Insulating loft

LydiaEdwardianHouse · 3 Jan 2021

Hi everyone,

our three bed Edwardian is very cold. The upstairs heats with heating but then gets cold quickly once turned off, whilst the downstairs gets warmer (only to about 16 / 17 degrees Celsius currently) and then dips.

looking to insulate. We have cavity walls but will not insulate here due to problems that can arise with damp. We are going to insulate the loft when we can (previous owners blocked eaves so need to rip that up and dry it out) and I’m wondering if that will help?

we have original floorboards and have considered insulating beneath, which we might do but hoping to avoid the upheaval! What are thoughts on whether proper loft insulation will help?

we also currently have no curtains or rugs (new owners!) so am going to purchase rugs and shutters, as believe this should help too (particularly shutters over curtains).

thanks

JohnD · 3 Jan 2021

What loft insulation do you currently have?

LydiaEdwardianHouse · 3 Jan 2021

None really. Last owners put some board down but only about 50mm and not all over. Then stuffed some insulation in the eaves(!). We’re pulling it all back and once condensation gone going to insulate properly

JohnD · 3 Jan 2021

Well start by removing the rubbish, hoovering it out with a builder's canister vac, and laying insulation. Nothing else you can do will make such a big improvement, and cost so little. Use the brown mineral wool treated with Ecose, it does not shed irritant dust and fibres. Shun yellow fibreglass.

You can probably get a grant, but professional installers will roll a layer on top of the joists so you can't safely walk on them.

How deep are the joists?

Is the roof felted, torched or sarked?

LydiaEdwardianHouse · 3 Jan 2021

Great, thanks John. Not sure on depth of joists but roof is felted. Think we will add some here as well as the floor. Hoping it’ll help the downstairs!

Diver Fred · 3 Jan 2021

As you have asked about worm damaged floorboards I strongly recommend that you treat the roof timbers with a woodworm treatment after vacuuming out the loft but before laying loft insulation.
just put 100mm in for now until you have every thing sorted in the loft.
sovereign do a n aqueous based treatment so it is low odour.

LydiaEdwardianHouse · 3 Jan 2021

Survey said woodworm was historic and no signs in loft, just called out hallway - no other room. Is it worth treating the loft?

JohnD · 3 Jan 2021

I would, once it's emptied and vacced. There will never be a better time. Wrap water tanks in polythene.

ianb1965 · 9 Jan 2021

We too had crappy insulation. I think at some point there must have been a trend of putting polystyrene between joists! Pulled up what little there was and replaced with 100mm between 400mm joists then 170mm crossways. It’s messy but straightforward. Then got some of those plastic stilt thingies to put boarding down on top.

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Insulating loft

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