Loft Conversion Insulation

Insulating a loft conversion can often be difficult, so ensure that insulation requirements are considered throughout the process of planning your loft conversion. As loft conversions are generally being changed into a habitable room, the new space will need to fulfil building regulations for thermal efficiency, which identify 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 needing to satisfy a different value to pitched ones. As with insulating many areas, it is regularly cost effective to insulate past the building regulations requirement as it can save on your energy bills. The most challenging part of insulating a loft conversion is generally the constrained space. Space saving insulation materials are in many cases found in loft conversions as these will offer good insulation despite being very thin. When planning a loft conversion, be sure that there is a sufficient amount of space available for both the conversion itself and the specified insulation, as the insulation will influence the ceiling height of the converted room. Dormer windows and rooflights must be insulated sufficiently. These areas require extra attention when planning insulation, particularly with flat roofed dormer windows, as these may well have to meet a different U-value than the surrounding pitched roof.