Why?
About a quarter of the heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. Installing loft insulation will substantially cut this heat loss, making the rooms below more comfortable and easier to heat. Loft insulation is effective for at least 40 years and it will pay for itself many times over. For example adding 270mm loft insulation to an uninsulated loft in a typical semi-detached house is expected to cost £640, saving £355 per year in energy costs and reducing emissions by 610kgCO2.
How?
There are two main ways to insulate a loft:
- Insulating between the joints on the floor of the attic
- Insulating the area between and over the rafters
It is quick and relatively cheap to insulate the floor of your attic and can be done yourself if your loft is easy to access. If there is no damp or condensation you can also use the attic for storage by placing boards over the insulation. It does cost more to insulate the roof between the rafters but when done by trained installers it will help your home retain heat and make the attic a more comfortable a space.
Support
Action on Energy Grants: provide grants for low-income households in Cambridge to install energy efficiency and low carbon heating options. The means-tested grant covers 100% of the cost of improvements for households and two thirds of the cost of improvements to homes rented out by private landlords, with landlords expected to pay the outstanding amount.
Energy Saving Trust: provide advice on different types of loft insulation and expected costs and savings.
Open Eco Homes Directory: Our Open Eco Homes directory includes links to insulation products and suppliers used by our case study eco-homes.
Airtightness: whilst installing insulation, you may want to also consider air-tight membranes which will help you to reduce your energy demand further. See our Open Eco Homes Airtightness talk and look for suppliers such a Intelligent Membranes.
