H+H is again at the forefront of increasing levels of efficiency in UK house building after findings from the AIMC4 project revealed Retro Fit Joist Hangers to be a faster and more airtight way of hanging supporting floor joists. Retro Fit Hangers are now being recommended as an alternative to traditional methods when using the H+H Thin Joint System.
The AIMC4 project provided an opportunity to measure the airtightness of buildings at several stages of the build process. By using Retro Fit Joist Hangers, there is an increased level of airtightness because it eliminates the need to cut into the blockwork and maintains the integrity of the aircrete wall in full.
This new method means that the entire wall can be built first with the hangers added after, thus saving time and reducing the margin of error when measuring the spacing and level. The hangers themselves are forged from galvanised steel for added strength and durability.
The traditional method for hanging the supporting floor joists into a building was both time consuming and complex by comparison. The brick layer would have to measure out exactly where they wanted the joists to go, cut down the blocks and insert the hanger.
Retrofit Hangers can only be used with the Thin-Joint System of building and require a minimum leaf thickness of 100mm. There has to be at least 215mm cured blockwork above the hanger in order to carry the weight of the beam.
To see how the Retro Fit Joist Hangers are mounted, take a look at our YouTube video.