Insulating the loft can seem like an unappealing job, but saving money on your utility bills always sounds good. If your home’s without loft insulation, you could be losing up to a quarter of your home’s heat through your roof*. This makes insulating your loft one of the most effective ways to reduce heating bills and be more energy-efficient. And even if you already have some existing insulation, it’s key to have the optimum amount for it to be truly effective.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know to lay loft floor insulation. Also known as ‘cold roof’ insulation, insulation is fitted to the floor of the loft trapping the heat in the main part of the house and away from the loft. This is ideal if you don’t use your loft at all, or only for the storage of non-perishable items.

The alternative is ceiling, or ‘warm roof’ insulation. This is fitted above the rafters and keeps the heat in the loft. It uses different types of insulation to loft floor and is used in loft conversions to make the space into a habitable living area. This isn’t explored in this article.

Our guide includes step-by-step advice on how to:

• Work out how much existing loft floor insulation you already have
• Confirm how much new insulation you need
• Lay, and cut, two different types of loft floor insulation – rolls of insulation and insulated loft floor boards
• Lay loft floor insulation around cables and recessed downlights.

Let’s get started…

*Source: Energy Saving Trust, 2017.

Out of sight, out of mind – the dark, dirty loft is one of the areas of the house that can be neglected in favour of rooms that are more accessible and see more use. But, while insulating the loft is not one of the most glamorous jobs in the world, you should only have to do it once and it will prove massively beneficial to your comfort as well as your bank balance.

But before you head up into the loft, it’s important to decide which type of insulating material you’re going to use to complete the job. And where once there was very little choice available, now there are a number of different options to choose from – that can all be mixed and matched to suit your needs. So whether you’re looking for something that’s eco-friendly, that’s kind to the skin or even provides a stable surface for walking on – we’ll take you through all the different materials available.

Before you begin

It’s important to understand how much existing insulation your home currently has, and subsequently how much new insulation you need to complete your project. For more on this, read our guide on How to insulate your loft.

Don’t forget that loft floor insulation is compression packed for easier handling and will expand to the advertised thickness when unwrapped.

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