Loft Insulation.

BigAndy_79

Hi Guys,

I have been having problems with condensation in my home, which is resulting in condensation forming on the ceiling of my bedroom. I am unsure of what next steps to take, and am also unsure if this is the right forum to seek advice. Before I go ahead with my story I was wishing to confirm whether this would be the right forum to discuss my situation and seek help.

Thanks very much in advance.

Cardew

Yes this forum or perhaps the DIY forum.

Most condensation problems are caused by lack of ventilation. However your ceiling must be really cold if that is where condensation manifests itself

BigAndy_79

Hi,

Yeah, we have had a guy inspect the attic and he says that the felt on the wooden uprights have bad condensation on them. They put a lot of new insulation in there, but the condensation is dripping onto this, and as I say, is causing wetness & condensation on the ceiling of the bedroom. I am unsure of what now needs to be done, exactly, and whether it is a big job. I mean, would the replacing of these felt slates (?) ultimately solve this problem ? The guy said that he has also taken a look at the roof of the property as well and he can see no problem there in terms of anything to do with that.
The problem is actually getting worse now and has began to creep along the wall of my home a little, so I am eager to get it resolved, yet am unsure as to what next steps to take.

Thanks,
A.

Pincher

A common mistake of DIY is to stuff rockwool into the edges of the loft, killing off ventilation. Modern roofing methods put a thick bitumen layer under the battens, which is gust proof, but it's like wearing a rubber sauna suit. They rely on the ventilation at the eaves to get rid of the moisture.

You should remove the rockwool from the edges.
Yes, the loft will be drafty and cold, but that is happening above the insulation layer.

2010

Pincher is correct in what he is saying.

Cardew

Again agree with Pincher, and as I said in earlier post, condensation is largely a ventilation issue.

I have a large partly boarded loft which is well insulated. However it is also well ventilated and although is very cold in winter, none of the items stored there are damp.

It doesn't appear that your bedroom ceiling is getting condensation as such, but dampness spreading from the loft - which is where the condensation problem exists.

BigAndy_79

How do I go about adding or bettering ventilation in there, folks ?

The Buildings Insurance is taken care of (supposedly, anyway) by the Northern Ireland Housing Excetutive. They, however, are as much use as a chocolate fireguard. I have had this problem for months now and they have made getting things sorted an absolute nightmare. We are now considering contacting a local MP about the situation to see if they can help sort this out.

2010

BigAndy_79 wrote: »

How do I go about adding or bettering ventilation in there, folks ?

Pincher has answered this in post # 4

Get up into the loft and pull back the insulation from the eaves.

DoubleTop_2

if there is a lot, then consider purchasing a dehumidifier to clear out the moisture levels. There are industrial ones to dry out "wet" rooms that you can get from places like speedyhire etc etc. It depends on how much there is, but definately take action to get moisture out. The plaster will crumble and you'll start to get mould/mildew issues if not careful.

DT.

longforgotten

Just wondering, does Tyvek breathable felt mean that there is no need for ventilation at the eaves as well ?

It's just Mum had a new roof a while back and insulation was put in . She didn't used to have any insulation in the roof, not even the roof space. But when the new roof was put on insulation was put in everywhere including above the sloping ceiling that goes down to bedroom windows.( hope you understand what I mean)

Thanks

Pincher

longforgotten wrote: »

But when the new roof was put on insulation was put in everywhere including above the sloping ceiling that goes down to bedroom windows.( hope you understand what I mean)

Thanks

Loft conversion means the eaves are further down, so the edge of the loft space would be blocked off. Decent loft conversion company would have taken ventilation into consideration. There are probably some low profile vents on the roof, looking like bumps.