Historic England Insulating Roofs

This guidance provides advice on the principles risks materials and methods for insulating thatched roofs.

Historic england insulating roofs.

The simplest and most common way to insulate a pitched roof is to add insulation above the horizontal ceiling of the top floor. Energy efficiency and historic buildings. Thatching reflects strong vernacular traditions all over the country. The question of how best to insulate and ventilate a historic roof cannot be answered with a single solution.

This guidance note provides advice on the principles risks materials and methods for insulating pitched roofs at ceiling level. Insulating pitched roofs at ceiling level cold roofs. Insulating roofs loft insulation. Relatively thick layers of insulation will not cause problems if installed carefully.

To meet current building regulations you will need about 300mm thickness of insulation. Energy efficiency and historic buildings. Insulation can be placed above between or just below the rafters. Insulating pitched roofs at ceiling level cold roofs.

The use of the historic roofing material on a structure may be restricted by building codes or by the availability of the materials in which case an appropriate alternative will have to be found. However if the top floor is open to the rafters and is used as habitable accommodation then insulation will need to be provided at rafter level. Adding insulation to your loft or attic is one of the easiest and cheapest ways of improving a building s energy efficiency. Cold roofs versus warm roofs.

Insulation can be. Energy efficiency and historic buildings. High levels of ventilation can usually be achieved which reduces the possibility of any condensation occurring within the cold roof space. Some municipal building codes allow variances for roofing materials in historic districts.

In other instances individual variances may be obtained. There are estimated to be about fifty thousand thatched buildings in england today some of which retain thatch which is over six hundred years old. Around 25 per cent of heat loss occurs through a building s roof but high levels of insulation in historic roofs can be counter productive sometimes even accelerating heat loss in the long term. And current best practice.

The roof is oten referred to as a warm roof. Historic england holds an extensive range of publications and historic collections in its public archive covering the historic environment. When insulation is placed in this position the roof is often referred to as a cold roof. Published 29 april 2016.

Different situations require different solutions. The simplest and most common way to insulate a pitched roof is to add insulation above the horizontal ceiling of the top floor. However if the top floor is open to the raters and is used as habitable accommodation then insulation will need to be provided at rater level.