Loft insulation

GSXRMovistar

GSXRMovistar

GSXRMovistar

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Just had the central heating in the house replaced which means a lot of the old plumbing work (boiler/tanks) is coming out the loft so going to take the opportunity to redo the loft insulation.

Any recommendations as to what insulation to go for or best places to buy from?

Thanks.
 
Whatever is cheapest there's no need for high value products like kingspan cooltherm. We put 400mm in our new build lofts.

Watch your ventilation if you have a cold roof
 
Is it difficult to lay the insulation yourself? I've had British Gas on the phone a fair few times asking if I want free loft insulation, but I assume it's just thin insulation that won't help a great deal. I might try to do it myself, is there a recommended thickness?
 
Easy job, just lay it in the opposite direction to what is already laid, plus have a board laid across joists to work from, very easy to miss a joist & fall through the ceiling.:o

Don't block the eaves, otherwise there no air flow through he loft, & you get condensation, damp & mould build up.

The recommended depth for loft insulation is 270mm, the free loft insulation is at least 200mm thickness that I have seen.

http://www.britishgas.co.uk/products-and-services/energy-saving/home-insulation/free-insulation.html
 
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Cheers mate I'll give it a go. I remember my grandfather getting someone in to do his loft insulation and they managed to create a massive hole in the ceiling of one of his bedrooms so I'll definitely watch where I'm stepping :)
 
If you are getting free insulation from British Gas etc, surely they fit the recommended amount e.g. 270ml?

I had it done free by Dyson Energy last year but forgot to ask how thick it was. :(
 
Kris_90 said:
Is it difficult to lay the insulation yourself? I've had British Gas on the phone a fair few times asking if I want free loft insulation, but I assume it's just thin insulation that won't help a great deal. I might try to do it myself, is there a recommended thickness?
Click to expand...

Get British gas to do it for you. it's one of the worst jobs you can do, really, really nasty. I guess it depends how easy your loft is to access, but in mine I banged my head countless times, has to crawl about in the itchiest material known to man and had glass fibres embedded in my arms for a week or so after the job.

They will install the correct thickness to top up your existing insulation to building regs, which think it's around 270mm for retrofit. It would cost you a fair bit to buy enough to do this as I dont think there are any cheap insulation deals about like there was a few years back. At least in my postcode, might be different for you.

I have also been checking freecycle for months and never see any free insulation. it's mainly old prams and mattresses :(.
 
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Laying loft insulation is a horrible job.

As to insulation, if you have too much in loft, then you won't get the free insulation with some firms who offer it, they only like to top up to 270mm.
 
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Bought some at christmass from Wicks, 100 mm think and covers 15m2, bought 3 rolls. Have yet to lay it but am going to raise the floor height with the stilts. I want to aim for 300mm but more be better.
 
The satisfying bit for me was my bedroom being too hot the next evening and having to turn down the radiator valve a bit :cool:.
 
When I relaid floor in back bedroom, I took the opportunity to laid 150mm fibreglass insulation between the joists, which I got off Freecycle.

When I come to do other bedrooms, they will get the same treatment.
 
Are there any places that will tell you if there are good deals on insulation? I'm thinking March sort of time places are going to want to get rid of extra stock for the summer?
 
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