Loft insulation
A quarter of a home's heat is lost through the roof, so insulating the loft can make a big difference to your thermal comfort and to your heating bills.
The recommended depth for mineral wool insulation – the most common material, pictured left – is 270mm (about 1ft), but there are other materials (usually more expensive) which require different depths. Even if you have some insulation in your loft you may benefit from a top-up to bring it up to an efficient standard.
Lofts need to be cleared of any belongings before the insulation can be laid out.
If your loft has been converted into a habitable space but it is uninsulated, you may benefit from room-in-roof insulation.
Loft conversions that are uninsulated are likely to cost a lot to heat in the winter, may suffer from over-heating in the summer, and can be susceptible to damp, condensation and mould problems.
If your loft was converted more than 10 years ago, it is unlikely to have been adequately insulated by today’s standards.
If your loft was converted before 1982 it is unlikely to have had any insulation installed as it was not standard practice before this date.
Room-in-roof insulation can either be fitted in the space between the roof, and the walls and ceiling of the room, or it can be layered over the existing surface of the walls and ceiling, like internal wall insulation.