Loft Conversion Insulation

Insulating a loft conversion can often be complicated, so be sure that insulation requirements are taken into account throughout the process of planning your loft conversion. As loft conversions are usually being changed into a habitable room, the modified space will have to satisfy building regulations for thermal efficiency, which establish a U-value for the amount of heat loss through an area. These values are set differently for walls, floors, windows and roofs, with flat roofs having to satisfy a different value to pitched ones. As with insulating many areas, it is normally cost effective to insulate beyond the building regulations requirement as it’ll help save on your energy bills. The trickiest part of insulating a loft conversion is often the restrained space. Space saving insulation materials are in many cases used in loft conversions as these will offer good insulation despite being very thin. When planning a loft conversion, make certain that there is a sufficient amount of space designed for both the conversion itself and the specified insulation, as the insulation will have an effect on the ceiling height of the converted room. Dormer windows and rooflights must be insulated sufficiently. These areas require extra care when planning insulation, particularly with flat roofed dormer windows, as these could have to comply with a different U-value than the surrounding pitched roof.