loft space and eaves - insulation, ventilation and storage

[steeley]

Hi there - following on from something posted by Maceoid about one year ago. Is it ok to insulate the sloping timbers of the loft space (making sure there is the 50mm gap between the roof itself and the insulation) if there are no vents in the roof. I had been advised by the council to put in roof vents but the contractor who replaced all the gutters and replaced the flat roof / lead on the dorma window said that it would be freezing if we put in the vents. The sofits don't have vents but they are wooden tongue and groove with gaps in many places so there is ventilation but thinking about sofit vents to be safe??

Would like to use the loft as a place to store books and use the computer etc so insulating the rafters seems like a good plan? Proposing to put in a velux too.

Further both sides of the house have eaves with access - getting condensation on the nails which hold on the roof slates - is this due to inadeqate ventilation (go ahead with the sofit vents?). These spaces are insulated as is the floor space of the floor boarded (chipboard flooring). Is it ok to use these spaces for storage?

Thanks

 

[Symptoms]

steel - insulate and you will have to consider vents. Use round soffit vents - easy to install ... drill the timber soffits using a hole saw in your lekky drill, push the vents into the holes (they have retaining lugs so won't fall out). Available in white or brown plastic.

 

[steeley]

Hi Symptoms

Thanks - yes sofit vents are definately on the agenda so thanks for the confirmation. Will these be sufficient to prevent condensation of water on the nails? The insulation was put in by a local council grant scheme but I've had to pull back the material off the eaves and from the top of cables!! May have been free but......The insulation is now back off the eaves and the sofits are exposed so it should be easy enough for me to put in vents here.

It is really the now the main loft that concerns me. The roof itself is another matter - what type should I go for and how many - looking at other roofs in the street (not all have vents) should keep me right? How does the fixing of insulation around these work?

Thanks Steeley (internet-less for the past couple of weeks! agggh)