Often largely untouched from the day they were constructed, not only do rooms in the roof provide a massive source of potential energy savings but they are also very difficult to keep warm in the winter and are uncomfortably warm in the summer.

The insulation of such rooms involves a combination of measures owing to the various details that make up the slopes, half height walls, eaves lofts and ceilings.

Slopes

There is an option to simply and cheaply over-line the existing finish with a suitable insulated plasterboard, or, to maximise room height, the space void within the slope can be reclaimed.

Alternatively, the space between the rafters can either be completely filled (in which case conventional thinking would require an adequate vapour barrier must be installed) or partially filled leaving a gap that must be ventilated.

Half Height Wall

These can be treated in the same manner as the slopes or, if space and access permits these can be insulated from the roof space side using either standard or enhanced mineral wool as cutting and snugly fitting rigid boards can become cumbersome and time consuming.

Where the space is too tight, the walls can be lined with composite boards or the walls stripped to allow insulation to be fitted between the timber studs. Where either of these options are employed a chance to loose blow insulation into the ceiling area of the roof space is presented.

Dormer Walls

These should be insulated to avoid cold spots and where the exposed window frame allows, a layer of insulated plasterboard can be fitted. Where there is insufficient frame showing to allow a worthwhile thickness of board to be applied then the area should be stripped and the framing insulated between with a high performing material being careful to install an adequate vapour control layer.