Insulate your loft and reduce heat loss by up to 25%

One of the most effective ways to insulate your home is to insulate your loft – it’s generally accepted that up to 25% of the heat lost from homes is through the roof.

Many homes already have some loft insulation, but the amount of heat lost and the energy savings gained will directly relate to the current thickness and condition of the insulation.

The latest government guidelines recommend 270mm (11”) which means if your loft has not been insulated over the last 15 years it’s probably ready for a top up.

Simply speaking, insulation your loft prevents heat loss in winter, also heat gain in summer, and reduces your energy consumption for heating, resulting in:

• Lower heating bills
• Lower ‘wear and tear’ on your boiler
• Reduced Global Warming and Climate Change

If your loft has no insulation you could save between £180 and £220 per year on your energy bills and some 1.5 tonnes of CO2 by installing the recommended 270mm of insulation. If you are topping up to 270mm, you could save up to £200 per year and 400Kg of CO2. These figures are based on an average size property heated by gas. Greater savings can be made in larger properties or those heated by coal or electricity. Effective loft insulation means a British Standard product, ideally laid by a professional installer. There are three types of British Standard material, all suitable for simple 'topping-up', leaving the existing insulation in place:

• Mineral wool quilt
• Blown mineral wool
• Blown cellulose fibre

Quilt is rolled out in the loft space, whilst blown materials are installed loose using a purpose-built insulation blowing machine - including into areas where access by the technician may be difficult.

Most loft insulation materials work by preventing the movement of heated air through the material. The fibres of matting insulation trap air within it, for the matting to be effective it should not be over-stretched or compressed as the structure trapping the air may be destroyed.

Loft insulation is not an easy task and should be carried out by the professional Technicians, properly trained and experienced.

For instance, a high standard can only be achieved by insulating across the top of the ceiling joists as well as between them, to avoid cold-bridging and including the loft hatch. Pipes and tanks also need to be insulated to avoid freezing. Other key considerations include ventilation to avoid condensation in the loft, access, and the safety aspects of electrical wiring and fittings.

Please see our Grants page for an overview of the insulation grants available to every UK homeowner.

Prior to the installation a grant scheme approved surveyor will check for any problems A few general points that will prohibit loft insulation are:

• No hatch or access point. Also, whatever access there is needs to be of sufficient  size for a person (and materials) to pass through.
• The loft being full of stored items and you not prepared to clear them. Most installers will work around a few items but not lots.
• If your loft is fully boarded then the boards will have to be lifted (and replaced) by you before the insulation can be laid.
• Leaks in the roof, such as around the chimney stack, that results in damp in the loft.
• In the centre of the loft there has to sufficient headroom and space for someone to carry out the installation.

Our installation companies work with standard industry materials. If, for any reason, a specialist insulation material is required, the homeowners grant will not apply. Access to a loft insulation grant is only possible where the work is being carried out by a recognised installation company.

If you have any questions regarding suitability call our hotline on 08081 10 20 30, Than feel free to ask and contact us, through our contact page