Room In Roof Insulation
What defines a room in roof space?
A room in roof or attic room can be defined simply by the presence of a fixed staircase to access the room. Many older buildings that were constructed with an attic or loft space were either not insulated or insulated using materials and techniques that would not meet modern day building regulations.
Loft conversions that were completed a generation ago are also likely to have been poorly insulated, making a lot of loft rooms cold and difficult, or very expensive to heat. By using quality modern insulation and insulating existing attic rooms allows you to still use the roof space for storage, or extra living space, while boosting the warmth and heat retention in the property and the rooms below.
What is room in roof insulation?
For room in roof insulation, insulating batts (also known as blanket insulation) are attached to the walls and the sloped portion of the ceiling. Pieces of pre-cut insulating material are fitted between the batts and plasterboard is put over the insulating material. The plasterboard is then skimmed with plaster which can then be decorated. In some instances, insulation boards can be slotted up into the roof space behind the slanting part of the ceiling.
If there is a conventional loft space, this can also be insulated by installing rolls of glass fibre insulation on the floor of the loft. Installing room in roof insulation results in minimal disruption and you should usually expect the process to be finished within 1-2 days.
Who can qualify for room in roof insulation grants?
The ECO scheme has gone through multiple iterations since its introduction and the current ECO4 has different criteria than its predecessor ECO3. This means that some households who were not previously eligible for a grant for insulation could now qualify and vice versa. Grants through the scheme also focus more on houses whose Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) puts them in bands D, E, F, or G.
If you or someone in your household is receiving one of the income-related benefits below it is likely you will be able to qualify for a room in roof insulation grant. However, even if you are not claiming a benefit you may still be able to get a grant if you are a homeowner, landlord or privately renting tenant in a household with an income of less than £31,000. This means you can have all of the benefits and savings room in roof insulation will provide you without having to worry about how you can afford to pay for it. The current qualifying benefits under the ECO4 scheme are:
- Income based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA)
- Income related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Income Support (IS)
- Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
- Working Tax Credit (WTC)
- Child Tax Credits (CTC)
- Universal Credit (UC)
- Housing Benefit (new eligible benefit through ECO4)
- Pension Credit Savings Credit (new eligible benefit through ECO4)
If you think you are eligible for a grant it is definitely worth finding out for sure with us today. Room in roof insulation can typically cost £2,000 or more if you are having it installed without a grant.
How much can room in roof insulation save you?
If your loft space or attic room is not insulated, you could risk losing up to a quarter of the heat in your home. Insulating the walls and ceiling of your room in roof space could help you save up to £590 a year on your heating bills – according to the Energy Saving Trust figures for a detached house and based on fuel prices as of October 2022.
What are the benefits of room in roof insulation?
- Keeps converted loft space warmer and as a result makes them more comfortable
- Stops heat from escaping through your roof to help maintain it throughout your home
- Lowers your energy bills as you don’t need to spend as much due to your home staying warm for longer
- Increases the value and desirability of your home
Grants for room in roof insulation
Room in roof insulation grants are available to cover part of or the full cost of having loft or attic rooms insulated. If you are claiming a benefit that qualifies or you’re in a low-income household, then you should be entitled to a grant to pay for your new room in roof insulation, depending on the type of heating system you already have installed and whether your home is suitable for this type of insulation.
This grant funding is part of the government’s ECO (Energy Companies Obligation) scheme, meaning that energy companies across the UK are obliged to pay for insulation in private, domestic households. These companies include British Gas, E. ON, Npower, SSE, EDF, Scottish Power, and others.
