Sawdust as insulation

[chrisg1979]

Anyone come across this before?

Just lifted a board on the first day of a job to be faced with five inches of sawdust between the ground and first floor.

It’s everywhere too, not concentrated to one area.

 

[ProDave]

I found similar once with the void filled with clinker.

 

[chrisg1979]

What’s clinker Dave?

 

[roys]

Clinker is the a small rough rock like substance that is what is left when you burn coal and is not the ash. I always presumed it was non combustible impurities in the coal. There is plenty of older houses near me that has clinker in the floorboard voids as there used to be a coal fired power here, and clinker was a by product from there.

 

[chrisg1979]

Clinker is the a small rough rock like substance that is what is left when you burn coal and is not the ash. I always presumed it was non combustible impurities in the coal. There is plenty of older houses near me that has clinker in the floorboard voids as there used to be a coal fired power here, and clinker was a by product from there.

Cheers
Not too sure about the ‘non combustible’ qualities of sawdust!  

Or the insulation implications should cables have to run through the stuff!

 

[Tony S]

Sawdust can smoulder for weeks, to make matters worse it can self combust. I would assume it has some form of fire proof bonding agent.

 

[kerching]

Is it sawdust or Vermiculite?

 

[Evans Electric]

If its sawdust I'd be worried if it were my house to be honest .     Imagine an arcing terminal in an underfloor JB ?  

Wasn't Vermiculite bigger  & very lightweight  granules   or was that something else. ?  

 

[kerching]

Wasn't Vermiculite bigger  & very lightweight  granules  

Yep, just thought it a possibility

 

[Evans Electric]

Yep, just thought it a possibility

I,ve never seen anything like that before if it is sawdust .  Imagine bodging a hole in the ceiling below for a light and that lot pours out . 

 

[ProDave]

I,ve never seen anything like that before if it is sawdust .  Imagine bodging a hole in the ceiling below for a light and that lot pours out . 

Yes madam, you want 12 downlights in your kitchen. That will be no problem.

Drill first hole and get showered in sawdust............

 

[Sharpend]

You’re not thinking this through. Certainly I’ll clear that for you,- bag it up and sell to local pet shop for animal bedding, what a sideline cash and not related to main income so will never get caught out!! 

 

[chrisg1979]

I brought it to the attention of the client and voiced my concerns about it.

Her builder came round last night and is going to take up all the floors and remove the lot!

Its definitely sawdust, I’ve just had to remove a couple of bin liners full!

 

[Andy™]

If its sawdust I'd be worried if it were my house to be honest .     Imagine an arcing terminal in an underfloor JB ?  

Wasn't Vermiculite bigger  & very lightweight  granules   or was that something else. ?  

dont worry, AFDD's are on the way to save your house

 

[NozSpark]

Could it be Cork saw dust... used for soundproofing between flats (possibly?)

 

[Doc Hudson]

If it is just normal sawdust I would have been just as worried about any damp  and moisture being absorbed by it. A dripping pipe joint could accumulate a very damp patch of sawdust surrounding it.  Bet the mice love it for making nests in.

Doc H.