INSTALLING LOFT INSULATION
Installing loft insulation is one energy saving measure that is easy to carry out and should pay for itself in around two years. It works by stopping the heat in your home from being lost through the roof of the property. The recommended depth of insulation is 270mm but any depth to start with will save you money on your heating bills.
This is a DIY job I would recommend carrying out in the cooler months of the year, lofts in the summer months aren’t the most pleasant places to be working in, and that combined with loft insulation fibres and dust can make the job very unpleasant to carry out, but it is one of those DIY jobs that will definitely save you money and is therefore very worthwhile doing.
Safety tip 1 :- You should wear a face mask, gloves and overalls (lots of DIY stores sell paper overalls which are inexpensive) because the insulation fibres can irritate your skin and sometimes your throat.
The insulation comes in rolls ready to lay in the loft, ideally you should place the insulation between the joists and then over them. Start by having adequate lighting in the loft, say a fluorescent hand / stand light then clear as much of the loft out of stored items as possible so you can work more easily, this is a good time to get rid of many unwanted items, which if you are like me have been meaning to throw out for the last 7 years.
Safety tip 2 :- Remember to keep your weight on the joists otherwise you will probably end up in the bedroom below a lot quicker than you expected, you should use two or three boards to stand on and manoeuvre around the loft, these should of course be capable of withholding your weight and take care not to stand on their edge as they may tip up.
Unroll the insulation starting at the eaves, leave a gap along the eaves of around 50mm so that air can circulate within the loft and not create any condensation problems. Cut the insulation to length when required and butt it up to the next piece. Continue until the loft space is covered with the insulation.
Safety tip 3 :- All electrical cable that is in the loft should be above the insulation to reduce the risk of it overheating, don’t place insulation underneath any cold water tanks, the heat from the ceiling below will help to stop the water freezing, all pipes and the cold water tank including the lid should be insulated using tank insulation and pipe lagging, (both of which can be held in place with tape) as the loft temperature will decrease once the loft insulation has been installed.
Fit a piece of insulation to the loft hatch using double sided tape.
Loft insulation is widely available at your local diy stores and with all the concern over energy conservation there are grants available so its worth having a good look around to get a good deal.