Loft insulation is most important because its works as a great barrier to the material in your roof space. It is necessary because the roof space can trap the heat, that’s why for better comfort you need to do loft insulation. To insulate the loft or install loft insulation, you can lay the insulation material between the two joists means the horizontal beams along with the attic and floors or laid insulation to the rafters means the angled beams that support the roof of your home.
Loft insulation will save your energy bills, and it’s chip and easy to install. We will provide you with more ideas and information about loft insulation in this article. So, let’s start –Many people think there is no need to insulate the Loft, but we have many ways to tell you that, your house needs loft insulation is very important and beneficial. Just try to understand why you have to need to insulate the loft or take advantage of loft insulation. First, we will discuss what is loft insulation.
Loft insulation
Loft insulation is known as the perfect barrier of some material in roof space that can trap heat. It can either be laid between the joist or rafters. Joist means the horizontal beams along with the attic’s floor and rafters related to the angled beams that support the roof. The layer of insulation traps heat inside the rooms below the loft, that’s why air within your home stays warmer in winter and cool in summer for longer. Now we focus on the benefits of insulating the loft.
We have seen more information about Bay window insulation in our previous post, so loft insulation is also needed like window insulation. It will provide you with a lot of benefits let’s see what are they in the next passage
The benefit of Loft Insulation
After insulating the loft you will get a lot of benefits like energy saving benefits, and environmental benefits, it will increase comfort and increase the value of your property. Let’s see the all benefits in detail-
- Fitting the insulation, in your home’s loft area, attic or roof space is a great way to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
- Insulating the loft can save you money on bills that are going to be wasted.
- Another important reason for insulation needs to be lofted that is, it can help to reduce your home’s carbon footprint and the heating system will work very well.
- Insulate the loft, can help to maintain warmth ness in winter and coolness in summer,
- Loft Insulation is an affordable and effective form of insulation.
- It is a trouble-free and DIY insulation available in some cases.
- It can able to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by nearly 990 kg per year.
These are all advantages and benefits of loft insulation. Now let’s see what are the best types of insulation for insulating the loft.
Best Type of Loft Insulation
As we all know there are so many types of insulation and insulation material available in the market and every type has its own advantages. You can choose one of them according to your need and type of loft like – cold loft or warm loft. Before selecting the insulation just keep in mind the R-value of that insulation material looks carefully because good R-valued insulation material flows well and resists heat. The higher R-valued insulation works better insulation.
Following are some good and best types of loft insulation:
Mineral wool loft insulation
This is good insulation material for insulating the loft. This insulation is made up of yarn, we have another option for wool insulation glass wool means melted wool, or rock wool means melted stone. Mineral wool insulation can available in large rolls as well as it is available in batts insulation form. Now we will see the pros means merits and demerits of mineral wool insulation for installing loft insulation.
Merits of mineral wool insulation
- It’s good for conducting heat.
- It is well soundproofing.
- It is a long-term solution for insulation.
- It is made up of 100 % recycled paper.
- It has a minimal carbon footprint.
Demerits of the mineral wool insulation-
- It can be irritating. For that, you have to need to wear gloves, when you start to install it.
- It cannot able to keep your home cool in summer.
Sheep’s wool loft insulation-
Sheep’s wool insulation, this insulation material is known as 100% pure and natural insulation. You get sheep’s wool insulation into the rolls as well as it can be available in the market as large tile forms.
Merits of sheep’s wool insulation-
- It is good for heat and sound insulation.
- It’s a safe and easy process of installation.
- It doesn’t make irritation.
- Its material is natural and sustainable.
- It can be made from 100 % recycled material.
- And much more importantly it isn’t flammable.
Demerits of sheep’s wool insulation
- Sheep’s wool insulation is more expensive compared to mineral wool insulation.
- To insulant with this insulation, you need to biocide- a free process called “Ionic protect”.
- Sheep’s wool insulation is more expensive and not available at the cheapest rate.
Spray Loft Insulation
Spray insulation to insulate the loft, this type is the fast easiest way to insulate the loft because, with this insulation method and material, you can easily fill the gaps and hardens them into a dense blanket. Spray insulation can be only installed by the insulation professional or proper installer worker. This Spray foam insulation is made by chemical reaction and we get the thick liquid foam and then it is sprayed out with the special applicator. It can quickly fill the gaps and hardens into a dense blanket.
Merits of the spray insulation to loft
It is work as a good and better heat as well as sound insulation.
- It is able to immune to bacteria.
- It can provide an airtight seal to the home.
- It has a very long lifespan compared to other materials.
- You have to need to make sure about contents avoid HCFC, CFC, and HEA.
Demerits of the spray insulation
- It has one major disadvantage, it can be correctly fitted only by a professional and they will demand installation costs. You can’t do it on your own. So that more people don’t want to go with it.
Loft Roll
This is the most used and common form of loft insulation. This Loft Roll is considered as most common and good loft insulation product because it’s very easy to install by simply rolling it across the floor of your loft. It can install perfectly because of its accessibility in hard places due to the easy installation process. That’s why a huge number of people like to insulate the loft by using the Loft Roll.
