Room-in-roof insulation is a way to insulate the ceilings and walls of rooms directly under the roof. This insulation helps retain heat and prevent energy loss through the roof.

Room-in-roof insulation can make your home more comfortable and reduce heating costs in rooms that tend to get colder.

Insulation myth busters

Cavity insulation will make my home damp. 

• This is untrue. Proper wall insulation will benefit your home and is more likely to prevent damp, as it will make your walls warmer. If you’re aware of any damage or cracks in your outer wall, then it’s best to get these sorted out first, as this is what is likely to cause damp. 

My house is old and there are no cavity walls, so I can’t insulate my home. 

• Not true. If you don’t have cavity walls, you can still insulate your home. This can be done by internal or external solid wall insulation.

Insulation is only for new construction.

• Not true. Installing insulation is beneficial in all homes. Retrofitting an older building with insulation can save on heating and cooling costs and improve your energy efficiency. 

All insulation materials are the same.

• No, there are various types of insulation materials with their own properties and performance characteristics. The most common insulation materials are fiberglass, cellulose, spray foam and mineral wool. Mineral wool for example is fireproof, whilst fiberglass is widely used as it’s the most affordable. 

Insulation solves all energy efficiency problems. 

• Sadly, no. Insulation is an important energy efficiency measure and is a great first step into retrofitting your home. However, it does not address other factors contributing to energy inefficiency such as air leakage, how you heat your home, and draughts. These issues need to be targeted in conjunction with insulation. 

Insulating your home won’t reduce your carbon footprint. 

• By insulating your home, the heat you produce will remain in your house for longer. Not only can this help save on your heating costs, but it means that your heating system (be that a boiler or heat pump) won’t need to work as hard to maintain a constant temperature, which will save on the energy used and reduce your home’s carbon emissions. With good insulation, an average mid-terrace house could save up to 580kgs of carbon a year.

Insulation is only for roofs and basements. 

• Whilst it is true that these are key areas, it’s beneficial for a whole house approach to be taken. Proper insulation can be installed in walls (cavity or solid wall), floors, ceilings and even ducts or around pipes. The installation of insulation means your home will not only benefit from energy savings, but also can help with soundproofing and protection from condensation or mould growth.

Insulation will make your home warmer in the summer. 

• Not true. Proper insulation does a good job of retaining heat you create inside your home during the winter and keeping warm air outside during the summer, so you stay cool. Effective insulation limits the amount of heat travelling through your walls and floors during the summer months, so your home will stay cooler for longer. 

It is important before installing insulation that you first repair any damage from damp, rot, or infestation if applicable. A survey of your home will be caried out your MCS accredited installer before fitting any insulation measures. (MCS means Microgeneration Certification Scheme which marks the quality of an installer in the renewable energy field.)

There are grants and projects ongoing across the county to help residents make significant energy-efficiency improvements to their properties. This includes grants to fully-fund such improvements for those in fuel poverty or on low income. If you would like more information regarding these projects and grants contact us via email at: retrofit@oxfordshire.gov.uk  or register your interest via our online form.