Bradford – Your Area

What is Room-in-roof (RIR) insulation?

Not all properties have a room-in-roof. If you have a room in a converted loft or attic with a permanent staircase, not just a loft ladder, this is a room-in-roof. 

Room-in-roof insulation is an effective method of making your existing loft room more energy efficient and a more comfortable living space.

How will I know if my home requires Room-in-Roof insulation?

The type of roof insulation required will depend entirely on the type of roof your property has. If your home has a pitched roof, and has an attic room with a staircase leading to it, and it is uninsulated then it is likely you can have room-in-roof insulation. Flat roofs are more of a challenge to insulate.

What are the benefits of Room-in-roof (RIR) insulation?

Room-in-Roof (RIR) insulation may be the best option if your property requires a lot of heating in winter and is very hot in summer. Lofts can be poorly insulated or not insulated at all. These homes lose on average 25% of their heat through the roof. Without adequate insulation your home is very inefficient and very expensive to heat. Room-in-roof insulation can make a massive difference to your energy bills all year round and make the home much more warmer and comfortable living spaces.

How does it work?

Room-in-roof (RIR) insulation typically takes one to two weeks to install. There are three main types of insulation commonly used in roof conversions, which are rigid insulation, flexible insulation and thermal lining boards. Rigid insulation boards are available in various thicknesses. Flexible insulation and thermal lining boards, though thinner and cheaper, are not as effective as rigid insulation boards but can be a good compromise in difficult to insulate and small areas where the size of the room may become reduced as a result of adding thick insulation materials to walls and roof.

What should I expect from the work?

Before we begin work we’ll ask you to clear the room where the work is being carried out. This type of insulation typically takes three days to install. Once building regulations are approved, the work will involve battening and putting an insulated board on to the sloping walls and flat ceilings, plaster boarding and skimming. The final thickness will be between 75m and 150mm.

We may also need to move or adjust pipework, wiring, radiators and skirting boards. The works will produce dust and could be noisy at times. The newly insulated walls and adjacent surfaces will need to be re-decorated when the work has finished.

During the work our Liaison officer will be your main point of contact. They’re there to let you know exactly what’s going on at every stage and to give you all the help, support and information you need.

What is a High Efficiency A-rated Condensing Gas Boiler?

Installation of a High Efficiency Gas Boiler is an effective method of making your home warmer and more comfortable. How will I know if my home requires a new boiler? If your boiler is more than 10 years old it's likely to be G-rated meaning it could be inefficient and expensive to run. Replacing your old system could make your home warmer and save you money on energy bills.

What are the benefits of a new boiler?

By replacing an old G-rated boiler with a new high efficiency condensing boiler and improving your heating controls, you could cut your home’s carbon dioxide emissions – saving as much as £300 a year*. You will have instant hot water. Your home should be warmer and more comfortable.

How does it work?

Gas boilers can be used for heating your home and providing hot water. They do this by heating up water that circulates around the pipework connecting to your radiators. Many homes still have old G-rated boiler systems that can be very inefficient because they lose a lot of heat through the flue: these are known as non-condensing boilers. High efficiency condensing boilers re-use heat that would normally be lost into the atmosphere from the flue, keeping your home warmer and more energy efficient.

What should I expect from the work?

It should take around two days to complete the installation and will be done by one of our Gas Safe Registered engineers. Replacing your heating system means we’ll usually fit a new gas boiler, and may also put in new radiators as well. Sometimes, we’ll need to remove the main fire in your living room, and if necessary you may need a new electric fire.

Before we arrive please put away any fragile or valuable items and remove things from the wall to save them getting knocked. Boiler replacements can be quite noisy and dirty so we’ll always use dust sheets to protect floor coverings and furniture that has not been removed.

During the work our Liaison Officer will be your main point of contact. They’re there to let you know exactly what’s going on at every stage and to give you all the help, support and information you need.

*These are estimated figures provided by the Energy Saving Trust based on insulating a gas-heated, semi-detached home with three bedrooms. Actual savings may vary depending upon your individual circumstances.

Why choose us?

• Get up to a five-year manufacturer’s warranty on our market-leading boilers.
• Finance options are available from £39.50 a month* from our installer Scarbrook to help spread the cost.
• No deposit necessary, don’t pay a penny until you are 100% satisfied.
• You may qualify for funding to help pay for the boiler

 

*Source: OFTEC.org