Glass fiber (Fiberglass) Insulation
Glass fiber loft roll insulation is widely used to insulate the loft. It has a good vapor barrier, is easy to install, reduces sound, it can contain recycled materials. It is available in minimum amounts at low costs.
The disadvantage of this insulation is
- It may be harmful if inhaled or it may come to contact with the skin.
- If this product gets wet then it will lose its insulation qualities. And will become ineffective.
- It takes more space to fit with the loft and will not be fitted into small spaces or tiny gaps.
So, these all are well-known loft insulation types and materials with their own advantage and disadvantage. You can select anyone according to your need and application. We will see the chart of Loft Insulation Cost.
Cost of Loft Insulation
We see in the previous discussion according to the material and method of insulation cost of insulation installation shall be increased or decries. Cost may be changed with the brand and company we just try to provide a rough guide about the cost of loft insulation. The following chart shows the cost of insulation per sq. of different insulation materials.
- Mineral wool insulation: $4 to 7 per sq.
- Sheep’s wool insulation: $18 to 25 per sq.
- Spray foam insulation: $26 to 30 per sq.
- Fiberglass insulation: $ 4 to 6 per sq.
How to insulate the loft /Steps to insulate the Loft
A dry and easily accessible attic is the cheapest and simplest and can be insulated with rolls of blanket roof insulation it can be made by the material of mineral wool or fiberglass wool or any recycled material. With the help of the following steps, you can insulate your loft space by yourself.
- Before starting the insulation you first clear your loft.
- Lag (add insulation too) pipes and tank in the roof space. This makes to stop water from freezing.
- Check whether there’s any electrical wiring up there if yes, then consult a professional electrician.
- Measure your loft and buy enough blanket insulation products to fill it to a depth of at least 270mm to get a better result.
- Unroll the insulating and lay it along between the joists.
- Creates a second layer at right angles to the first.
Let’s Review, Loft Insulation
After reading all information about Loft Insulation, definitely, you would get the idea of loft insulation. How to insulate the loft step by step and which insulation is good for insulating the Loft. We saw the best insulation material with their merit and demerits, and which insulation method shall be easy to insulate the loft. We also shared information about the cost of loft insulation so you can select easily with your budget.
All insulation is best and good but as our concern, you can go with Loft roll because of its easy installation. Fiberglass is also best to work as a good insulator but it has some health issues and needs a professional insulation installer to insulate the loft by using Fiberglass Insulation. So, you can select anyone from them according to your budget. We just hope this post might be helpful to you.
What insulation is best for loft
There are a few choices to think about when selecting insulation for a loft. We can say about loft insulation, according to our studies and reviews of our clients, the ideal insulation for your loft will depend on your needs, your budget, and the space that is available. The following three forms of loft insulation are typical:
Fiberglass Insulation
One of the most widely used solutions for loft insulation is fiberglass insulation. It comes in rolls or batts and is constructed of fine glass fibers. Thermal insulation made of fiberglass is efficient, reasonably priced, and simple to install. It is also fire-resistant and provides outstanding acoustic insulation.
Mineral wool Insulation
Another common material for loft insulation is mineral wool, usually referred to as rock wool or slag wool. It is formed from organic minerals like slag or basalt. Similar advantages to those of fiberglass insulation can be found with mineral wool insulation, which comes in rolls or batts. It is fire-resistant and has strong thermal and acoustic insulation qualities.
Cellulose Insulation
Insulation made of cellulose is coated with fire retardants and constructed from recycled paper. Frequently, it is blown into the loft with specialized machinery. If you have loft spaces that are oddly shaped or challenging to access, cellulose insulation can be a smart option because it offers excellent thermal and acoustic insulation. It is also a choice that is environmentally friendly.
No matter what kind of insulation you select, it’s critical to ensure correct installation to maximize its efficiency. Before putting the insulation, cover any gaps or air leaks since they can greatly reduce its effectiveness. To further ensure compliance and safety, consider verifying local building standards and regulations or speaking with a seasoned insulator.
What is loft insulation?
Insulating the area in a structure that lies between the roof and the ceiling is known as loft insulation. It entails installing insulating material to the loft or attic floor in order to prevent heat loss and keep the living area below at a more pleasant temperature.
The main objective of loft insulation is to stop heat from the building from escaping during the colder months. Without adequate insulation, a substantial quantity of heat can escape through the roof since heat naturally rises. A warmer interior and less energy use are the results of minimizing heat loss with the installation of loft insulation.
Mineral wool, fiberglass, cellulose fiber, and natural materials like sheep’s wool are just a few of the several types of loft insulation materials that are available. Typically, the entire loft area is covered with these materials, which are spread out in blanket or roll form between the ceiling joists. In situations where a hard material is preferred or for insulating pitched roofs, insulation boards can also be employed.
Loft insulation can enhance thermal efficiency as well as other factors like limiting noise transmission, avoiding condensation and perhaps even cutting energy costs. Insulating the loft with the best and correct insulation material may become an affordable, and known as definitely a simple way to increase a building’s energy efficiency, so we can just say you, go with this.
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