Attic Insulation?

LaVail

I know very little about this sort of thing so bear with me. I am currently living in a bungalow and I notice up in the attic that there is no insulation what so ever, the ceiling slab is all thats there

The house is freezing and when I put on a fire the heat just rises and is whipped out through the vents in the attic.

I obviously need some sort of fibre glass insulation (rockwool?) but dont know what thickness I should get or if I should do two passes, one in either direction?

Can anyone here advise me what to do, and how much per roll it would cost? (the cheaper the roll the better )

Thanks

gsxr1

you need 2 layers of 150mm fiber glass.

1st layer in between the ceiling joist.

2nd layer layed like a blanket over the first.

Measure the area of your attic. It will probably be the same area as the 1st floor.

call everyone in the yellow pages. Quotes vary alot and if you are doing a whole price you will get a good deal.

LaVail

gsxr1 wrote: »

you need 2 layers of 150mm fiber glass.

1st layer in between the ceiling joist.

2nd layer layed like a blanket over the first.

Measure the area of your attic. It will probably be the same area as the 1st floor.

call everyone in the yellow pages. Quotes vary alot and if you are doing a whole price you will get a good deal.

Thanks for the info gsxr1

Thought as much I would need 2 layers.. The house is roughly 33feet x 55 feet. Will it cost 100's or 1000's do you think?

gsxr1

LaVail wrote: »

Thanks for the info gsxr1

Thought as much I would need 2 layers.. The house is roughly 33feet x 55 feet. Will it cost 100's or 1000's do you think?

i cant remember. i would guess at some where in between. does not take long to pay for itself against winter heating bills. keeps the home cooler in summer days as well.

LaVail

gsxr1 wrote: »

i cant remember. i would guess at some where in between. does not take long to pay for itself against winter heating bills. keeps the home cooler in summer days as well.

Will ring up a few places tomorrow and get some prices, like you say it should pay for itself in a few years, spent ~€1000 on heating last winter and the house was still freezing :eek:

Thanks again for the help.

Spread

Just under €3000 I imagine. You'll get a grant AFAIK. Just ring around with the square footage and they should quote you over the phone. Put on an authoritative voice

Avns1s

You could always buy the rolls and lay it yourself. However, its not the most pleasant of all jobs.

Measure the depth of the joists. They are possibly 100mm (4") as its a bungalow. If they are 100mm then the first layer should be 100mm fibreglass or rockwool. In this instance, the second layer should be 200mm (8") giving 300mm (12") overall.

If the joist depth is 150mm, then 2 layers of 150mm.

LaVail

Spread wrote: »

Just under €3000 I imagine. You'll get a grant AFAIK. Just ring around with the square footage and they should quote you over the phone. Put on an authoritative voice

3k for a few rolls of fibreglass? I hope not :eek:
I was looking into the grants before but I dont think I can avail of it.

Avns1s wrote: »

You could always buy the rolls and lay it yourself. However, its not the most pleasant of all jobs.

Measure the depth of the joists. They are possibly 100mm (4") as its a bungalow. If they are 100mm then the first layer should be 100mm fibreglass or rockwool. In this instance, the second layer should be 200mm (8") giving 300mm (12") overall.

If the joist depth is 150mm, then 2 layers of 150mm.

Yeah i'd be hoping that I could buy the roll's and do the job myself..Im not bothered by working with the stuff because I have a few mask's and overall's and the like so at least I wouldnt be itched to death over it. I must head up in the attic later on and measure the depth of the joists so Ill have a better Idea of where I stand.

Thanks lads

dnme

Look;, wait up for the next Homebase 15% off weekend, they are fairly regular, then go in and buy a roll of insulation (somewhere between 12 and 20 quid), bring it home and lay it up yourself. This will give you an idea of the price and whether you want to do the job yourself or not.

IMO do it yourself, you'll sweat like crazy up there but that in itself is real good for ya. Wear a good breather mask, long marigold gloves and old clothes. As soon as you come down, hop in the shower and put your clothes in the wash. Just be VERY careful up there, best bring up a couple of pieces of plywood to rest/kneel on.

