This document is intended for energy advice professionals only, and not the consumer

Advisor Factsheet November 2008

Roof & Loft Insulation

Key Points Establish Suitability: Does the customer own their

property, and if a flat is it on the top-floor?

Behaviours
The heating requirement for a well-insulated home will be less, and heating up and cooling down times for the home will change. Encourage to also think about:

Insulation has a long lifetime - savings are seen year after year. Most homes have some insulation already which can be topped up to the recommended 270mm (10.5). Fully insulating from no insulation gives high CO2 and fuel bill savings. Heating requirement will drop, and so heating control settings should be revisited to maximise savings. Can be DIY or professional installation an installer typically takes 30mins to 1 hrs Flat roof and rafter insulation are also available.

How long the home needs to heat up can the heating programmer now be set to come on later in the morning? Turning the thermostat down by 1 degree can reduce fuel bills by 10%. Are thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) set correctly?

Further Information
National Insulation Association (NIA) for more information on installed loft insulation Tel: 01525 383313 www.nationalinsulationassociation.org.uk Energy Saving Trust consumer video and further guide on loft insulation (guide coming soon)
Topping up from 50mm Installed cost: around 500, DIY around 180 Flat 80 400 140 960 110 470 115 440 85 970 Mid Terrace 50 250 90 610 70 300 70 270 55 610 Semidetached 60 300 110 750 85 370 85 330 70 770 Detached 70 370 130 890 105 440 105 400 80 930

Savings Potential
If every household in the UK insulated their lofts fully, we would save 3.8 million tonnes of CO2 and 710 million from our fuel bills a year.
Full loft Insulation Installed cost: around 500, DIY around 250 Flat Gas / yr kgCO2/yr Electric / yr kgCO2/yr Oil / yr kgCO2/yr LPG / yr kgCO2/yr Solid / yr kgCO2/yr 280 1400 530 3600 410 1700 415 1600 325 3700 Mid Terrace 175 890 325 2200 255 1100 255 980 200 2200 Semidetached 205 1100 380 2600 300 1250 305 1100 235 2700 Detached 240 1200 450 3000 350 1500 355 1300 275 3100

For full energy saving assumptions, see the accompanying note.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is insulation? For most of the year in the UK we heat our buildings to a higher temperature than the outside air. This means that heat flows from the inside of our homes out into the atmosphere. Insulation helps reduce the rate at which heat escapes from our homes. My loft roof space is not big enough for an installer to stand up in. Will this be a problem? It is fairly common that loft roof spaces are not big enough for people to stand up in. Most installers carrying out the work are in a kneeling position on walkboards and the industry usually work to a 1.4m height minimum. Will I have any problems with condensation in my loft if I have it insulated? Providing there is sufficient ventilation within the roof space, condensation will not occur. The installers are responsible for leaving all areas of clear of insulation in order to maintain the current airflow. However, if at the time of the initial pre-insulation survey it is noticed there are already signs of condensation, the surveyor will advise of appropriate measures that are available to help cure this. Any problems should be rectified before installation. I have a thatched roof property, is there any insulation material that is suitable? Polyurethane foam is suitable for thatch roof properties. What if the loft hatch is too small to get the insulation material into my loft? On the rare occasion where the loft hatch is not big enough to get the insulation into the loft, a new loft hatch can be created by the installing company at an additional cost. I have quite a draught coming from my loft hatch. Can anything be done about this? Yes, upon completion of the work the installers will fit a draught excluder strip around the loft hatch (providing it is made of timber). Why do I need to install roof ventilators before my loft can be insulated? Historically, roof spaces were designed to be warm, to ensure that the water tanks and pipes did not freeze and reducing the risk of condensation building up. However, with the introduction of loft insulation, the roof space is colder. Without adequate ventilation, there is an increased risk of condensation forming as the warm air from the rooms below mixes with the cooler air in the roof. A variety of ventilation techniques can be used such as soffit, tile and ridge vents. An installer will be able to provide you with the best advice. I am elderly and cant empty my loft for it to be insulated. Who can help? In general, if there are a small number of items and enough space, the installer will move them as he works. However, if there is limited space and too many items that will restrict movement they will have to be stored elsewhere during the installation. Organisations such as Care & Repair and Age Concern may be able to provide the services of a handy man. Blown insulation sounds messy will there be a lot of clearing up to do? Any mess created should be very minimal, as the installers will provide dustsheets to cover the areas of carpeting/flooring around the loft access areas to the door of entry to the property. I want to use my loft afterwards for storage- will this be possible? Once the loft has been insulated to a minimum 270mm thickness the ceiling joists will no longer be visible, making the roof space hazardous to anyone attempting to enter. However, it is possible to arrange for additional joists and floor boarding to be fixed via a local joiner to help maintain your storage area. If you already have a boarded area of no more than a third of the loft area the installers can work around it and leave it uncovered. Will I see greater savings if I insulate over 270mm? Above 270-300mm you will see some additional savings, but these will be small.

