A room-in-roof is simply a room underneath or within your roof space. Many older buildings originally had them, but they either lacked insulation or were insulated using inadequate materials and techniques. To cater to this issue, room-in-roof insulation is a preferable choice but if you are unfamiliar with it, this blog is for you.
What is Room in Roof Insulation?
So, let’s understand what goes behind this process. It starts by placing the insulation boards between the rafters and over the already existing plasterboards. Typically, these boards are constructed from polyurethane or polystyrene. This insulation is done to keep the heat trapped inside as in a typical house, roofs are responsible for nearly 25% of heat loss. This insulation’s thickness further adds an extra layer of waterproofing. This prevents rain from entering and heat from escaping.
Now let’s discuss room in roof insulation cost. It usually varies based on the size of your loft space. Typically, it ranges between £1,500 and £2,700. Let’s go through its grants and regulations.
Room in Roof Insulation Grant
After getting a glimpse of room in roof insulation’s thickness and use, let’s see where its grants are available. Currently, they are available under the UK government’s new Energy Companies Obligation scheme and cover the full cost of insulating loft rooms to current building standards using the latest materials.
The 3 types of room in roof applications and their grants are-
1. Loft room insulation grant
With this insulation grant, you can avail yourself of the ECO4, LA Flex, and The Great British Insulation Scheme and reduce your energy costs.
Under the Flex scheme, you can get benefits if the family income is less than £31,000 before tax, and under the Great British Insulation Scheme, you can save around £310 annually.
Here the loft room is accessed using a fixed staircase and converted into a living space. The conversion also includes the sloped eaves if the property features a pitched roof. This method starts with high-insulation batts being secured to the ceilings and walls.
Additionally, insulation slabs are adjusted between exposed rafters or beams. Next, plasterboard is installed over the insulation and smoothed out, making it ready for decoration. With this method, you increase your property’s thermal efficiency and reduce its heating costs.
2. Dormer roof insulation grant
Anyone with a dormer room can receive a minimum grant of about £1100 towards fully insulating it. This grant aims to make such rooms warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Additionally, it aims to reduce condensation as well as dampness, and overall carbon footprint. To give the room a refreshed look, it is fully boarded using energy-efficient materials and then replastered.
3. Attic room insulation grant
An attic room is accessed using a fixed staircase and the sloped sides of the attic are made into a small square room in the center. Next, the external area surrounding the box room gets insulated. This is done by sliding solid insulation boards between rafters and then insulating the vertical stud wall with rock wool.
This method makes the property much better at keeping heat inside. It also cuts down on how much energy is needed for heating through the ECO4 scheme.
Cross-reference: FREE ATTIC ROOM INSULATION GRANTS.
Room in Roof Insulation Regulations
These regulations are focused on ensuring that the insulation work is in accordance with the building regulations and fire safety standards. In England and Wales, this means following the Building Regulations, which cover most buildings and their alterations. For Scotland, reference needs to be made to the Scottish Building Standards. In Northern Ireland, adherence to the Building Regulations specifically Part F is required.
The Building Regulations in England state that building work must follow Schedule 1. This schedule features requirements for fire safety. For example, the building must be designed to maintain stability in the event of a fire.
To ensure compliance with regulations and standards, it may be necessary to obtain independent confirmation from Building Control. You may also need to assess ventilation requirements according to guidelines like PAS 2030 and PAS 2035.
All in all, it’s quite important to consider building regulations and fire safety standards when undertaking this roof insulation work. You need to follow specific guidelines and requirements applicable to the region where your work is being carried out.
Also Read: 10 Most Energy-Efficient HVAC Systems
Room in Roof Insulation Pros and Cons
Before choosing to proceed with this insulation method, homeowners should be made aware of its varying benefits and considerations.
| Pros | Cons |
| Transforms loft into a new room for various purposes. | Room in roof insulation price is quite expensive. |
| Lowers heating costs annually. | Is not suitable for every loft. |
| Increases property value and provides ROI. | Has strict regulations and restrictions. |
| Decreases carbon Footprint | There’s a risk of self-installing it incorrectly. |
Benefits
The pros are discussed below-
1. Creates a Usable Space: The old-fashioned ways of loft insulation might let you turn the space into an office or bedroom. But if you use this new type of insulation, you can convert your loft into a whole new room. You can use it as your office space or your baby’s room. This can add a lot of value to your property.
2. Reduces Energy Bills: As we have discussed numerous times in this blog, this insulation helps make your home warmer. This helps reduce the need for excessive use of central heating or electric heaters. When you use these energy sucking devices less, you save more.
3. Provides Return on Investment: Yes, you hear it right, they do offer a return on investment by boosting your property’s value. Potential home buyers often look for energy-efficient features like this. Thus an insulated loft is quite appealing.
4. Decreases Carbon Footprint: Better insulation translates to better energy efficiency for the home. When your home retains ample heat, you will not run heating devices and save energy. In the bigger picture, this will reduce your carbon emissions and also the carbon footprint associated with your home.
Also, check out the Ways to Save Electricity.
Challenges
The cons are as follows-
1. Time-consuming: This project of converting your loft into a warm as well as livable room is a much larger and expensive task than simply insulating the loft when it’s not in use. Unless you especially need this, it’s better to go for regular loft insulation. It saves time, and money, and most importantly minimizes disruption.
2. Not Suitable for Every Loft: Before beginning this insulation work, you’ll need to convert your loft into a room. Other factors also come into play and may make your loft unsuitable for this room insulation. Some of these factors are dampness, your roof’s current style, and the like. If your loft is difficult to access or your roof is too low, it’s not to most most apt setting to convert into a room.
3. Regulations and Restrictions: If you qualify for this roof insulation, there are certain safety standards and regulations that must be followed. This can be pretty complex at times too.
4. DIY Risks: Although you can install it yourself, it’s not recommended because you must comply with building rules. Additionally, there’s always this risk of dampness or installing it incorrectly. What started as a cheap DIY can end up costing you more later on.
This should have made your understanding of the room in roof insulation a lot better. This insulation is used to make a converted loft comfortable for living rather than just for storage. Your unused lofts have a typical lost insulation, it replaces that. This helps enhance energy efficiency by stopping heat loss. At last, always remember that properly insulating every part of your room is crucial for maximizing energy savings. For more such informative content, keep reading our blog posts.
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