What is loft insulation?
Loft insulation is a mineral wool fibre which is placed between and over the joists in your loft or attic. This stops the heat in your home rising upwards and escaping through your roof.
Heat rises in your home and escapes quickly through your roof. Insulating material makes it increasingly difficult for heat to pass through the roof, trapping the escaping heat and effectively keeping it in your living area.
Mineral wool insulating material is placed in between and over the joists in your attic or roof. It can also be used to insulate your loft hatch and any water tanks or pipes in your attic space.
Why should I have it installed?
25% of the heat you generate through your heating system escapes upwards and out through your roof. Loft insulation provides a thermal barrier and stops this heat loss.
What are the benefits of loft insulation?
Installing 270mm of loft insulation can cut your energy bills by 25%. It also your negative impact on the environment by reducing carbon emissions.
How do Loft insulation grants work?
Under the Government led ECO bgrant scheme the major energy companies have been asked to set aside funding for grants.
Grant funding is used to install energy saving measures for homeowners and private tenants where someone in the household claims any of the following benefits or tax credits –
- Armed forces independence payment
- Attendance allowance
- Carer’s allowance
- Disability living allowance
- Income support
- Income-based JSA
- Income-related ESA
- Industrial injuries disablement allowance
- Industrial injuries disablement benefit
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit Element
- Personal independence allowance
- Personal independence payment
- Severe disablement allowance
- Universal Credit
- War pensions mobility supplement
- Working tax credit
- Child Tax Credit
- Child benefit (dependant on income & dependants)
If your existing loft insulation is 100mm(4 inches) or less you should be able to claim a grant to get it topped up to the recommended level of 270mm(11 inches).
This is the recommended amount you should have to stop the heat escaping from your home out your roof.