Spread

LaVail wrote: »

3k for a few rolls of fibreglass? I hope not :eek:
I was looking into the grants before but I dont think I can avail of it.
Thanks lads

You've got 169 M2 and they charge about €15 per M2. That works out at just over €2,500.

DIY = 25 X 2 rolls at about €20 per roll

You save a lot for a Saturday's work

LaVail

dnme wrote: »

Look;, wait up for the next Homebase 15% off weekend, they are fairly regular, then go in and buy a roll of insulation (somewhere between 12 and 20 quid), bring it home and lay it up yourself. This will give you an idea of the price and whether you want to do the job yourself or not.

IMO do it yourself, you'll sweat like crazy up there but that in itself is real good for ya. Wear a good breather mask, long marigold gloves and old clothes. As soon as you come down, hop in the shower and put your clothes in the wash. Just be VERY careful up there, best bring up a couple of pieces of plywood to rest/kneel on.

Spread wrote: »

You've got 169 M2 and they charge about €15 per M2. That works out at just over €2,500.

DIY = 25 rolls at about €20 per roll

You save a lot for a Saturday's work

wow the boys going around putting it in are making a nice few bob for their days work, €15 per M2 seems saucy but I suppose they have to put bread on the table too.

After seeing all of the above Ill definitely be doing this myself as €12-€20 per roll isnt going to break the bank and ill have it thrown in there in the bones of a day and hopefully it'll pay off when we have our next cold winter which if our weather is anything to go by will be here before the end of August

Cheers

heinbloed

You've sensed the bait, LaVail.
B&Q has the brochures for free, how to meassure, how to install. And the staff there isn't complete nuts as well.

Your 180m2 will be less than €1,000 to do on a DIY base.

Check also the local library for DIY books,plenty of hints there - for free.

gsxr1

the deals in B&Q can be beaten by you local provider in this climate. Summer time .. they dont sell that much of it now. I dont think b&q type place sell the big 4' rolls either. Im not against the big DIY centers, I just remember my exboss talking about much better deals elsewhere.

I have done it in a few houses. Its a horrible job. Masks , a few disposable suits and gloves help. A few knee pads are handy to have up there as well .

reilig

Definitely try a local builder's providers before buying from B & Q. You should be able to save at least 20% on B&Q's prices - and you will be able to bargain with them.

LaVail

gsxr1 wrote: »

the deals in B&Q can be beaten by you local provider in this climate. Summer time .. they dont sell that much of it now. I dont think b&q type place sell the big 4' rolls either. Im not against the big DIY centers, I just remember my exboss talking about much better deals elsewhere.

I have done it in a few houses. Its a horrible job. Masks , a few disposable suits and gloves help. A few knee pads are handy to have up there as well .

reilig wrote: »

Definitely try a local builder's providers before buying from B & Q. You should be able to save at least 20% on B&Q's prices - and you will be able to bargain with them.

Just got quoted €460 for 25 roll's from the local building supplies centre, it started off at €22 per roll but came down to under €18.50 per roll when I told him I wanted enough to cover about 170 M2

Im thinking of going with this because I doubt Ill be able to get it cheaper else where. Ill ring a few more places just to be sure though.

dnme

LaVail wrote: »

Just got quoted €460 for 25 roll's from the local building supplies centre, it started off at €22 per roll but came down to under €18.50 per roll when I told him I wanted enough to cover about 170 M2

Im thinking of going with this because I doubt Ill be able to get it cheaper else where. Ill ring a few more places just to be sure though.

