It’s an inescapable fact — the vast majority of heat loss in any building occurs through the roof, often meaning that your energy bills go in the same direction! It is becoming more and more practical to ensure that your roof is well insulated, and there are now a number of government schemes in place to help with the cost of the work. Initiatives such as the Green Deal aim to help domestic and commercial premises become more energy-efficient by offering solar paneling double glazing, cavity wall insulation and much more for free. These are ideal for those wishing to install roof insulation, with minimal outlaying costs that are paid back through energy bill savings.
Correct Insulation for your Roof Type
The first thing to do when deciding to install roof insulation is determine the correct type for your roof. You may think this sounds obvious, but there are many instances of customers being sold the wrong insulation for their roof design as a way to cut costs and labour time.
For example, flat roofs should be insulated from above, with rigid insulation boards added to the weatherproof layer or directly onto the timber surface with weatherproofing laid on top. All new flat roofs require insulation in order to meet current building regulations, and, although this can be installed from underneath, issues with condensation may arise.
Pitched roofs are generally easier to insulate as insulation can be fitted under or over rafters during new installations, refurbishments and loft conversions, depending on your requirements.
‘Warm’ or ‘Cold’ Loft Insulation
Pitched roofs offer the option of ‘warm’ or ‘cold’ loft insulation.
‘Warm’ loft insulation is fitted immediately below the roof, meaning that heat is retained within the attic space as well. This allows you to utilise your loft space as an extra room in your house, and can be composed of either mineral or glass wool insulation material, or polyurethane spray foam. It is important to leave a small gap between the roof tiles and the insulation, to allow sufficient ventilation and the build-up of damp and rot.
‘Cold’ loft insulation is installed between the joists of the ceiling of the top floor of your home, and is generally a simpler operation. This option leaves your loft space cold and uninsulated, make the option of using it as an extra room less practical. There are benefits to ‘cold’ loft insulation; it is covered by a free energy efficiency grant scheme, and is also simple enough to carry out for yourself as a DIY project.
Potential Savings
Insulating your roof can save you (on average) up to 25% of your energy bills, and in many ‘cold’ loft cases it can be installed for free through government-funded grants. Where the initial cost is paid by you (whether through DIY expenses or paying for professional work), the savings made by the increased heat-retention means that this cost will be recuperated over a minimal time period.
Generally, ‘warm’ loft insulation is the most expensive option, but it is easily the most effective of the two, and provides a number of extra benefits, from extra living space to temperature-controlled storage.
Morgan Asphalte
The highly professional roofers at Morgan Asphalte are able to carry out high-quality roofing insulation whilst performing repairs and new roof installations.
Our team cover the Wimbledon and London areas fitting all insulation types in line with relevant building regulations and standards, and will always offer the best price possible.
With over 40 years in the industry, we have the experience necessary to work with a wide variety of roofing materials, from asphalt, felt, slate, tile, lead, liquid and aluminium, allowing us to provide a range of roofing services for each.
So whatever your insulation or general roofing requirements, get in touch with Morgan Asphalte today to find out what we can do for you.