We have talked extensively about them the importance of making home improvements to help the environment. Some people have tried making the argument that focusing on reducing our carbon footprint is futile, since 100 companies create 71% of the world’s carbon emissions.
The problem is that these companies aren’t directly responsible for our emissinos. WE are. We are using the oil they produce, which creates a huge carbon footprint. We could reduce that significantly by reducing the amount that we drive and making our homes more efficient.
One option is to invest in better insulation. This can sharply cut our carbon footprint.
Use Insulation to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient to Fight Climate Change
Vox made a great argument that shifting towards renewable energy would help significantly. In the meantime, making our homes more efficient is our best bet.
About a quarter of heat loss in a home is through the roof of that has not been insulated. Insulation of the attic, loft, or flat roof is an effective and simple way of reducing heat loss, which will help you in reducing energy costs.
Insulation of the loft will be effective for more than 40 years, which means it is going to pay for itself over and over, according to experts we spoke with from countrywide roofers in Glasgow.
Choosing loft insulation
If you have a loft that is not damp and doesn’t have condensation problems, then you can expect to have an easier time insulating it. Ot can be a great DIY project.
You can choose rolls of mineral wool to do the insulation if the loft joists are regular and to have easy access to it. You will need to lay the first layer between the joists. These are the horizontal beams making the floor of the loft. The second one must be placed at right angles so they cover the joists and this will make the insulation reach the required depth.
What do you need to consider when it comes to the insulation of a loft?
1. Storage Space
If you want to use the attic or loft for storage, consider laying boards over the joists. If you are going to do the insulation only between the joists before you do this, the insulation will end up not being thick enough.
If you want to get enough insulation, raising the floor level is a good idea because it allows you to fit enough mineral wool under the new level. An easy way of doing this is to fit timber battens across the joist. Another option is buying purpose-built plastic legs that you can fit on the joists so that is can provide support to the new floor. Make sure there is a ventilated air gap between the boards and the insulation so that you can prevent condensation under the boards.
When fitting the boards on top, avoid squashing mineral wool because it is going to reduce the insulation value.
2. Warm Loft
Another option for insulation of the loft is by fitting the insulation between the rafters – they are the timbers that make up the roof. You can choose to use foam insulation between the rafters, you can cut insulation board to size and use them.
The two options will force you to get the services of a professional because this is not the type of project you can do on your own.
You will find your roof space being a little warmer, so you don’t have to worry about tanks and pipes freezing.
You can decide to board the floor for storage and not have to create extra depth or raise it.
Doing the insulation at the rafter level will end up being more expensive than the normal insulation.
Alongside the roof, you will need to do insulation of the party walls, gable walls, and chimneys in the loft space. If you don’t insulate these areas, the heat is going to get through and this makes the insulation ineffective.
There are some companies that are going to offer to fix a leaking or damaged roof by directly spraying foam insulation on the underside of the foam without fixing the problem first. This is not a good idea. This is because you need to make sure that the roof is dry before insulating it.
You will need a different approach if you are interested in using the loft as a heated room.
3. Room-in roof
If you want a living space from your loft, or if you are already using it as such, make sure that the ceilings and walls between the unheated space and the heated room has been insulated.
You will insulate the sloping ceilings the same way a warm roof is done, but add a layer of plasterboard on the side being insulated.
You can also insulate the vertical walls the same way
You can do insulation of the flat ceilings the same way you do a standard loft
You should ensure all the areas of the ceiling and wall around the dormer windows have been insulated and choose high-performance glazing for the window.
This is also not a project you should do on your own. You will need the services of a professional so as to ensure the insulation done is complete and there is enough ventilation where it is needed.
4. Inaccessible loft spaces
If you have a loft that is hard to access, call a professional to do a blown installation. They have equipment that they use in blowing insulation material to areas that are hard to reach. This can be treated cellulose, mineral wool fibre, or polyurethane foam.
5. Flat Roofs
You should insulate a flat roof from above. You can have a layer of rigid insulation added at the top of the weatherproof later of the roof or directly on the timber roof surface that has a weatherproof layer over the insulation. The best time to do this is when the cover of the roof needs to be replaced. If you the flat roof needs to be replaced, then you will need to do insulation because it is needed to comply with the building regulations.
You can do the insulation underneath for the flat roof, but you will end up having to deal with condensation problem if it is not done in the right way.
Doing flat roof insulation will end up saving you the same amount on your bill you would be getting if you do loft insulation. The savings are going to be determined the size of the flat roof.
Insulation will help in stopping heat from escaping your living space, and your loft space is going to be cooler, which could lead to condensation problem. You will need to remember ventilation if you are doing the loft installation on your own.
In order to deal with damp problems, talk to an experienced professional.
Add Insulation to Fight Climate Change
Contrary to what many experts claim, you have a lot of control over the fate of the environment. You can significantly slow climate change by investing in better insulation to make your home more efficient. This will lower its toll on the environment.