Historic England Insulating Roofs

Published 29 april 2016.

Historic england insulating roofs.

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

This guidance note provides advice on the principles risks materials and methods for insulating pitched roofs at ceiling level. In other instances individual variances may be obtained. To meet current building regulations you will need about 300mm thickness of insulation. 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.

The roof is oten referred to as a warm roof. 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. Cold roofs versus warm roofs. The simplest and most common way to insulate a pitched roof is to add insulation above the horizontal ceiling of the top floor.

Thatching reflects strong vernacular traditions all over the country. 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. Insulating pitched roofs at ceiling level cold roofs. 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.

Some municipal building codes allow variances for roofing materials in historic districts. Energy efficiency and historic buildings. And current best practice. Jonathan taylor s article unpacks the key issues including the role of moisture ventilation and buffering.

Insulation can be placed above between or just below the rafters. Insulating pitched roofs at ceiling level cold roofs. High levels of ventilation can usually be achieved which reduces the possibility of any condensation occurring within the cold roof space. Energy efficiency and historic buildings.

Historic england holds an extensive range of publications and historic collections in its public archive covering the historic environment. Insulation can be. The question of how best to insulate and ventilate a historic roof cannot be answered with a single solution. Relatively thick layers of insulation will not cause problems if installed carefully.

Insulating roofs at ceiling level for most roofs placing insulation above the ceiling of the top floor can be cheaply and easily achieved without significant modification. Insulating roofs loft insulation. 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.