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mcarr



Joined: 26 Jan 2009
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 11:22 am    Post subject: attic insulation questions? Reply with quote

I want to insulate my attic and have three questions.
1. We have downlights in the cieling below the attic. Can I just cover them with insulation ? I'm concerned it may cause a fire by putting insulation over them.
2. The attic is trussed out for easy conversion to a dormer so I was going to start out by insulating the roof and walls myself. Is there a simple product I can buy which will save be the bother and expense of plastering the whole roof and walls?
3. Is there any good website which tells me how to insulate attic, paticularly about gaps to leave for ventillation?
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amc1



Joined: 25 Jan 2009
Posts: 5

PostPosted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

hi mcarr
firstly , no you cant cover your ceiling lights with insulation, apart from being a fire hazard..you will keep blowing bulbs, because of over heating...wot we useually do , is to make a plaster board box measureing aprox 150mm x150mm around the lights, or just go from joist to joist,, and run your insulation up to this,
as regards to your attic...why not dryline it ...so easy, cost efective, and looks the business if done right...
now to insulate your attic with vents,..is not needed...im sure there is enough air flow circulating around your rafters from the gap between tile batton and felt to keep everything dry


regards andy

andrew-mccarthy@msn.com
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Zherebkin



Joined: 26 Jan 2010
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Tue Jan 26, 2010 9:17 pm    Post subject: Adding insulation to your attic Reply with quote

Here's our advice for adding insulation to your attic floor:

1. If you have original floor boards, do your best to carefully remove and save them for reuse, as well as any original iron nails. Use various hand tools including a flat bar, cat's paw, hammer and nail puller to lift the nail a little at a time, working ahead of the nail, so that the force of the bar is spread out and you don't damage the wood.

2. Measure the depth of your floor joist space, and buy batts or rolls of fiberglass that will fit snuggly, with highest R-factor available. You can test for depth before pulling up floor boards by drilling some ¼ inch holes and using a stiff piece of iron wire to check your depth.

3. If old insulation exists, inspect it carefully before simply adding to it. Years of improper ventilation could have matted it down, prior efforts at working on wiring or other systems could have caused coverage to be inconsistent, and nesting pests might have ruined entire areas. It may make sense to clean out cavities and install new, fluffy insulation. Always wear a respirator 1/2 mask with H.E.P.A. (high efficiency particulate air) filtration cartridges, and cover all bare skin when working with any insulation materials as even new stuff is nasty. Caution: some forms of older vermiculite insulation are known to contain asbestos.

4. This is a good opportunity to update any wiring or services while everything is open and visible. You never want to insulate over wiring that is frayed or has worn-out coverings. If the wiring runs through joists perpendicularly, cut insulation to fit around it.

5. If no insulation exists, or you are removing old insulation, you can opt to use a vapor barrier facing the living space (heat source). The paint covering our living spaces is also considered an excellent vapor barrier. Always use unfaced fiber glass with no vapor barrier to layer on existing blanket or loose-fill insulation.

6. Insulation must retain its loft to work, so you can't smush it down, or cram it into a space. Use a utility knife to custom-fit pieces. Be careful when installing insulation that you do not block any vents along the eaves.

7. If you have no floor and are planning to put down plywood, do not use any vapor barrier insulation, as plywood has some vapor barrier qualities and you risk trapping moisture.

Project Note: Any time you insulate you must also ventilate because trapping heat during cold weather creates dew point (condensation) and this moisture must be allowed to ventilate out of the building.
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spider



Joined: 23 Apr 2010
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 8:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A good product is available to cover recessed lighting prior to the application of loft insulation. Solves the insulation and air infiltration problem. I have recommended it for use in my surveys and works details and it appears to have made a huge difference to heat loss issues through upper floor ceilings. Go to downlightcoversdirect.ie. They appear to be reasonably priced and readily available. Incorrectly fitted loft insulation has always been a problem but if done correctly it can be the most cost effective way to save energy and it can be a DIY job Laughing
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spider



Joined: 23 Apr 2010
Posts: 2

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 1:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Actually, heres the link I forgot www.downlightcoversdirect.ie
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neild



Joined: 23 Apr 2010
Posts: 1

PostPosted: Fri Apr 23, 2010 6:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I insulated my loft over a year ago and had the same problem many people have with big gaps left in the insulation I had my contractor install 30 of these covers throughout (lot of lights) he then fixed and topped up the insulation properly. I really noticed the difference no more cold spots and NO more draughts and the bulbs seem to last forever now as they dont blow anymore, really pleased now. The downlight covers direct are the company I got them from they are reasonable on price and well worth it.
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foggers



Joined: 28 Aug 2010
Posts: 15

PostPosted: Sat Aug 28, 2010 10:09 am    Post subject: Loft Insulation Reply with quote

don't know if you got this sorted but I got Loft Insulation installed by the lads in the link. If you are not sorted, give them a shout and they may well have good advice for you.
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