LOFT ǀ ATTIC INSULATION

Loft insulation, called 'loft board' or 'loft roll' is essentially an insulating material that is built into your roof usually between or above the rafters and is not made to be compressed. In other words, it is a process of creating a barrier of insulating material within your loft. It can be built into the floor of your loft, between the joists, or in the beams that hold the roof up. Loft insulation comes in glass, mineral fiber, rolls of rock and foil-backed felt. If access is easy and your loft joists are regular, you can use rolls of mineral wool insulation. The first layer is laid between the joists – the horizontal beams that make up the floor of the loft  then another layer is laid at right angles to cover the joists and make the insulation up to the required depth. If you are planning to renew over 25% of your roof space, you must also ensure that your loft insulation meets the minimum values of the regulations. In 1995, the recommended depth was 200mm.

According to current building regulations recommended thickness for loft insulation should be at least 270mm. This figure can vary slightly, depending on the type of materials used – for example, the recommended depth for rock wool is 250mm, whilst for cellulose it’s just 220mm. By insulating your loft to the recommended depth of 270mm you can save wasted energy and money. All lofts in new build homes will have been designed to carry storage loads of 25kg per square metre plus the weight of a person walking in the loft (BS 6399-1:1996). Currently, the recommended R-value for attic insulation is between 6.1 and 7, a combination of thickness and conductivity. Knowing where you stand with the recommended R-value for attic insulation will ensure that you receive the right insulation for your home.

Loft insulation normally costs as of 2022 around £450 to £650. Moreover, attic insulation is qualified for government grants. Loft insulation grants are available to completely cover the cost of having insulation professionally installed by installers. If you are in receipt of a qualifying benefit, you should be entitled to a 100% free grant that does not need to be paid back. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that loft insulation remains a cost-effective way to make savings of up to £150 per year on your heating bills by preventing up to 25% of your home’s heat from escaping through the roof. If you plan to use the loft or attic for storage, you will want to lay boards over the joists. If you only insulate between the joists before doing this, the insulation won’t be thick enough. Don’t squash the mineral wool when you fit the boards on top, as this will reduce its insulation value. If your loft is hard to access, you can have blown insulation installed by a professional, who will use specialist equipment to blow appropriate insulation material into any awkward space. They may use mineral wool fibre, treated cellulose or polyurethane foam. Improving your loft insulation can improve the energy efficiency of your central heating system, and you can save a lot on your energy bills. Insulating your loft allows you to retain heat during the cold winter months, whereas in the summer you can keep your home nice and cool. As well as saving money, it also allows you to reduce your environmental impact.

TYPES OF LOFT INSULATION

Generally speaking, there are several types of loft insulation, depending on your needs. It can be divided into 5 main subcategories. Our selection includes both rolls and batts of insulation, as well as PIR rigid insulation board, loose-fill granules, slabs and foils. The insulation you choose for your loft will depend largely on the use you’re intending to make of the space. As well as any specific challenges the shape of your loft poses.

ROLLS AND BATTS

This is probably the most common, dirt cheap and non-combustible type of insulation used to insulate loft, however it’s itchy and gets everywhere with very little effort. If the insulation gets wet, you will need to replace it a soon as possible. To get decent thermal performance, you need a lot of insulation rolls which can quickly eat into your loft space. Roll insulation is the cheapest and most favored option for most common type of loft insulation and it is easy to fit between joists. The batts are simply rolled out and laid on the base of the loft. Also, it’s the easiest type to fit, which means it’s commonly used by DIYers wanting to insulate their lofts correctly in the most cost effective way possible. Blanket insulation is also the one that’s best used in conjunction with flagship Loft Legs, in order to create a solid and stable surface above the government recommended depth of insulation. 

LOOSE-FILL

Loose-fill insulation is exactly what it sounds like. It is made from a variety of granular or lightweight materials such as cellulose fiber, cork granules or mineral wool.

SLABS

Placing loft slabs is an easy process and is essential if you want both storage and for your quilt insulation to work at its optimum performance. With the correct products, such as Knauf Rocksilk RS45 or Rockwool RWA45 this is easy and cost effective too.

