One of the reasons why so many homeowners in the UK fancy converting dreary lofts into extra functional space is because of the energy efficiency it will offer them. Of course it will be lovely to have more room to move about or a quiet place to hide with a book on a rainy afternoon, but the fact that insulating a loft in an older home per current regulations can help decrease what you spend on heat throughout the year.
How the Rising Cost of Energy Has Impacted Building Regulations
It only takes looking at the changes in loft insulation thicknesses within the past 50 years to see just how much the rising cost of energy has impacted building regulations. Where insulation loft thickness was regulated at only 25mm in 1965, by the year 1985 it was standardised at 100mm and currently UK building regulations for new constructions place the loft insulation thickness at 270mm. That is more than ten times the thickness of loft insulation materials in just half a century. Have our energy bills really increased one-thousand fold? You bet they have!
A Variety of Loft Insulation Materials to Choose From
When having a loft conversion constructed you may or may not need to build interior walls. Some older homes already have solid wall construction even in the attic space whilst newer homes may have hollow walls installed or no internal walls but simply open timbers/rafters. The type of loft insulation materials will vary significantly depending on the type of walls your loft will have and why it is vitally important to speak with an FMB (Federation of Master Builders) or NFRC (National Federation of Roofing Contractors) Select contractor you find here on My Redlands Roof.
You can’t simply assume that glasswool, the cheapest loft insulation material, would be the type employed in your loft conversion. However, you can be sure that the type and thickness of loft insulation will be chosen to provide the greatest energy efficiency available with an eye on your comfort year round. In fact, while you are at it, speak with your contractor about installing solar PV cells for even greater savings on those astronomical energy bills!
