Loft conversions are an excellent option if you want to expand the living space in your home without building outwards and losing outdoor space. Most homes have a loft space that may have gone unused for years or is occasionally used for storage while being mostly forgotten about. There are many different options to choose from when it comes to loft conversions, but whether you are doing a simple Velux conversion or a big Dormer loft conversion, it’s important to ensure that the new room in your home is comfortable and enjoyable. The best way to do this is with insulation. Not only does insulation ensure that your new bedroom, home office, or any other room that you will use your loft for is comfortable for living in, but it will also help you save money on your energy bills. In this article, we look at how to insulate loft conversion.
How to Insulate a Loft Conversion
- 18th July 2022
- Posted by: Sebastian Grayson
Table of Contents
Roofs and Shared Roofs
One of the main things to consider when getting a loft conversion is if your roof is shared with adjacent properties. This will usually be the case if you live in a terraced or semi-detached home. Not only is this an important consideration for the conversion itself, but also for when it comes to insulating your roof. In this situation, experts recommend insulating the roof under and between the rafters, which helps with reducing thermal bridging.
Detached Property Re-Roofing
If you are going to be re-roofing a detached property as part of the loft conversion process, insulation should be fitted both between and above the rafters. This is known as a ‘warm roof’ and involves placing the majority of the insulation above the timbers. It ensures that the roofing timbers are insulated well, allowing them to provide plenty of warmth to the roof. A second layer of insulation is then fitted between the rafters. In a converted loft, this provides more headroom.
Insulation
When it comes to insulating your loft conversion, there are three different areas that will need to be insulated to ensure that your property is up to the right standards. These are:
- Sloping roofs: This is typically the largest area of the loft, making it often difficult and in some cases expensive to insulate correctly. Begin by insulating any areas that are difficult to reach, before determining if the sloping roof should be insulated. If the stud walls and residual loft space are well-insulated, sloping roof insulation is not always necessary.
- Stud Walls: These are the small walls that you will find located at the end of the sloping ceiling. There are several options for insulating them including rigid boards or wool insulation. They are usually straightforward and inexpensive to insulate.
- Residual Loft Space: This refers to the joist area that is easy to access and often used as a storage area. It is not a part of the structure of the roof room and can be insulated in the same way as you would insulate a standard loft by adding wool insulation between the joists.
Well Insulated Loft Conversion Ideas
When your loft conversion is well-insulated, there are plenty of options to consider when it comes to how you want to use it as a new room within your home. You may want to use the loft conversion as a new master bedroom with an en-suite, a children’s bedroom, additional bathroom, playroom, TV or games room, hobby room, home office or study room, an upstairs living room, or even just as a comfortable and easy to access storage area for your home.
No matter what your plans are for your loft conversion, insulation is an important part of the process involved in turning the loft space into a useable room. Get in touch today with one of our team at SimplyEasy Refurbs with any questions that you might have.
Related posts:
If you’re ready to sit back and enjoy a Simply Easy Refurb on your home, contact us today.
