Warm Roofing for the UK Winter

With the summer holidays drawing to a close, leaves starting to brown on the trees, and kids going back to school, thoughts naturally turn to autumn and winter and protecting ourselves from the worst of bad weather. It's important to keep your home's 'hat' snug, warm and fully waterproofed - both for your comfort and your wallet. 

How much heat is lost through the roof and how is it lost?

Roofs account for around 25% of heat loss from a property (more if the rest of the house is well insulated). Insulation can be damaged, perished, inadequate or just absent. If your loft access is good and you're certain that any existing insulation is free from asbestos or any other chemical nasties, don a face mask (to prevent inhalation of eg fibreglass), grab a torch and have a look. 

What are warm roofs and U-values?

Insulation can be between joists or fixed to the inside of the roof - the latter is known as a 'warm roof'. Warm roofs have to conform to strict government guidelines relating to the rate at which heat can cross a roof surface (U-value). The lower the U-value, the better insulated the roof is. Warm roofs are now a legal requirement on many roofs.

Signs your roof is poorly insulated:

• In warm weather: Very hot rooms upstairs. Most people know that heat rises and upstairs rooms can also be hotter because of large, exposed upstairs windows, creating a kind of 'greenhouse effect'. However, very hot rooms upstairs can also be a sign of 'solar gain' - meaning essentially that the rooms are being heated from above.
• In cold or snowy weather: No snow/frost on the roof (i.e. because the roof is being heated from below, making it too warm for snow and frost to 'stick'). Icicles hanging from the eaves. Ice in the gutters. Cold interior walls and floors. Uneven heating.
• Other signs: Damp, mould and condensation. High energy bills

What you can do

There are various simple measures nearly anyone can take in their own homes to cut heat loss. These range from fitting brush letterboxes and brush-bottomed doors, to buying or making draught excluders, laying loft insulation over the joists, closing curtains in the evening, and so on. With some things though, you may want or need professional advice or work, for example double-glazing fitters, cavity wall insulation specialists, heating systems engineers, and roofing contractors.

What we can do

We have bags of experience and understanding of roofs and roof insulation with all kinds of roofs, using both tapered and untapered insulation. We offer a full service, including seamless, jointless, waterproof roofing over the insulation, 'locking' it to the roof, which helps to prevent perishing. All of our products meet Building Regulations rules regarding U-values, health and safety, fire-retardency etc. We're a UK wide, yet small independent firm, who can reach your roof wherever it is in the UK. We offer free, no obligation, on-site assessments and quotations. 

Ok, what now?

Find out more about warm roofing>

Call us on 07855 535581 or drop us an email>