Read before you decide: plain guides to loft insulation
Clear answers to the things people ask us most, from how deep to go to what to do about damp.
Illustration: a homeowner checking the loft
- How much do I need?
- How deep loft insulation should be, how to tell if yours is too thin, and why the material changes the answer a little.
- Checking your insulation
- A simple, safe way to check your loft insulation: what to look at, how to measure the depth and the signs it needs attention.
- Signs it needs replacing
- The signs loft insulation needs replacing rather than topping up: damp, droppings, flattening and more, and what to do about each.
- Loft condensation
- Why condensation forms in lofts, why it can appear after insulating, and the practical ways to stop it.
- Boarding over insulation
- Why boards laid straight on the joists squash loft insulation, and how a raised floor gives you storage and warmth.
- Insulating a boarded loft
- How a loft that’s already boarded can be insulated properly: lifting boards, raising the floor or insulating underneath.
- Cables and downlights
- How electrical cables and recessed downlights are dealt with when a loft is insulated, and why cables sit on top.
- Pipes and tanks
- Why pipes and tanks in an insulated loft need lagging, how a tank is insulated, and why you leave the space under it uncovered.
- What we check
- The things a loft insulation installer checks before quoting: access, existing insulation, timbers, airflow, pipes and cables.
- Spray foam and mortgages
- Why spray foam on the underside of a roof can cause problems with lenders and surveyors, and what removing it involves.
- Landlords and rented homes
- Loft insulation for landlords: arranging work around tenants, what to tell them and why a warmer home is easier to let.
Find out what your loft needs, in plain words
Tell us about your home. We’ll explain the options and send a written quote. No obligation.