Loft insulation advice

Gummyplummy

Hi,
Looking for advice on loft insulation.
We just bought a place and the loft is insulated but a real mess.
We have had a few quotes - 2 said remove the whole lot and start again, and 2 said you don't need to remove just tidy up.

One guys said part of the roof has old "cork" insulation so should be replaced. Is this the case ?

We don't know what the best energy advice is,

If you guys can't help do you know who can ?

S and K

Norman_Castle

No idea on the advice but you may get insulation for free. http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-cavity-loft-insulation#freeinsulation

SuzieSue

Be careful not to over insulate:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/advice/11333991/Why-is-there-condensation-in-my-loft.html

SuzieSue

This might help but it is quite an old article:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/lifestyle/interiors/jeffhowell/5387409/Loft-insulation-stave-off-winter-bills.html

Keep_pedalling

SuzieSue wrote: »

Be careful not to over insulate:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/advice/11333991/Why-is-there-condensation-in-my-loft.html

I just read that article, and it is written by an idiot conspiracy theorist,

SuzieSue

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

I just read that article, and it is written by an idiot conspiracy theorist,

Yes, I 'm sure all the people who suffer from condensation in their loft after over insulating it are imagining the problem.

If you don't agree with him that's fine, but other people can make up their own minds.

DaftyDuck

Couldn't read the article, as "reached my limit" with Telegraph, but over insulation is a common problem, with air gaps around the roof being sealed by overzealous, inexperienced insulators.

One of the first jobs I do on starting a renovation is to ensure the ventilation in the roof is adequate. A cheap (free) job to do, can save hundreds, if not thousands just down the road.

Try to get free insulation from an energy provider. Removing old, grotty, insulation is worth it if you are just starting down the renovations road, as it'll save a huge mess if a ceiling need removing/collapses. However, often just laying over the top does the job.

Depends on the quote difference, really.

Keep_pedalling

SuzieSue wrote: »

Yes, I 'm sure all the people who suffer from condensation in their loft after over insulating it are imagining the problem.

If you don't agree with him that's fine, but other people can make up their own minds.

The fact that the guy dismiss is dismisses the fact that humans can effect climate change as bunk really says it all.

SuzieSue

Keep_pedalling wrote: »

The fact that the guy dismiss is dismisses the fact that humans can effect climate change as bunk really says it all.

Just because he has made a flippant remark about climate change doesn't mean that the rest of the article is wrong.

DaftyDuck

Well, I bothered to circumvent the blocker to read because of that...

Long article, one paragraph

I’m afraid this is another situation – like cavity wall insulation – where the government has been hoodwinked by the green lobby, and by “man-made climate change” hysteria, into promoting a cheap and disastrous policy that will damage hundreds of thousands of homes.

I can't tell from that he's dismissing climate change as bunk: far from it. He's anti the hysteria that's added on. Agree with that (and I certainly believe in climate change!), and also agree that an excessive amount of loft and cavity wall insulation (just like damp courses 20 years ago) is a damaging fad for many houses.

It's driven by money, by misplaced grants, and by fear, and it's not a good deal for the consumer (or the planet) overall.

Neither is the "fad" for ripping out single glazed wooden windows, and sticking in uPVC ones.

richy999

SuzieSue wrote: »

Be careful not to over insulate:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/property/advice/11333991/Why-is-there-condensation-in-my-loft.html

The article seems to suggest that the problem is caused by incorrect loft insulation practices, not over insulating.

It should be fine to put as much insulation as you like in the loft provided that the space is properly ventilated and migration of moisture from the warm house to the loft is prevented.