Epc4lessare Domestic Energy Assessors in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and arespecialists in surveying houses for the Energy Performance Certificate. According to them, buildings with 270mm of loft insulation have significantly better energy ratings as compared to buildings with little or no loft insulation.
How does it work?
When you warm up your home, a lot of heat escapes the house via roof. Adding loft insulation reduces the amount of heat that passes through your ceiling and escapes through the roof. This means that you keep the desired temperature in a loft-insulated house, thus saving both money and energy. The thicker the loft insulation, the better it is at insulating your house.
Layering of felt-like insulation material such as mineral wool can be done in lofts that have easy access. Mineral wool can be bought easily from your nearby DIY store.
Where the loft is hard to access, you can insulate it by installing loose insulation material that can be blown into the loft via an installer.
To have your house assessed and estimate the cost of loft insulation you can contact epc4less or any other provider of Energy Performance Certificates, EPC Belfast.
Installation
If your loft is easy to access, you can do the insulation yourself; however, if you are not confident about insulating the loft yourself, you can get a professional to fit it for you.
If you are doing the renovation loft installation yourself;
- Do not compress your insulation material as this makes your insulation less effective.
- Make sure none of the air vents are blocked when insulating the loft. Open clear air vents are crucial to prevent condensation.
- To avoid overheating, all electric wires, light fittings, and cables must be kept visible.
- When working with mineral wool insulation, you should always wear protective masks and gloves.
Alternatively, you can just cut the insulation boards to size and fit them on the underside of the roof and rafters.
Technical Issues to consider
Loft insulation may worsen any existing damp issues as insulations will make your loft colder. It is highly recommended to rectify your condensation issues before insulating your loft.
A colder loft will also result in colder pipes; therefore, it is advised to insulate the pipes too to prevent freezing. It is also recommended to install an insulated loft hatch as cold draughts may enter your house through the loft hatch. To draught-proof your frame adhesive draught-proofing strips can be purchased from your nearby DIY store.
Cost
The cost varies if you insulate your loft on your own or get professional help. According to the Energy Saving Trust, the insulation cost if done on your own is somewhere between £50 to £350 whereas, it will cost you between £100 to £350 if you have them fitted by a professional. The actual cost of insulation depends on whether you are doing full insulation or just a top-up.
Impact on Energy Performance Certificate
Properties having 270mm of loft insulation have 10 to 15 additional points in their energy performance certificate rating as compared to properties that have no insulation at all. It stands true when the comparison is made with properties of the same style, size, and age of built.
To book your EPC assessment in Belfast, Northern Ireland visit epc4less.
