£1 a roll rockwool loft insulation with free delivery from Npower (for self installat

Andy_Spoo_2

Well, I install loft insulation for a living, so I'll give you some tips and some explanations:-

1) You must leave a gap in the eaves (recommended is 50mm). If you butt the insulation up to the beams that come down the the roof, that's about the right gap. Your actually insulating the room below, NOT the loft, so the fact that air is getting into the loft is a good thing. This prevents moisture in the air being trapped, then being heated and then causing damp. The damp will rot all the wood in your roof!! If you need a new roof, your not saving money ;-) If your loft is already damp, then DO NOT lay insulation, you'll only make it worse unless you get additional venting added.

2) You need to upgrade your pipes and tanks lagging/insulation. The thing most people forget:- Because the room below will become warmer, the loft will get colder because of less heat entering it. So, your pipes and tanks have a much greater chance of bursting or freezing. That thin stuff you get from B&Q and Homebase etc. is just too thin and not up to the job. Lazy plumbers also use it because it's easy to bend. You need the thick stuff and need to miter and tape the corners etc.

3) All cables that are 30 Amp or above must either be left on-top of the insulation (if they have slack in them) or a channel must be left (a gap with no insulation). 30 Amps usually go to your electric shower, and if you have a bungalow, the electric cooker. 30 Amp cables obviously carry a high current and are prone to overheating. Covering them in insulation obviously traps heat and can be a fire hazard.

4) Lease a 70mm gap around any down-lighters that penetrate into the loft. They are also prone to overheating and are a fire hazard. Also if your lights have transformers (12 volt lights), you must leave these uncovered as well for the same reason. Apart from risk of fire, your bulbs and transformers are likely to die very quickly. Down-lighters look nice and modern, but will cost you money in lost heat!! (Another money saving tip - don't use them!!)

5) Leave all electrical equipment uncovered. e.g. Aerial boosters, mains adapters, etc. etc. - More fire hazards.

6) Leave a 70mm gap or more around any flues (the exhaust vents from your boilers etc). 2 problems can occur. Either condensation will build up around the heated flue at the point of the insulation and cause rotting (if the moisture content is high) or the paper on the plasterboard can overheat, causing another possible fire hazard.

7) HINT - If your existing insulation is the same height or higher than your joists, then lay your new insulation (either 150mm or 170mm) in the opposite direction, so you get 100 percent coverage and no gaps.

If your existing insulation is very thin, then lay in the same direction of the joists (use 100mm) and then if you can afford it, lay another layer on top in the opposite direction (either 150mm or 170mm).

8) HINT2 - W A R N I N G - ALWAYS WEAR A DUST MASK. I've had to abandon many a loft insulation because of finding asbestos in lofts. It's usually either a grey or bluey material and is usually found around old broken up flue pipes. Modern flus are made of shiny metal. Old flues are often made of asbestos. It's ok if it's fully intact, but if a boiler fitter, builder or plumber has seen fit to saw it off (yes, they really are that stupid!) or brake it up then the fibers can kill you!!!!!!!!!


Theres plenty more to loft insulation than you thought, but the above are the basics to get you going :-)

martinbsp

Andy

that's great stuff, thanks. Two questions:

- do you do private jobs? If so please send me a message with where you are in the UK and whether you are interested in doing the work
- alternatively can you recommend what I should be paying someone to lay my insulation for me (I have a 2 bed house with some insulation already up there). I'm on a low income which is why I bought the insulation on this special offer. I want to pay a fair price but don't want to be ripped off!

I have had a few quotes and some of them have said I need to have the old insulation removed first. Is this right?

Many thanks,

Martin

Andy_Spoo wrote: »

Well, I install loft insulation for a living, so I'll give you some tips and some explanations:-

1) You must leave a gap in the eaves (recommended is 50mm). If you butt the insulation up to the beams that come down the the roof, that's about the right gap. Your actually insulating the room below, NOT the loft, so the fact that air is getting into the loft is a good thing. This prevents moisture in the air being trapped, then being heated and then causing damp. The damp will rot all the wood in your roof!! If you need a new roof, your not saving money ;-) If your loft is already damp, then DO NOT lay insulation, you'll only make it worse unless you get additional venting added.

2) You need to upgrade your pipes and tanks lagging/insulation. The thing most people forget:- Because the room below will become warmer, the loft will get colder because of less heat entering it. So, your pipes and tanks have a much greater chance of bursting or freezing. That thin stuff you get from B&Q and Homebase etc. is just too thin and not up to the job. Lazy plumbers also use it because it's easy to bend. You need the thick stuff and need to miter and tape the corners etc.

