've lived here I've discovered lots of
>> things have not been done properly so I decided to try and check what
>> insulation there was between the ceiling and the floor panels.
>>
>> Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
>> non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
>> whether it's been squashed down or not.
>>
>> Thought I'd try by looking up one or two ceiling roses but of course
>> there's just a small hole for the wire.
>>
>> If work is required on the insulation it's going to be a massive job
>> (for me anyway). Approx 30' x 12' for the boarded section.
>>
>> There's then a few feet either side to the edge of the gable roof,
>> which has loose insulation. 1960's build so is it reasonable to
>> assume that is what is under the floorboards?
>>
>> I'd guess the boarding was done in the 1980s.
>>
>>
>> --
>> AnthonyL
>>
>> Why ever wait to finish a job before starting the next?
>https://www.tool-wise.com/collections/featured-products/products/new-mhs-hole-saws-from-morse-14mm-30mm

I've got a hole saw. SWMBO would not be well pleased. A laser cutter
which would allow the disc to be seamlessly replaced could work.

--
AnthonyL

Why ever wait to finish a job before starting the next?

On Mon, 17 Oct 2022 23:59:18 +1100, AnthonyL <nospam@please.invalid> wrote:

> The attic is boarded. Since I've lived here I've discovered lots of
> things have not been done properly so I decided to try and check what
> insulation there was between the ceiling and the floor panels.
>
> Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
> non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
> whether it's been squashed down or not.

Why can't you drill a small hole somewhere and put a cheap borescope probe
in the hole ?

And plug the hole afterwards if you want to.

> Thought I'd try by looking up one or two ceiling roses but of course
> there's just a small hole for the wire.
>
> If work is required on the insulation it's going to be a massive job
> (for me anyway). Approx 30' x 12' for the boarded section.
>
> There's then a few feet either side to the edge of the gable roof,
> which has loose insulation. 1960's build so is it reasonable to
> assume that is what is under the floorboards?
>
> I'd guess the boarding was done in the 1980s.
>

On Monday, 17 October 2022 at 20:25:15 UTC+1, AnthonyL wrote:
> On Mon, 17 Oct 2022 11:47:34 -0700 (PDT), "wrights...@f2s.com"
> <wrights...@f2s.com> wrote:
>
> >On Monday, 17 October 2022 at 13:59:21 UTC+1, AnthonyL wrote:
> >> The attic is boarded. Since I've lived here I've discovered lots of
> >> things have not been done properly so I decided to try and check what
> >> insulation there was between the ceiling and the floor panels.
> >>
> >> Well they are tongue and grooved and nailed on. I can't see an easy,
> >> non-destructive way to tell if there is insulation, and if there is,
> >> whether it's been squashed down or not.
> >>
> >> Thought I'd try by looking up one or two ceiling roses but of course
> >> there's just a small hole for the wire.
> >>
> >> If work is required on the insulation it's going to be a massive job
> >> (for me anyway). Approx 30' x 12' for the boarded section.
> >>
> >> There's then a few feet either side to the edge of the gable roof,
> >> which has loose insulation. 1960's build so is it reasonable to
> >> assume that is what is under the floorboards?
> >>
> >> I'd guess the boarding was done in the 1980s.
> >>
> >>
> >> --
> >> AnthonyL
> >>
> >> Why ever wait to finish a job before starting the next?
> >https://www.tool-wise.com/collections/featured-products/products/new-mhs-hole-saws-from-morse-14mm-30mm
> I've got a hole saw. SWMBO would not be well pleased. A laser cutter
> which would allow the disc to be seamlessly replaced could work.

You don't need holesaw or borescope. Drill some 3mm holes & poke a wire in. Hold it with insulating gloves.
A smear of filler repairs the holes.
New insulation can be laid on top.