Mad idea - insulated loft storage ....

[JP_]

OK, so it looks like I'm moving into a smaller house (bungalow) with a big loft. I have a lot of books that will need to be stored away while I am building a new book case (which requires a new living room!). The best place suggested is the loft (garage, shed, likely to get damp, mouldy etc.). But, books don't like extreme temperatures, and this loft will get boiling in summer and freezing in winter - there is no felt, just tiles.

So, my latest crazy idea ... remove the insulation from a part of the loft floor, and create a storage area on boards and then layer insulation over the pile of boxes, maybe with a waterproof sheet between boxes and insulation.So, the storage area will be cooler in summer, and get some heat from room below in winter, and hopefully provide safe storage for books for 6-9 months until I am sorted.

Is this likely to be a really daft idea for any reason I have not thought of?

 

[foxhole]

Insulate the entire loft, save you some money and keep your books at a more stable temp.

 

[JP_]

It's a big loft space, that would cost a small fortune. If i was planning a loft conversion, I'd do that first, but hoping to avoid it...

 

[foxhole]

Will cost a bigger fortune left uninsulated

 

[JP_]

The loft is insulated already.

 

[JP_]

what I mean is ... creating a pile of boxes with insulation over the top of them, while maintaining the rest of the insulation in the loft, but no insulation under the boxes, so that they are more climatically controlled. Like this.

 

[John D v2.0]

Sounds like a good idea, that's what you would do with a water tank to stop freezing.
You have to keep the insulation together as it comes in rolls and you won't have frequent access as that fibreglass is horrible to poke around in. Some insulation comes wrapped in bags of plastic or foil which might help. Might be worth pitting a plastic sheet below in case humid air comes through the ceiling and condenses in your books.