insulate loft with recycled items?

[scotsmart]

Guys
A wee posser for you here we have tried and for whatever reason failled to get our loft insulated under the numerous gov and free private schemes ( although currently awaiting T***o's decision) however meantime i am attempting to find out what that is readily available cheap/free could we use to satifactorily insulate our loftspace being that i would far rather re-cycle and reuse if i can than buy new! anyone got any idea.

We also use the loft for storage seeing as it has none built in so sadly ramming it full of straw/hay is out the question!! but any other safe methods to keep heat from disapating in the loft and out would be appriciated

Many thanks ahead of replies


Slanj

[JuzaMum]

Hi

About a month ago we purchased enough insulation to top our loft up to recommended levels from B&Q for £12. If we had no insulation at all we would of had to double that. Our house is a 3/4 bed detached so not tiny. We are also raising the rafters and boarding as we too use a loft for storage.

They still have some good offers on http://search.diy.com/search#w=insulation

I know it's new but fulfils your requirement for cheap and there is an eco insullation option.

JuzaMum

[scotsmart]

Thanks guys 2 issues would rather Freecycle or re-use is possible and second no transport humfing x rolls of insulation 40mls one at a time doesnt excite me (might be able to arrangebcollection but need a van surely).

2 bed van how many rolls required should i go that route?

[meehaja]

Its a shame you're not in yorkshire as I have a couple of rolls in my basement waiting for me to redo the garage ceiling!

Anyway,failing freecycle, council grants and paying B&Q for it...

Consider what it actually is! Insulation is designed to trap layers of air, keeping warm air below it (in your house) and cold air above it (outside!) That said, it also needs to allow some air to move through it else all the moisture in the air will get trapped and you'll have a very damp house!

Straw is effective, as is shredded newspaper, though I wouldn't recommend either due to fire risk and poor response to dampness (not to mention mouse nests!)

old duvets are great, as they are basically big squares of insulation. Though not as thick as recommended insulation, they are effective and easy to lay, as are old clothes of any description!

I'd still strive for "proper" insulation rolls if I were you, but as a stop gap, old bedding and clothes is probably your best bet.

jim

[scotsmart]

Meehaja
Thank you very much the answers essentially i was seeking, getting a hold of old quilts and such like shouldnt be that difficult? Free-Cyclewise so i shall get on the case this very day on that one, if the property had of been our own, i would of loved to of straw balled the outside what a difference that would make? sadly we dont, so cant!

We got there in the end just really wanted my ideas confirmed, as some of us are not nessesarily able for one reason or another to either logistically nor physically obtain insulation rolls no matter how cheap they might be in a anon diy superstore.

Onwards and upwards, local charity shops, FC and other such cheap sources of quilts i must seek out when does jumble sale season start ? i take it old carpets would do equally well in this situation surely as all our carpets will in the near future be getting replaced (i hope) which would at least provide a good use for them all ......

[demi]

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thermawrap-Loft ... =8-1-spell

they deliver.




im sure you can find it cheaper, this is just an example.

[scotsmart]

Demi
Thanks, we have checked most deliver the problem is the costs as apparently we live in outer mongolia? and all of a sudden the £20 item doubles or more (not sure with this particular item will need to enquire) however many thanks for bringing it to our attention all the same. Hopefully if we can workout a multi deal we might get somewhere ....

A bit more research i beleive is required ..

[demi]

whare abouts are you in scotland by the way?

[scotsmart]

West coast Lochaber Highland region lovely scenicly stupendous area but a ####### to get anything delivered to most sellers on both E-bay & Amazon etc in their delivery notes load delivery to us and a few others rather unfairly i should add (take the few bags of artex we required do you know for fact it was cheaper for us to go to either Inverness or Glasgow to collect than to get them sent to us ) were starting to get used to it now though and seriously thinking before buying anything due to this fact alone!

I should point out that its just another hurdle to get over but it will not defeat us we shall get there im sure just slower than first anticipated that all