€18.50 is pricy for this time of year, trust me. You're in no hurry as you still have 3 -4 months of summer left. Bide your time, keep an eye on the big stores, they often have sales on this stuff, recently Homebase had this stuff here in Sligo on special for 13 quid a roll. Keep an eye on donedeal.ie and adverts.ie aswell. You can save some cash here if you take your time.

derealbadger

if you do this your self baby powder is your new best friend cover your self in it first stops the fibers from sticking to your skin also get white disposable suit and gloves and tape at the joints same with the bottom tape to your socks good luck with it

mfceiling

derealbadger wrote: »

if you do this your self baby powder is your new best friend cover your self in it first stops the fibers from sticking to your skin also get white disposable suit and gloves and tape at the joints same with the bottom tape to your socks good luck with it

This is brilliant advice - believe me when i tell you that the baby powder works like magic!!

If you are in dublin OP then give Uvalue a bell (blanchardstown) - they specialise in insulation, boards etc - even call out to them and get some info from them (totally free, as are the brochures and cups of tea!!).

I deal with them a good bit and they are decent lads and are fairly clued in with insulation and the products associated with it.

Spread

LaVail wrote: »

Just got quoted €460 for 25 roll's from the local building supplies centre, it started off at €22 per roll but came down to under €18.50 per roll when I told him I wanted enough to cover about 170 M2

Im thinking of going with this because I doubt Ill be able to get it cheaper else where. Ill ring a few more places just to be sure though.

You'll need two layers ......... 25 M2 floor

If there already is a 4" layer in situ, then you'll need another 8".

If I've understood correctly then you'll need 50 rolls.

You'll still come out quids in. Good luck.

Buford T Justice

I calculate that you need about 320 square meters of 150mm insulation as you'll be doing two layers.

Afaik, brooks charge in the region of €17.50 incl vat for loftwool 150mm insulation, and each roll is about 6.5 square meters. Prices will vary so its worth telling them how much you're looking for.

You're looking at about 50 rolls, which works out at around €875

Kristopherus

Go for Knauff Space Blanket, available in Homebase. As others have said, the regularly have sales and other offers. The big advantage with Space Blanket is that it is enclosed in a sleeve so will not cause irritation. I did this in a similar sized house to the OP in January 2009, with Space Blanket. Got it in Homebase over the post Xmas period. Luckily they had a 50% off sale on the Sat/Sun after Xmas. So what I saw for €13.50 a roll was eventually reduced to €6.50:D. Put 300mm all over the attic except under the water tank. You fill the space between the joists first, and then lay the top layer on top running at right angls to the original lay. You should also allow about 2ins gap at the eaves as this will allow ventilation. If you do it yourself, follow the advice of the others, and be aware that you will sweat gallons up there. Best time to do it would be late Sept/early Oct. I was lucky in that Jan 2009 was very mild:). Cost of materials came in at just under €700.00. Have reaped the benefit of it already what with the 2 hard winters we've had !!!

LaVail

Spread wrote: »

You'll need two layers ......... 25 M2 floor

If there already is a 4" layer in situ, then you'll need another 8".

If I've understood correctly then you'll need 50 rolls.

You'll still come out quids in. Good luck.

Fingers McGee wrote: »

I calculate that you need about 320 square meters of 150mm insulation as you'll be doing two layers.

Afaik, brooks charge in the region of €17.50 incl vat for loftwool 150mm insulation, and each roll is about 6.5 square meters. Prices will vary so its worth telling them how much you're looking for.

You're looking at about 50 rolls, which works out at around €875

When I rang the builders supplies I told them I wanted 150mm and he still said I only needed 25 roll's so not sure where I stand now... Would it be a waste of time just putting down one layer or will I need to put 2 down to get the full benefit? There is nothing at all up in the attic, just the ceiling slab's.

Kristopherus wrote: »

Go for Knauff Space Blanket, available in Homebase. As others have said, the regularly have sales and other offers. The big advantage with Space Blanket is that it is enclosed in a sleeve so will not cause irritation. I did this in a similar sized house to the OP in January 2009, with Space Blanket. Got it in Homebase over the post Xmas period. Luckily they had a 50% off sale on the Sat/Sun after Xmas. So what I saw for €13.50 a roll was eventually reduced to €6.50:D. Put 300mm all over the attic except under the water tank. You fill the space between the joists first, and then lay the top layer on top running at right angls to the original lay. You should also allow about 2ins gap at the eaves as this will allow ventilation. If you do it yourself, follow the advice of the others, and be aware that you will sweat gallons up there. Best time to do it would be late Sept/early Oct. I was lucky in that Jan 2009 was very mild:). Cost of materials came in at just under €700.00. Have reaped the benefit of it already what with the 2 hard winters we've had !!!