Key Customer Questions

Some key questions to consider before insulating your loft and to discuss with the installer

Do I want to use my loft? Are there any condensation problems, and if so have these been rectified? Has provision been made for electrical fittings in the ceiling?

Background
Most homes will typically have some loft insulation but less than the recommended 270-300mm (10.5in). A great many of the UKs homes could benefit from extra insulation. Without any loft insulation, a home could be losing as much as 15% of the households heating costs through the roof.

Flat Roof Insulation

Flat roofs, such as those found on extensions, can also be insulated. Flashings, kerbs and upstands can limit the thickness of insulation that can be added. Can be insulated internally or externally. Most cost efficient to do when roof replacement or repairs are happening.

Different Technologies
Loft Insulation
Loft insulation is much more common than roof or rafter insulation. Energy Saving Recommended products are available. Notes on installation:

Rafter Insulation
Useful where the loft space has been converted into living space DIY or professional installation possible Three main way to insulate:

Lofts can be insulated by a professional or a competent DIYer. Extra insulation can be laid on top of an existing insulation, known as top up. Loft hatches should also be insulated to maximise savings. To avoid danger of overheating, gaps of 2 insulation should be left around electrical fittings such as protruding lighting and other cables. Always refer to manufacturers instructions or consult the installer. If the hot water tank is located in the loft space, pipes should be lagged to prevent freezing. The installer should also be responsible for doing this. If loft access is required, boards should be installed across the insulation, as ceiling joists will not be visible. It is important not to compress the insulation this can affect the performance. Professional installation typically takes 30mins to 1.5hrs although this depends on the loft area.

Rigid insulation boards are normally used for this type of insulation and must fit snugly between the rafters. If additional thickness is required, then insulated plasterboards can be fitted onto the rafters but this will reduce the available space. Spray foam insulation, which should be carried out by a professional. Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) and Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) are both available XPS has better insulation properties.

Finding the Product

DIY insulation products are available from large DIY outlets and some smaller independents. Professional installers will supply products for the householder as part of the installation.

Industry Developments
Due to recent Government policy changes, the volume of activity carried out by the insulation industry is set to double over the next 3 years. We will also be seeing an increased focus on those aged 70 and over in addition to those on set benefits.

There are four main types of loft insulation material available:

Glass or rock mineral wool: This is the most common type of insulation in the UK, and is sold in flexible quilts or blown into the loft by a professional installer. Blown Cellulose Fibre: This is made from recycled newspapers. The fibre is treated to prevent fire, and blown into the loft by a professional installer. Natural Wool: This is sold in flexible quilts, and one of the most environmentally benign materials. Space saving pre-wrapped quilts: These are typically more expensive, but save space and provide easy DIY installation.

Energy Saving Trust, 21 Dartmouth Street, London SW1H 9BP, Tel 0845 602 1425 www.energysavingtrust.org.uk KS3.1 Energy Saving Trust November 2008. E&OE