Insulating an Attic-Bedroom Conversion

[reddragon105]

I currently live in an attic bedroom which was converted before I moved in.

I've lived here a year and the temperature goes from one extreme to another - it is very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter, regardless of the temperature of the rest of the house.

I've got a thermometer up here which I use to compare with the temperature on the thermostat downstairs. At the moment, with it being winter, the temperature seems to be a constant 5 degrees celsius behind the rest of the house - eg. at the moment it's 19 downstairs and 14 in the attic. When the house heats up to 21 it goes to 16 in the attic. So at least it seems constant.


What can I do to fix this? Am I right in thinking it is most lilkely inadequate insulation?

What I've got is the roof, a layer of gause, 2x4 joists on the pitched roof, with 5cm thick blocks of polystyrene just laid in there loosely, they're not flush with the joists and there are some big chunks missing. Then there's plasterboard nailed over the joists. I had to take a board down to see what kind of insulation I had and it is very cold and windy behind the boards, so I essentially only have 9mm of plaster keeping me from the elements.

How can I improve this? I was looking at installing 100mm of fibreglass between the joists, but then read that it will be less effective in the windy environment.


Any suggestions on how I can improve what is already there, or start over?

 

[Deluks]

This conversion is a right bodge, and technically you shouldn't be living in it.
Does the loft have a staircase or a ladder?
Are there windows that you could climb out of in the event of a fire? (This is one issue that you should definitely tackle at the same time as insulating.)
Anyway, you're gonna have to rip out all the plasterboard and fix kingspan/celotex/xtratherm between the rafters to a certain thickness, have a look here for advice on how much you'll need.

 

[reddragon105]

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, I think bodge is the word I used to describe it too. It has a fixed wooden staircase and a velux window which would be an easy escape route. But even though I have very little DIY knowledge or experience I could still tell that there were so many things wrong with it that I've already had to fix. The doorway wasn't even cut straight, which made it hard to fit a door!

Thanks for the link to the website, I'll check it out. What would be the cheapest and easiest way of insulating the room, as I'd like it done soon and quickly to minimise disruption.

 

[Deluks]

For cheapest use polystyrene, but you already know that it's not much use. Cheapest of the 3 products I mentioned is xtratherm, available quite cheaply from Selco (trade only builders warehouse) The new plasterboard should be 12.5mm and foil backed.

Don't try and skimp on the thickness or coverage, there's no point in doing a quick fix and having to do it again next winter.

You say you want it done quickly and cheaply, if this is the case then you won't get a very good job done. With most building projects you can't have cheap, quick and good quality. One will always suffer.