Is your roof a cosy and warm nest for pigeons to pass by? If you haven’t insulated your loft, chances are you have a few featherweight free riders toasting about the heat you’re missing from your roof. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that 25% of the heat lost in your home goes through your roof. This loft insulation guide will help you determine if installing loft is a good investment for you, what the benefits can be, and offers step-by-step advice on insulating your loft yourself. Offers.
If you’re considering insulating your home and want to make cost savings a priority, start with our guide to insulating your home. Already know what you want to work on first? See our Cavity Wall and Floor Insulation guides for information on installing insulation to prevent further heat loss in your home.
What is roof insulation?
Loft insulation is a barrier of material installing in the loft that slows down the transfer of heat to your home from your living space and the outside world.
How does roof insulation work?
Material is one of the following:
Lay between joists (horizontal joists along the loft floor) to prevent heat from escaping into the loft from the heated space below.
Alternatively, when converting an loft into a warm living space (loft conversion), usually left to the professionals, it is installed between the rafters (square beams that support the roof).
Installing loft insulation may be a do-it-yourself task, depending on your DIY proficiency and your preferred loft insulation option. Alternatively, you can hire a qualified professional installer. Always remember to check for moisture and condensation issues before you start insulating your loft. Benefits of roof insulation
Long Lasting – Loft insulation lasts at least 40 years and many times over.
Cost savings – How much does loft insulation cost? According to the Energy Saving Trust, a standard professional semi-detached house can only cost around £300. With an optimal insulation depth of 270-300mm installed, utility savings are estimated at £150 per year. So, you can recoup your investment and start saving money in as little as two years. If you do it yourself, you can potentially only spend £50 and start saving after six months.
Reduced carbon footprint – The same semi-detached can save 610 kg of CO2 per year with just 300 lbs of insulation.
Warm in the winter, cool in the summer – exactly what it says on the tin. While it’s great for keeping your home warm in the winter, insulation can also prevent excess heat in the summer.
Add value to your home: A well-insulated home means a lower bill and a warmer home for potential future buyers.
Improves your home’s energy rating – always good for attracting potential buyers in the future. Learn more about energy-saving tips at home.
Loft Insulation Options
There are many different types of loft insulation, each with varying costs, durability and insulation performance. It is available in rolls and may contain glass and mineral wool or wool (both are readily available, but wool is a bit more expensive). This is good for simple DIY work where the space is easily accessible, and moisture and condensation issues are not an issue.
Tip From Above:
To find out how many insulation rolls you need, calculate the area in m2 (length x width = number of square meters) and check the rolling coverage. Remove about 10% to account for ceiling joists.
Sustainable Alternatives
Also available in rolls containing earth wool (more expensive than mineral or glass wool but less expensive than wool) and other eco-friendly and recycled materials.
Multifoil Insulation
The Multifoil insulation consists of multiple layers of aluminium foil alternating with breathable foam wadding. Developed for commercial use following its success in NASA’s space program, if it’s good enough for NASA, it’s good enough for your loft.
Multifoil insulation is also a sustainable choice when choosing insulation made from recycled materials. It also comes in different thicknesses to choose the best one for your loft.
Other Options
§ High-Density Foam Sheets – Warm loft conversions and roof undersides are best left to the professionals. These solid sheets of natural or synthetic insulation are easy to decorate but are more expensive than other options.
§ Blown Fiber – Used by professionals between joists, ideal for hard-to-reach areas and more expensive surfaces.
§ Loose Lap Insulation – A lightweight material made from recycled newsprint, cork granules or cellulose fibres, ideal for backfilling existing insulation or irregularly spaced joists.
For an loft that’s easily accessible, has regular joists, and doesn’t have moisture or condensation issues, it’s accessible to DIY using rolls of soft insulation such as mineral wool or eco wool.
DIY or Professional Loft Installation?
Is your insulation job easy or complicated? Check out the points below to see if it’s easy to do yourself or if it’s a professional job.
Adding Additional Insulation
Some homes already have insulation installed between the roof beams, which either needs to be fully compliant with current building codes or be more optimal. The National Insulation Association states that recommended depths for loft insulation to maintain these impressive cost and energy savings are 270 mm for glass wool, 250 mm for rock wool, and 220 mm for cellulose.
You can usually “top up” the insulation yourself if that’s you. Measure the depth of your existing insulation. Ideally, it should be 100mm deep and within 25mm above and below the joists. The second layer of his of 170mm can then be placed over the joists to achieve the recommended building code of 270mm.
Use the plank floor for storage.
If the loft is used for storage, boards should be placed over the insulation. A gap of 50 mm is required between the loft and the boards to prevent moisture and condensation. Depending on your do-it-yourself skills and loft space, this usually requires something other than a professional.
Warm loft – loft for living
It has to be warm if you want to use your loft as a living space. To do this, the pitched roof must be insulated between the rafters. This can be a more complicated task than standard inter-beam insulation. Remember that you need to insulate not only the rafters but also partitions, gable walls, and other uninsulated room parts. Otherwise, all the heat (money and effort) will blow through one of those gaps. Warm loft work is best outsourcing to experienced professionals.
Isolation of hard-to-reach places
This is the job of a professional installer. Cellulose fibre or mineral wool insulation granules are blowing into the loft using specialized equipment and treated to ensure flame resistance. Depending on the size of your loft, this usually only takes a few hours. Insulate a damp loft
It is recommending that you seek professional advice from a contractor or moisture expert before considering an loft insulation project. Before you think about insulating your loft, discuss moisture management. Insulation between the joists can make your loft colder and dampness worse. In that case, you will need
a building permit.
Flat Roof
A different approach should be taken for flat roofs (slope less than 18°). You can choose either a warm roof, where insulation is placing on top of the roof or a cold roof, where insulation is placing between and under the joists. Of course, this is also for professionals.
How to get loft insulation
Suppose you are looking for a professional installer. In that case, the National Insulation Association (NIA) website can help you find a member in your area who adheres to his NIA Code of Professional Practice.
Roof Insulation Subsidy
Suppose you are eligible for the government’s Green Homes Grant program. It was developed to help UK homeowners install something ” green ” and sustainable. You can apply for vouchers worth two-thirds of the cost of making your home energy efficient (up to £5,000 per household).
