Loft insulation
Discussion
Hi,
Once the electrician & I have finished throwing the 100mm loft insulation about until it is shredded,I need to make it up to about 300mm.
The usual way is cross ways over the original, but once this is done you cannot see the joists for walking over and to get at cables pipes etc. Been looking at the stuff in Wickes which is "sponsored by e-on" and comes encapsulated in aluminium foil so it can be lifted about and put back without collapsing and the foil refracts heat etc. Anyone tried it, is it any good? Currently buy one roll get two free.
thanks
Tony H
Once the electrician & I have finished throwing the 100mm loft insulation about until it is shredded,I need to make it up to about 300mm.
The usual way is cross ways over the original, but once this is done you cannot see the joists for walking over and to get at cables pipes etc. Been looking at the stuff in Wickes which is "sponsored by e-on" and comes encapsulated in aluminium foil so it can be lifted about and put back without collapsing and the foil refracts heat etc. Anyone tried it, is it any good? Currently buy one roll get two free.
thanks
Tony H
That space blanket is fine for laying but the covering doesn't last long. I've also found that the red plastic reacts with some materials like electric cable and 'melts' chemically (not from heat), so avoid touching cables, as with expanded polystyrene insulation. (Not that you should be covering cables anyway).
Mr GrimNasty said:
That space blanket is fine for laying but the covering doesn't last long. I've also found that the red plastic reacts with some materials like electric cable and 'melts' chemically (not from heat), so avoid touching cables, as with expanded polystyrene insulation. (Not that you should be covering cables anyway).
yes that does worry me. I need to increase the insulation to around 300mm but the cables are attached to joists etc.....HTH do I lay the insulation without covering the cables. Surely I don't need to rewire the house with the cables at 500mm above ceiling joists. Suppose I do....In theory, or get an electrician in to check affeted circuits/cable have sufficient capacity to not need upgrading/moving despite being insulated,..... then in the real world???? I expect cables get insulated all the time. I'd certainly consider re-routing any heavily used cables, e.g. electric shower radial, and check no one has skimped on cable size anywhere, used 1.5mm for a ring or something stupid. Lighting circuits probably won't be an issue.
i've got a whole bunch of the "space blanket" down. used it as a top-up to the non-wrapped fibre insulation. around 350mm in total.
been down for 2yrs, no problems noticed. the only issue is the same one you noted - i have it crossways, so when in the loft - which is very infrequent have to carefully feel my way around.
had an electrician round, he advised because of the additional insulation above the cables, they will get a bit warmer than normal and best not to maximise the circuit load.
been down for 2yrs, no problems noticed. the only issue is the same one you noted - i have it crossways, so when in the loft - which is very infrequent have to carefully feel my way around.
had an electrician round, he advised because of the additional insulation above the cables, they will get a bit warmer than normal and best not to maximise the circuit load.
more expensive way but good if you need the storage space up there is, according to my architect, to have the 100mm rockwool between joists, then screw down 25mm celotex insulation (the foil/foam/foil sandwich stuff) over the joists, then board over the top. same thermal efficiency as the 270mm rockwool only version, apparently.
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