CONSTRUCTION ENGINEERING II COURSE PROJECT

TOMESCU IOANA CLAUDIA FILS III AMANAT, GROUP 1

Low Energy House - About Loft Insulation

The performance of a thermal insulation material relies on the amount of air trapped within it. If that air is kept dry and still, less heat can get into or past the material and the higher its insulation capacity will be. Cold Roof - Loft Ventilation Ventilated cold roofs usually have ventilators fitted at eaves level and in the rafter feet to allow the outside air to flow naturally across the loft space. The free passage of air helps remove condensation, prevents moisture entering the loft insulation material and stops mould growth and rot affecting the timbers. Installation of Loft Insulation In lofts, the insulation is typically installed in two layers. The first layer is laid between the timber joists at the loft floor level. Because heat can be lost through the joists themselves a second layer of loft insulation is laid across the top of the joists, at right angles to them. Building Regulation Target Emissions Rates for Loft Insulation Current Building Regulations require new dwellings to be compliant with an overall energy and carbon performance with the Target Emissions Rate (TER) based on the whole building envelope. Thermal U-values for individual elements are not, therefore, set for new houses. In order to achieve the overall standard, new dwellings will usually require the loft floor insulation to achieve a U-value of 0.16 W/mK. As an example, a typical specification for a loft, to comply with this target, would be a minimum total 270mm thickness of glass wool quilt. Materials Commonly Used for Loft Insulation Glass Wool Loft Insulation Glass fibre quilt rolls laid in two layers over the loft floor Loose glass wool fibre for hand filling or blown into place by specialist machine Rock Wool Loft Insulation Rock wool quilt rolls laid in two layers over the loft floor Loose rock wool fibre for hand filling or blown into place by machine Cellulose Loft Insulation - Recycled Newspaper Dry cellulose supplied loose for hand filling or blown into place by machine

Sheep Wool Loft Insulation Lightweight sheep's wool batts laid in two layers over the loft floor

Because of its nature, where loose fibre is used it will form one continuous layer of insulation. Quilt or blanket loft insulation is supplied in rolls approximately 400mm and 600mm (16 inches and 24 inches) wide and in a variety of thicknesses. Loose fibre fill is supplied in bags for hand filling or can be blown into position, by a registered installer, using specialist equipment (Guarantees for this work are available from the registered loft insulation installer). All loft insulation materials must be fitted in accordance with the manufacturers instructions. Loft Insulation - Best Practice The thickness of the loft insulation may be increased to improve the thermal comfort of the dwelling and to save more energy. In the context of a loft insulation project, additional thicknesses of insulation can be installed at relatively little extra cost. When an appropriate system has been chosen, it is important that the edges of the loft insulation are lapped with the wall insulation to ensure continuity of the insulated building envelope. It is important that the insulation does not block the air vents at the eaves Loft Insulation Materials Existing Loft Insulation Materials If your loft space is already insulated there will probably be 50mm or 100mm thickness fitted between the joists. To comply with current standards more loft insulation will be required. In normal circumstances, it is advisable to top-up with loft insulation of the same material as that already fitted. If you want to use two different insulation materials you should consult the manufacturers of both types of loft insulation, as condensation can sometimes occur at the junction between two materials. Loft Insulation Materials in a Cold Roof Ventilated cold roofs usually have ventilators fitted in the eaves and in the rafter feet to allow the outside air to flow naturally across the loft space. The free passage of air helps remove condensation, prevents moisture entering the loft insulation material and stops mould growth and rot affecting the timbers.

Loft Insulation Materials and Roof Ventilation Where an existing cold pitched roof is already ventilated, care must be taken not to block the vents with the new or top-up loft insulation material. Where an existing cold pitched roof is not ventilated, a system of eaves vents should be fitted to provide an air flow across the loft space. Loft Insulation Materials and a Sealed Roof - No Ventilation If an existing cold pitched roof is being fitted with a new slate or tiled roof covering then it can be changed from a ventilated roof to a sealed roof by the inclusion of a sealed breather membrane at rafter level. In such cases, the loft floor can usually be insulated and no ventilation is required. Top-Up Loft Insulation Materials If the existing loft insulation material is in good condition it can be left in place and another layer added to it to bring the thickness up to the level of the top of the joists. A further layer of loft insulation material should then be laid across the joists at right angles to reduce heat loss through the joists themselves. The top layer of insulation material should have a minimum thickness of 200mm (8 inches). Building Regulation Targets for Loft Insulation Materials Whether you are installing new loft insulation material or topping-up old insulation you should aim to achieve a minimum U-value of 0.16 W/mK. A typical specification to achieve this, with all new insulation, would be a total of 250mm (10 inches) thickness of a mineral fibre. In the case of top-up it could be as much as 300mm (12 inches) total thickness. Typical Loft Insulation Materials Mineral fibre blanket or loose-fill are the most commonly used insulation materials in loft floors. Glass wool and rock wool are both mineral fibres. Blanket insulation is supplied in approximately 400mm and 600mm (16 inches and 24 inches) wide rolls and a variety of thicknesses. Loose fibre fill is supplied in bags for hand filling or can be blown into position, by a registered installer, using specialist equipment (guarantees for this work are available from the registered insulation installer). Where loose fibre is used, whether it is top-up or not, it will form one continuous layer of insulation material.