22 june 2018 kingspan insulation uk in this blog post we will be looking at insulating pitched roofs and why putting insulation just between the rafters isn t a viable solution.
Insulate roof rafters uk.
Having chosen to insulate your rafters and potentially use the loft space as an extension of your living area you need to be aware of some safety features before you read on.
If you re considering turning your attic into conditioned storage or living space it s worth changing tactics to insulate between the rafters and wall joists instead of the floor.
This roof type will require a breathable membrane like kingspan nilvent to be fitted above the insulation.
Insulation if your attic is going to be converted into livable space then you will need to insulate the roof rafters.
Some companies may offer to fix your damaged or leaking roof by spraying foam insulation directly onto the underside of the roof without first fixing the problem.
Even then the depth of insulation now required to meet the regulations means that very large fascia boards and wide soffits are required.
It s also within the capability of most diyers although not the most pleasant of tasks.
As this requires fitting insulation above the rafters the roof covering will have to be removed in order to fit the insulation.
Insulating at rafter level is considerably more expensive than most standard loft insulation.
Hire a pro to install spray foam insulation.
This means insulating between or below the sloping beams that form the construction and support a sloping roof.
Arguably the most popular pitched roof solution installing insulation between and under the rafters uses the depth of the structural timbers to best effect.
The general advice we give is that you should always insulate between and above the rafters warm roof or between and under the rafters cold roof.
Cold pitched roof.
You can use rigid foam panels or do as tom silva does with nearly all houses these days.
If you leave these uninsulated then the heat will bypass your new insulation making it largely ineffective.
In this case we would suggest fitting kooltherm k7 pitched roof board between the rafters and kooltherm k118 insulated plasterboard to the inside face of the.
Its versatility is the key to its popularity whether being used to achieve.
An efficient room in a roof in a new build property where over rafter insulation is not desirable.
Install ventilation baffles into the space between the rafters before you install the insulation usually by stapling into place.
When it comes to pitched roofs however adding a thick layer of insulation to the rafters can result in a depth of roof construction that may not suit every site meaning over rafter insulation sarking only is not a viable option.
The construction build up for this can be seen on our online u value calculator.
Insulating a roof is perhaps the easiest of all the energy saving home improvements.
As well as insulating the roof you will have to insulate any gable walls party walls and chimneys in the loft space.
Fitting a continuous layer of insulation over the rafters will solve the issue of cold bridging but is only an option on new builds or renovations where the roof tiles are being stripped and relaid.