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Loft InsulationMost people will now be aware that loft insulation is vital to stop heat escaping from the property and to keep those ever-increasing heating bills to a minimum. But good quality insulation can also reduce noise when building a loft conversion and is essential in order to comply with the building regulations. Of course, even if your proposed conversion is still some way in the future you really should ensure that your roof space is well insulated against heat loss. For information on how to install loft insulation click here The insulation in your loft can save over 20% heat loss and should be 150-200mm thick. There have traditionally being two options when considering which material to use, blanket or loose fill. However, new products such as foil and foam materials are now available and should be considered. See 'Related Articles' at the foot of this page for more information.
Traditional Material A fibreglass blanket is by far and away the most common loft insulation used in the UK and, in slab form, can also be used in the cavity walls of your loft conversion. Now, anyone who has put down this material before or even just climbed into the loft to retrieve Christmas decorations or a child’s long lost toy will know the big truth about the material – its horrible! The dust which fly’s off it can be worse than a Sahara sandstorm and the fibres. Ugh. More irritating than the mother-in-law. Whenever you work in the loft with uncovered insulation please do wear a face mask and gloves and, very importantly, ensure your arms are covered.
Once those fibres get on your skin you will scratching faster than next doors flea-bitten moggy. So, keep covered up or, better still, consider vermiculite insulation.
Blanket insulation is purchased in rolls and is easy to fit in any loft space. Purchasing blanket insulation will almost certainly be cheaper than loose fill. However, loose fill does have its own advantages in that there is obviously no fitting and cutting involved – you simply pour the material into the gaps between the joists and the ceiling / loft floor. Whichever option you choose, blanket, loose fill / vermiculite, will need to be outlined in your building regulations application but will, of course, save you money on energy bills, help with sound-proofing and will also prevent mould and fungal growth in your roof space. Related Articles What Is Vermiculite Insulation?
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