How much will I save?
Heat rises, so insulating your loft is a very good idea – at least 15% of your heating costs might be going through your roof if you have no loft insulation. Fitting loft insulation can save as much as £175 every year, and will cost from as little as £50 upwards if you do it yourself.
Do I need loft insulation?
Even if you have some insulation it may be worth topping it up. The recommended depth now is 270 mm (almost 11 inches), and you may still save £30 a year by adding another layer to what you’ve got. The Energy Saving Trust gives more details on costs, savings and paybacks. If every UK household fitted loft insulation to the recommended thickness it would save 2.7 million tonnes of carbon dioxide each year.
Image courtesy of greenspec.co.uk
If you already have 80cm or more loft insulation, it is worthwhile increasing the depth, but it will cost more to have it fitted, as the fuel companies give the biggest subsidies to the most energy inefficient lofts. In this case, if you are able, it may be worthwhile fitting it yourself. Check out the range of loft insulation available from B & Q and Wickes
Wickes has an instruction guide including details of all the items you will need. Most ceiling joists are 100mm deep, so if the space between these is not already filled with insulation, you will need to do that first, then lay another 150 or 170mm over the top at right angles.
Grants
Although loft insulation is a DIY job, you actually may be able to get it fitted at a cheaper cost or even free with a grant. Funding is available from fuel companies so that installers can cover the full cost of insulation for households on benefits and older people. Anyone over 70 can have free insulation. Any household is entitled to substantial discounts, but the discounts are greater if you need full loft insulation rather than a top-up of existing insulation.
Important points:
- If you are using mineral wool insulation, wear protective clothing to avoid irritation to your skin and breathing in loose particles.
- Do not lay insulation under the cold water tank, as the loft space will be much colder and the water may freeze. You can buy cold water tank insulating jackets to go over the tank.
- Allow for some ventilation in the loft space – don’t push the insulation tightly into the eaves
- Don’t forget to insulate the water pipes.
- Don’t forget to insulate the loft hatch and fit draught strips around the edge
- Don’t squash down the insulation by storing things in the loft. If you need to use the loft for storage, perhaps you can use space boards over part of the area, and fix raised shelving