What You Need to Know About Topping Up Your Loft Insulation

Topping up insulation

There are several things you need to understand about the loft insulation process. Learn more by checking out this detailed guide.

Did you know that in April 2022, household energy bills in the UK skyrocketed by 54%?

To reduce these bills, it's important to have good insulation in your home, especially loft insulation, but it can be confusing to know what kind of loft insulation you need and how to go about getting it installed. You're not alone if you're feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of getting your loft insulated. Most people don't know where to start, and that's why we've put together this comprehensive guide. Keep reading because, in this guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about loft insulation. You'll find out what type of insulation is best for your home, and you'll learn how to choose an installer if you don’t want to fit it yourself.

What Is Loft Insulation?

Loft insulation is the process of adding material such as mineral wool, fibreglass or sheep’s wool to the roof space of your house. This helps to maintain a comfortable temperature in the home while also reducing energy bills by making sure that heat isn’t lost through the roof.

Loft insulation can also help to reduce sound coming from outside as well as reduce condensation levels in your home during winter months.

Common Types of Loft Insulation

The most common types of loft insulation available are loft rolls, sometimes referred to as blanket or quilt insulation. This type of loft insulation is manufactured and supplied as rolls which are placed between and then across the joists of the roof space. The rolls can be bought from all major builders’ merchants and DIY superstores.

These rolls can be manufactured from glass mineral wool, stone wool or even natural sheep wool.

All types provide excellent thermal protection for your home, are very cost effective and can be easily installed with basic DIY skills.

Benefits of Loft Insulation

Now that you know what loft insulation is and what types are available, you may be wondering why it’s necessary in the first place. Here are some of the key benefits of having your loft adequately insulated:

Reduced Energy Bills

Reducing energy bills can make a huge difference to your quality of life. By making small changes such as insulating your loft, you can make significant savings on your monthly bills.

Not only will this prevent heat loss in winter, but it will also keep your home cooler in summer by blocking the heat from entering through the roof space into the habitable rooms below. Insulation is a one-time cost that reaps benefits all year round and for many years to come!

By taking action, you are investing in a healthier, more sustainable environment and helping to lower energy bills - something that everyone can benefit from.

Comfortable Temperature

Maintaining a comfortable temperature inside your home can be tricky depending on the season. In cold weather, you want to stay warm and cosy inside while in hotter temperatures, like during the summer months, you want to keep cool.

Correctly installed insulation helps with both things, protecting you from the elements outside while keeping the desired temperature inside.

By choosing the right insulation for your home, it will remain comfortably heated or cooled at all times no matter how extreme the weather might get.

Noise Reduction

Noise can have a detrimental effect on your health and quality of life, and that's why noise reduction plays such an important role in home construction. One of the best ways to achieve this is through loft insulation, which is known to make a remarkable difference in the amount of sound that enters the home.

With an effective noise reduction solution in place, you can enjoy some much-needed peace & quiet when you're inside - something we can all appreciate!

Easy to Install

Loft insulation is an extremely practical and cost-effective solution. It can be installed in a matter of hours, requires no intricate complexities and offers long-term benefits that far exceed its initial investment.

Furthermore, when coupled with other forms of insulation, like cavity wall or floor insulation, you can even further decrease your energy bills and greatly improve the overall comfort of your home.

Therefore, loft insulation is something that should be taken into consideration if you're wanting to reduce costs and make sure your home stays warm all year round.

Things You Need to Know About Topping Up Your Loft Insulation

Now that you know what loft insulation is, and the benefits you can gain, here’s a quick checklist of 8 things you need to think about before topping up your existing loft insulation or installing new:

Check the Condition of Your Existing Loft Insulation

Keeping your loft well-insulated is an important part of keeping energy bills low and ensuring that your home stays comfortable during the various seasons. Before making any changes, it’s important to check the condition of the existing insulation to make sure that it is still working as intended.

Things like rodents, water damage, and other factors can quickly render insulation useless, so take the time to make sure that it is in good condition before adding more on top.

That way you can be sure that the newly installed insulation will work at maximum efficiency and help keep those energy costs down in the coming months!

Choose the Right Type of Insulation

Insulation is a vital part of any home—it helps keep it warm and comfortable, as well as manage energy costs. There are different types of insulation available, however, so it’s important to be able to pick the one that is best suited for your particular needs.

Flat roofs require a different type of insulation than sloped ones. The size of the roof will also play a factor in which product is best for you. Taking into consideration all of these factors can help ensure you choose the right type of insulation so that it provides its full benefit.

Talk to an expert or contractor who can help guide you in the right direction; they will be able to suggest the most effective solution based on your situation.

Make Sure You Have Enough Insulation for Your Roof Space

Winter can be a difficult time of year when it comes to keeping your property warm. To ensure your roof space can retain sufficient warmth, you should make sure that insulation is installed to the recommended depth.

Loft insulation should be at least 270mm deep, so take this into account when you are measuring up for your insulation needs. Investing in proper insulation for the roof will not only help to keep your home warmer in winter; it'll also contribute to lower energy bills by helping to keep cool air indoors during summer.

Don't let inadequate insulation cost you more in the long run – make sure your roof space is covered with enough loft insulation!

Consider Professional Installation

It’s important to take the right steps when insulating a loft and it might be a daunting task for first-timers, especially if you are not familiar with DIY tasks. A professional installation is an option worth considering – they will have specialist skills and access to the right equipment that could make the job easier and safer.

They can also make sure your insulation is installed correctly so you can benefit from improved heat efficiency in the long run.

Professional installers are often able to fit insulation quickly with minimum disruption to your home, making them a wise choice if you don’t think you can manoeuvre your way around ladders, battens and rafters safely. Here is a handy list of some recommended installers.

Wear Protective Clothing and Accessories

It is important to take the necessary precautions when working with insulation material. Wearing the proper protective clothing and accessories can help make sure you remain comfortable and safe throughout the task.

Gloves protect your hands from potential cuts, abrasions and chemical burns that could come from handling components of insulation material. Long-sleeved overalls will shield your body from sharp objects or dust particles.

A face mask prevents irritants in the air from entering your respiratory system. Taking a few moments to properly outfit yourself with protective clothing and accessories before commencing any job involving insulation material is an essential part of staying safe while on the job.

Allow Enough Time for Installation

Installing loft insulation is an important part of ensuring your home is as energy efficient as possible. While the process can be a rewarding one, it can also take quite some time to complete if doing it alone as a DIY project.

To avoid any unnecessary stress or frustration, ensure that you’ve allocated the necessary amount of time in advance. Being aware of how long it takes can help you plan accordingly, and ultimately result in a successful job well done.

Ensure the Loft Space is Correctly Ventilated

When installing loft insulation ensure that it doesn’t block any existing ventilation, specifically soffit vents in the eaves which require an unobstructed flow of air to work correctly.

Without adequate ventilation in a loft damage can be caused by moisture and water build-up which in turn can lead to mould.

Loft Storage

If you plan on using your loft for storage ensure you do not squash the insulation with boxes or loft boards as this can reduce its thermal performance by over 50%. Insulation works by trapping air, and compressing it removes this air.

Simply create a raised platform using Loft Legs before boarding to solve this issue. A handy guide can be found here.

Ready to Start Topping Up Your Loft Insulation?

With the way energy prices are going, monthly bills are becoming more of an issue. Saving energy with loft insulation will help keep your bills to a minimum, and it provides other benefits such as noise reduction and increasing the value of your home.

At Loft Leg we provide a range of products that can help with various aspects of your loft. If you have any questions about our products click here to contact us today.

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