Never heard of the space blanket so might look into it when I head into town the next day, nice price you got it for too! I must do a bit more shopping around this weekend to see where I can get it the cheapest. I swore last winter that i'd do it this year because I nearly died with the cold and draughts, kept lighting fires and burned turf and coal like there was no tomorrow but it didnt matter because all the heat was escaping through the roof. If I end up paying €500-€800 I wont mind because Im bound to save on the heating this year. Spent €1000-€1200 on fuel last winter and I might as well have just set fire to the money itself for all the good it did me.

Thanks for all the help and advice lads, Ill keep ye posted to let ye know how its coming along

paddy147

170 and 200mm loft insulation is 3 quid a roll in the UK.

Thanks very much to david cameron so.:D

LaVail

paddy147 wrote: »

170 and 200mm loft insulation is 3 quid a roll in the UK.

Thanks very much to david cameron so.:D

wow! there's something not right when its £3 over there and nearly €20 here, and they say things were never as cheap in Ireland :rolleyes:

paddy147

LaVail wrote: »

wow! there's something not right when its £3 over there and nearly €20 here, and they say things were never as cheap in Ireland :rolleyes:

Theres a big goverment push in the Uk for all UK homes to be made greener and more energy effiecent.

Wickes and Focus (Focus are now just gone bust) were more or less giving the insulation away,It was going that cheap.Philips 11W CFL bulbs for 50 pence.

I have relations in the UK,so it was very handy for me to get this insulation at that price.:D

LaVail

paddy147 wrote: »

Theres a big goverment push in the Uk for all UK homes to be made greener and more energy effiecent.

Wickes and Focus (Focus are now just gone bust) were more or less giving the insulation away,It was going that cheap.Philips 11W CFL bulbs for 50 pence.

I have relations in the UK,so it was very handy for me to get this insulation at that price.:D

The same thing is going on here sure with the warmer homes scheme but if you dont get the grant you are left out in the cold (pardon the pun)

Hopefully I can get it a bit cheaper than the €18.50 quoted

the_syco

DO NOT BLOCK YOUR VENTS

Be careful not to block the vents in the attic.

See the first two pictures here. The person who did insulated our attic blocked up the vents, and caused problems for us at a later date, so check to ensure you don't do likewise.

DublinDilbert

If money is tight at the minute just pop down one layer, you'll notice a big improvement coming from having none down.

The second layer is very easy to put down, goes in very quickly...

Kristopherus

LaVail wrote: »

The same thing is going on here sure with the warmer homes scheme but if you dont get the grant you are left out in the cold (pardon the pun)

Hopefully I can get it a bit cheaper than the €18.50 quoted

And if you do get the grant, watch how the installer's fees shoot up. Robbin' b**tards:mad:

LaVail

the_syco wrote: »

DO NOT BLOCK YOUR VENTS

Be careful not to block the vents in the attic.

See the first two pictures here. The person who did insulated our attic blocked up the vents, and caused problems for us at a later date, so check to ensure you don't do likewise.

Yeah a few people told me to be careful not to block the vents, there's gap's all over the place up there though and a lot of wind is getting in..Sometimes on a very windy day the attic cover is flapping and banging mad. Im going to cover in some of the gaps but Ill leave some to keep it vented.

Kristopherus wrote: »

And if you do get the grant, watch how the installer's fees shoot up. Robbin' b**tards:mad:

Thats always the case, rip off Ireland in full flight.. No wonder we're in the hole that we are.

ballysheil

If you have the ability to troll up to the north you can buy this insulation very cheaply compared to here. Check out b&q online etc to get an idea.