PIR BOARD

PIR board has good thermal values ranging from 0.022 W/mK. On other hand it’s extremely messy to install on the loft, you have to cut it to size to fit between rafters. Your project leaves you with lots of waste product and just generally takes a long time to get installation correct. This is one of the less common types of insulation. It’s significantly more expensive than other types of insulation.

LOFT FOIL

This is relatively new insulation to the market and offers multiple benefits such as being easy to install, high thermal performances, providing a radiant barrier and vapour control layer in 1 product, fully flexible, suitable for retrofit or new build and can be used in all application types such as loft and loft floors.

BEST LOFT INSULATION

There is always a debate on best performing loft insulation, but it mostly depends upon the nature and structure of the loft. However, the best cost effective type of loft insulation is definitely the mineral or glass wool roll. If you consider the economic point and the fact that common spacing of UK rafters are 400mm or 600mm, loft roll is absolutely the best type of insulation that can be used to insulate loft. Rolls are 1200mm wide and ready-cut to produce three, 400mm wide rolls, or two, 600mm wide rolls and manufactured to a minimum density of 10kg/m3 meeting the requirements outlined within related Building Regulations. It in means you have no offcuts and you can insulate the loft yourself. Moreover, rolls work out cheaper therefore they become the most favoured option from all of available loft insulation types. This is one of the most popular type of insulation, mainly due to the fact it’s been around for so long and is widely available from most building merchants.

LOFT INSULATION MANUFACTURERS

We stock top loft insulation brands like Celotex, Knauf, Rockwool, Ursa, Low-E and Isover so you’ll get a high-quality product. Celotex offers its GA4000 range PIR firm boards in thicknesses ranging from 50mm to 100mm. On other hand Knauf is proud to announce its ECOSE® Technology. It is a unique bio-based binder which is used in the manufacture of all Knauf Glass Mineral Wool products and the majority of Rock Mineral Wool products. The Knauf Mineral Wool made with ECOSE® Technology contains no added formaldehyde or phenol. This means insulation generates very low levels of dust, increasing the comfort of those handling it. ECOSE® Technology makes insulation soft to touch and easy to handle. Moreover, it is made from natural raw materials that are rapidly renewable and is 70% less energy intensive to manufacture than traditional binders, so it is kinder to the environment too. Products manufactured using ECOSE® Technology have a natural brown colour so you can see, as well as feel the difference. Company offers Earthwool Loft Insulation Roll 44, Double Sided Foil RS45 and RS60 Rocksilk Insulation Slab Earthwool. Other top manufacturer such as Rockwool offer wide range of products that can be used to insulate your loft such as: ROCKWOOL FLEXI®, ROCKWOOL Cladding Roll, HARDROCK® MULTI-FIX (DD), RW3, RW5, RW6 and RWA45. All products achieve Euroclass A1 and are non-combustible. Isover company insulation rolls and slabs are manufactured from glass mineral wool to provide high levels of sound and thermal insulation on loft. Company top products are: ISOVER Acoustic Partition Roll (APR1200), ISOVER Spacesaver, ISOVER Metac, ISOVER Timber Frame Roll 32 and ISOVER RD Party Wall Roll.

LOFT INSULATION DO'S AND DON’TS

It’s a smart thought to know precisely the loft insulation dos and don’ts, as well as understanding the loft insulation rules and regulations too. When it comes to loft insulation dos and don’ts, the don’ts are particularly important to remember, as they mostly relate to saving you money.

DOS

-Do check your home’s existing insulation, particularly if your property is more than 10 years old.
-Do install only insulation that meets the regulations set out by the government.
-Do consider foam insulation if your loft is small or awkwardly shaped.
-Do research for the cheapest place for loft insulation 'near me'.
-Do shop around. While shops such as Srewfix, B&Q or Wickes offer good deals, online insulation shops can offer better deal. It is because products come to you directly from the manufacturer or seller without involving middlemen.

DON'TS

-Don’t underestimate the savings that you could experience on your energy bills by installing loft insulation in your home.
-Don’t try to do the job yourself - this is a professional product, and requires a professional installers.
-Don’t ignore the loft insulation regulations regarding aspects of quality and thickness.
-Don’t use insulation materials that have not been approved for use in lofts.
-Don’t lay loft insulation over electrical cables.
-Don't go for a cheaper alternative.
-Don't carry out loft insulation yourself.

Video credit:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCZ5_hXTAWU

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