Eaves Trays / Rafter Baffles

[Sledge]

Regulations say I must insulate over the wallplate and yet maintain a 50mm roof perimeter ventilation gap. But pushing loft insulations over the wallplate will likely obstruct the gap between roof and wallplate. Anyone who has suffered loft condensation will understand why this is an issue.

One solution is to fit so called rafter baffles or eaves trays. They preserve the gap between roof and ceiling when pushing insulation into the eaves. Here's one I looked at earlier.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/refurbishment-eaves-vents-pack-of-20/22511

And here's where they fit:

Here's a picture of one:

and some in place:

So what's my problem?

Well, I'm dead tight and these things are pretty nasty. Think of the type of plastic you get with blister packs - you know the sort : ~0.25mm thick, vacuum formed rubbish you throw in your bin every day. These things are worse. We're talking @5g weight for a piece of plastic over a foot square. And for that they want ~ £1.50. On my roof that's a bill of £200. Call me daft but I resent spending £200 on the kind of plastic I throw away every day.

So to my question: do any of you guys have a favourite substitute for these that you've used / would use and would mind sharing with me.

Yours in hope.

 

[^woody^]

You must be tight

A roll of this eaves vent is about £10 for 12m from roofing merchants

 

[Sledge]

You must be tight

A roll of this eaves vent is about £10 for 12m from roofing merchants

yeah, but that ain't for retro-fit. How do you suggest i install that to the base of the rafters?

I'm assuming here there is a good reason for a retrofit product like the £1.50 trays I mentioned above. I can see hoe the roll stuff is great for a new roof: just staple it to the outside of the rafters b4 u lay the under-felt. I can't see it working so well stapled to the underside of the rafters, and certainly don't fancy stapling it to the inner faces of the rafters right in the eaves.

Are you suggesting just cutting squares and laying them on the insulation? Will that work or will they end up blown down my cavity overtime, adding nasty damp bridges between the leaves?

 

[^woody^]

Yes cut to size and pack the insulation up so that these are up against the felt, and they don't move