ᐅ Replacing Roof Insulation in an Older Home?

Created on: 26 Aug 2011 14:11
E
elvsiett
E
elvsiett
26 Aug 2011 14:11
Hello!

We are looking for a small house and have one in mind, but it is not officially for sale yet, so I don’t have all the information.
My question is: It is a mid-terrace house built in 1976. The attic has been fully converted from the start. Since we want to use this room as a children's bedroom, I wonder: If the insulation is still intact and undamaged, is it sufficient, or would it need to be improved to avoid overheating in summer? We plan to reroof anyway, but what else is important and useful to achieve optimal insulation?

Kind regards
B
Bauexperte
26 Aug 2011 22:38
Hello,
elvsiett schrieb:
The attic has been fully finished from the start. Since we want to use this room as a children's room, the question is: If the insulation is not damaged, is it sufficient, or does it need to be improved to avoid overheating in summer?

Whether the insulation is still adequate should be assessed by a professional who can inspect the property on-site before purchase; it is not possible to determine this remotely.

One more thing: You can protect yourself against cold, but never completely against heat; the only effective solution is a room-specific air conditioning system. 🙂

Kind regards
E
elvsiett
27 Aug 2011 09:04
Ok—of course, we will have a professional take a look... I was just hoping you might be able to estimate whether proper insulation was already installed in 1976 or if the insulation is generally poor... in other words, whether the materials used are somewhat comparable to more modern ones, or if it’s still quite substandard.
I’m a bit impatient, but I guess I’ll have to wait until the expert can inspect it ;-)
Thanks for your response.
S
S.D.
28 Aug 2011 10:30
In 1976, mineral wool with aluminum foil facing was usually installed between the rafters.

Not ideal, but better than nothing.
At some point, a roof renovation will be necessary anyway, and then proper insulation can be installed.

However, without inspecting it, no one can really tell you anything.
As the construction expert already mentioned – without a crystal ball, it’s hard to say.

Best regards
S
Shorty
15 Nov 2011 02:23
I would renew the insulation at the same time when replacing the roof.

A lot has changed in insulation over the past 35 years. Nowadays, there are insulation materials with thermal conductivities (WLG) of 40, 35, and 32, with WLG 32 being the best available on the market.

Best regards, Sven