Attic Insulation
The most affordable way to keep your home comfortable is to install insulation in your attic.
Initially we had planned to use sheep wool to insulate the loft, as it is renewable and has great U-value properties. unfortunately this was hard to get, and it is more expensive then the common KNAUF/ ISOVER insulation rolls.
Knauf Earthwool insulation
The product we recommend is Knauf Earthwool fiberglass insulation, a Non-Combustible Glass Mineral Wool roll, as it has good U-value properties, and it is easier to handle and also less irritating than the loft insulation manufactured from recycled glass as the prime material( data sheet attached at the bottom of the page). The U – value requirement under the 2002 building regulations on insulation for a pitched roof with insulation at ceiling level is 0.16Watts per m2K. That requires 250 – 300 mm of insulation, if you are using rock wool, glass wool, or mineral wool insulation, installed at ceiling level. The way this is working, once installed over the ceiling, is by stopping the heat escaping into the attic through the ceiling plasterboard.
We do not recommend installing the spray foam insulation, as this will make it nearly impossible to access cables and water pipes in the future. The advantage of using the fibreglass insulation is that this comes in rolls that will be laid over the ceiling, and can be very easily rolled back to give you access to ceiling lights, water pipes, cables.
Again, we are advising home owners against insulating the attic at rafter level( fitting insulation between the rafters). As long as you do not have plans to convert the attic, there is no advantage of insulating the attic at rafter level. All the heat will escape through the ceiling and it will heat the attic in this scenario, and there is no real benefit for the homeowner.
Also, often enough we find that the access hatch door into the attic is not insulated, or sealed around the perimeter. As per SEAI requirements we will seal and insulate it to meet the requirements.
For maximum energy efficiency, we recommend about 12 inches (300 mm ) of insulation for attic floors. If your joist cavities are completely filled, lay the new insulation in long runs perpendicular to the joists. We are using knauf earthwool insulation because it maintains insulating power over time. Since fiber glass does not absorb moisture, the knauf earthwool insulation will not hold water, thereby resisting any permanent loss of U-value. Plus, when properly installed, knauf earthwool fiber glass insulation will not settle or deteriorate, thus ensuring that the insulating value is maintained. The insulating materials in knauf earthwool fiber glass insulation are also noncombustible. In fact, this natural fire resistance is unaffected by moisture, evaporation, or time.
We are using a mold resistant Armaflex Pipe (Tube) Insulation over the water pipes. These pipes are
1. Black in color, flexible elastomeric thermal insulation
2. A reliable protection against condensation
3. Closed cell
4. Elastomeric, nitrile rubber insulation
5. Dust free and fiber free
6. CFC free.
7. Highly UV rated
8. Ozone resistance
9. Flexible at extreme temperatures.
Cold water storage tanks must also be completely insulated against the cold. The best way to do this is to use a jacket which should extend from the Top of the Tank to the insulation on the loft floor. A walkway will also be fitted between the access door to the water tank, in case of an emergency the cold water storage tank can be easily accessed.
The Jacket
1. Is made from polythene enclosed glass fiber filled insulation jacket
2. Helps protect the cold water tank against freezing
3. Is special designed to meet the requirements of the water tank
4. Meets all water Supply Regulations
5. Allows easy access to the tank lid for maintenance
On request we can fit an area for storage consisting in fixings 5×2 timber on top of the existing ceiling joists, this allowing us to fit the insulation without compressing it, and screw fix 18mm OSB on top of the timber. This will give you a solid structure to walk on, as the weight is spread over the existing ceiling joists, witch in turn rest on the partition walls on the first floor.
knauf-earthwool-loft-roll-44-datasheet