Loft rooms should always be insulated at the building stage. This however is rarely the case. Mostly we will get desperate calls from homeowners that have bough a home with loft room space for bedrooms or office space. In some cases these home owners are very desperate as the family have moved family members out of this area because of the extreme heat. loft Room Insulation is extremely gratifying when one gets the response from the homeowners.
Loft Room Insulation
The application of insulating loft rooms is not a very simple application. As in most cases space is limited and this type of insulation is very complicated. Roof cavity space between ceiling and roof on side walls in no more than 225 mm.
The insulation must be applied in such a way as to cover all areas properly. Insulating loft rooms means covering the entire loft room shell. Side wall must have the Isotherm insulation wired to the side wall to prevent insulation sliding down. Insulation that has a long life span and great R value must used as insulation for loft rooms.
The recommended loft room insulation is the Isotherm 145 mm SANS compliant insulation. The Isotherm Insulation has a 30 year guarantee so it will outlast most homes. In fact when insulating the side wall the Isotherm Insulation must cover the entire wall down to floor level. The pitched section is insulated with an extender tool that we use to push the Isotherm up or down the pitched section. Thereafter the top section must be insulated.
Insulating Loft Room Walls
In most cases we will fit the loft room insulation to the side walls making sure to extend all the way to the floor. And by this what we mean is the ceiling of the main house.
Insulate Past the Floor of The Loft Room
The reason the Isotherm Insulation must be pulled all the way down to the floor is very important. The reason is heat flow between the lower ceiling and the loft room floor.
If this is not insulated correctly the underfloor will get extremely hot. This would almost be like underfloor heating in summer. Even if the Loft room has been insulated all round the floor insulation is one of the most important factors.
Remember heat in the roof space is pressure so a uninsulated floor area will absorb the heat. This will mean you would have the winter effect in summer.
What is the Best Insulation For Loft Room
In our opinion there are only two contenders for this application. When insulating loft rooms it is important to make the right choice. The Isotherm 145 mm insulation is in most cases our product of choice as this insulation has a high tensile strength. The Isotherm Insulation is also SANS compliant. In fact Isotherm is also dust free and allergy free. Isotherm has a 30 year manufacturer guarantee.
The Aerolite 135 mm is followed shortly behind the Isotherm. Aerolite insulation is cut to size in the loft space and must be wired against the walls as with the Isotherm. This will ensure that the Aerolite insulation does not slide down as the insulation ages.
Cost of Loft Room Insulation
The cost of loft room insulation is not expensive when one considers the benefits. In fact most loft rooms cant be cooled down sufficiently even with the air conditioner running. This is because the radiant heat of the side walls and ceiling are like heaters switched on in summer.