Insulating Loft Eaves

piperm87

Is it safe and ok to insulate the loft eaves ? 

We have a low level roof line on our house and so the upstairs ceilings are curved to meet to low level.  Because there is no insulation down in those parts there is alot of coldness getting into the house. I used my works thermal imaging gun last week to have a look around the house to check to hot and cold spots and i found those parts of the ceiling to be particularly bad.

I'm also getting alot of mould starting to form on the bathroom ceiling where it curves down due to the lack of insulation above.

The rest of the ceilings are fine as its been insulated and boarded over with MDF but the uninsulated eaves are just pulling the heat out of all the upstairs rooms.  It was 15.0 degree's in my 4 month old daughters room this morning and the only issue i've found is those eaves.

Many Thanks

Matt

FreeBear

It is certainly safe to insulate the sloping part of the roof, depending on how it is done. Stripping the plasterboard (mdf ?) off and stuffing the void full could well compromise ventilation of the roof space. Overboarding with insulating plasterboard would work. Your thermal image gives a pretty good indicator of where the ceiling joists are, so you have something to aim for when putting the screws in.

piperm87

FreeBear said:

It is certainly safe to insulate the sloping part of the roof, depending on how it is done. Stripping the plasterboard (mdf ?) off and stuffing the void full could well compromise ventilation of the roof space. Overboarding with insulating plasterboard would work. Your thermal image gives a pretty good indicator of where the ceiling joists are, so you have something to aim for when putting the screws in.

The bedrooms have all been overboarded and plastered within the last 2 years so thats something i'd like to try and avoid if im honest, We've always noticed it be abit cooler in winter but we just whacked the heating up to compensate - something i'm trying to avoid these days...  Its only become apparant where the issue is now i've used the thermal gun...

I can get down the eaves from the loft space. I was thinking of buying some of the celotex insulation boards and just cutting them and sliding down untill it got to the inside of the soffit. not sure if that will work though!

FreeBear

piperm87 said: I can get down the eaves from the loft space. I was thinking of buying some of the celotex insulation boards and just cutting them and sliding down untill it got to the inside of the soffit. not sure if that will work though!

That will work, as long as you leave a gap above the insulation and the underside of the tiles/felt.

Bendy_House

piperm87 said:

FreeBear said:

It is certainly safe to insulate the sloping part of the roof, depending on how it is done. Stripping the plasterboard (mdf ?) off and stuffing the void full could well compromise ventilation of the roof space. Overboarding with insulating plasterboard would work. Your thermal image gives a pretty good indicator of where the ceiling joists are, so you have something to aim for when putting the screws in.

The bedrooms have all been overboarded and plastered within the last 2 years so thats something i'd like to try and avoid if im honest, We've always noticed it be abit cooler in winter but we just whacked the heating up to compensate - something i'm trying to avoid these days...  Its only become apparant where the issue is now i've used the thermal gun...

I can get down the eaves from the loft space. I was thinking of buying some of the celotex insulation boards and just cutting them and sliding down untill it got to the inside of the soffit. not sure if that will work though!

That should certainly help.

As FB says, you must ensure there's a gap between the top of the boards and the underside of the roof - at least 50mm, I understand (tho' others may confirm?)

It'll be more awkward than you imagine... You want these sheets cut snugly to the sides, and pressed firmly against the p'board. Both will be bludy awkward. What a shame insulated p'board wasn't used on the ceiling when it was done - by far the most effective method :-(