3) All cables that are 30 Amp or above must either be left on-top of the insulation (if they have slack in them) or a channel must be left (a gap with no insulation). 30 Amps usually go to your electric shower, and if you have a bungalow, the electric cooker. 30 Amp cables obviously carry a high current and are prone to overheating. Covering them in insulation obviously traps heat and can be a fire hazard.

4) Lease a 70mm gap around any down-lighters that penetrate into the loft. They are also prone to overheating and are a fire hazard. Also if your lights have transformers (12 volt lights), you must leave these uncovered as well for the same reason. Apart from risk of fire, your bulbs and transformers are likely to die very quickly. Down-lighters look nice and modern, but will cost you money in lost heat!! (Another money saving tip - don't use them!!)

5) Leave all electrical equipment uncovered. e.g. Aerial boosters, mains adapters, etc. etc. - More fire hazards.

6) Leave a 70mm gap or more around any flues (the exhaust vents from your boilers etc). 2 problems can occur. Either condensation will build up around the heated flue at the point of the insulation and cause rotting (if the moisture content is high) or the paper on the plasterboard can overheat, causing another possible fire hazard.

7) HINT - If your existing insulation is the same height or higher than your joists, then lay your new insulation (either 150mm or 170mm) in the opposite direction, so you get 100 percent coverage and no gaps.

If your existing insulation is very thin, then lay in the same direction of the joists (use 100mm) and then if you can afford it, lay another layer on top in the opposite direction (either 150mm or 170mm).

8) HINT2 - W A R N I N G - ALWAYS WEAR A DUST MASK. I've had to abandon many a loft insulation because of finding asbestos in lofts. It's usually either a grey or bluey material and is usually found around old broken up flue pipes. Modern flus are made of shiny metal. Old flues are often made of asbestos. It's ok if it's fully intact, but if a boiler fitter, builder or plumber has seen fit to saw it off (yes, they really are that stupid!) or brake it up then the fibers can kill you!!!!!!!!!


Theres plenty more to loft insulation than you thought, but the above are the basics to get you going :-)

chalkysoil

some of them have said I need to have the old insulation removed first. Is this right?

I wouldn't waste it myself... the more the better.

Anyone wants to get a coverall overall - I got one today in Poundland, elasticated wrists and ankles and a hood, zip up white material, says it's washable. I've never bothered using an overall before but it should keep lots of itchy things at bay.

geewhiz

Well my 18 rolls arrived on Thursday when I was out, they phoned me and I told them to leave it at the side of the house, what a surprise when I got home, the rolls are much bigger than I had imagined.

I've fitted double layers on top of the existing insulation today, done at least a third of the room and it's only taken four rolls so I'm going to have a lot left over, they are so heavy to carry up ladders too !

Laying them is easy and there's little or no dust coming off them even when using a saw to cut the rolls in half, I did wear a cheap suit though so no itching at all. All I have to do now is clear out the rubbish from the rest of the loft before I can lay the rest of it.

Dilfred

How big are the rolls? As I have ordered 12 and they are at the depot so I could collect, however am doubting that I could fit them all into a car/van?

chalkysoil

Dilfred wrote: »

How big are the rolls? As I have ordered 12 and they are at the depot so I could collect, however am doubting that I could fit them all into a car/van?

3 or maybe 4 to a normal car. They are about 5 foot high and 2 foot across approx. I wouldn't unless you have a panel van or pick up. Or live very close. The free delivery makes this offer special.

Dilfred

chalkysoil wrote: »

3 or maybe 4 to a normal car. They are about 5 foot high and 2 foot across approx. I wouldn't unless you have a panel van or pick up. Or live very close. The free delivery makes this offer special.

boooger, and thank you, shall wait then the 2 weeks or so for them to clear the other 278 orders infront of me:rotfl:

ocalllo

ocalllo wrote: »

hi

Anyone in the Chester/Wrexham border area received theirs?
I received email confirmation on the day of order but not a word since - tried emailing them but no response....don't want to hassle them if everyone is calling

YIPPEEEE JUST RANG THE 0845 NUMBER AND SPOKE TO VERY NICE TREVOR - HE GAVE ME A TICKET NUMBER AND LOCAL SUPPLIER.
SPOKE TO THEM 150 PEOPLE IN FRONT OF ME BUT WILL CALL ME WHEN READY TO DELIVER.......AT LEAST THEY HAVE MY ORDER :j

chalkysoil

I rang Faversham depot this morning - no, none in stock. Went out, came back 7.30pm - message on phone to ring them... Something's happening...:j

*arriving weds am

allan673

mine got delivered this afternoon 16 rolls