Loft help: what you’ve found, and what to do about it
Straight answers to what people find in their lofts, from drips on the felt to droppings in the insulation.
Illustration: a homeowner checking the loft
- Signs it needs replacing
- How to tell when loft insulation has failed: flattened, damp, stained, soiled or smelly. What each sign means and what to do.
- Loft condensation
- Why condensation forms in lofts, why it can start after insulating, and the practical fixes that stop it.
- Spray foam and mortgages
- Why some lenders and surveyors won’t accept spray foam on roof timbers, and what removal involves.
- Checking your insulation
- A quick, safe way to check how much loft insulation you have and whether it’s in good condition.
- How much do I need?
- The depth of loft insulation commonly recommended, and why condition matters as much as depth.
- Cables and downlights
- Why cables should sit on top of loft insulation and how downlights are dealt with when a loft is insulated.
- Boarding over insulation
- Why boards laid on joists squash insulation, and how a raised floor gives storage without the problem.
- Insulating a boarded loft
- Options for insulating a loft with existing boards: lifting them, insulating between joists, or raising the floor.
- Pipes and tanks
- Why pipes and tanks above new insulation need lagging, and what we do.
- Landlords and rented homes
- Damp, pests and thin insulation in rented homes: why the loft matters and how we fit around tenants.
- What we check
- The checklist we go through on a loft check: insulation, damp, timber, airflow, pests, pipes and cables.
Tell us what you’ve found. We’ll find the cause.
Describe the problem and we’ll look, explain it and quote the fix in writing. Free.