Loft insulation · Leeds, West Yorkshire
Loft insulation in Leeds: Old Insulation Out, 300mm In and 15m² Boarded on Raised Legs
EcoTrust Roofing & Insulation Ltd replaced the loft insulation in a home in Leeds, West Yorkshire, where decades-old insulation had gone dark with dust and was flattened and uneven across the whole roof space. The team cleared the old material out, laid new mineral wool to 300mm in two layers, then boarded 15m² on raised legs. The homeowner kept a usable storage platform with the full 300mm of insulation intact underneath.
The problem
The old insulation covered the whole roof space, but it was dark with years of dust, flattened in the traffic areas and uneven everywhere else. Insulation in that state is not doing much: once it is compressed it has lost the air that makes it work.
Laying new wool straight over the top would have hidden the problem rather than fixed it, so it had to come out first. Part of the loft was also to be boarded for storage, without crushing the new insulation.
What we did
- Cleared the old, compressed insulation out of the roof space and took it away.
- Laid the first layer of new mineral wool between the joists.
- Laid the second layer across the joists to reach 300mm, so there are no cold gaps along the timbers.
- Set raised loft legs into the new insulation.
- Boarded 15m² on the raised legs, so the deck sits above the insulation instead of squashing it.
The result
The roof space is clean, with new mineral wool at 300mm across the loft and no compressed or uneven patches.
The 15m² boarded area can be used for storage without undoing the work of the insulation, which is what happens when boards go straight onto the joists. The work is covered by EcoTrust's 10-year guarantee.
Loft insulation in Leeds: questions we get asked
Should old loft insulation be removed or topped up?
If it is flattened, dirty or uneven, it is usually better to remove it. Compressed insulation has lost the air that makes it work, and new wool laid on top hides the problem. In this Leeds loft the old material came out first, then new mineral wool went down to 300mm.
How deep should loft insulation be?
Current guidance is around 270mm to 300mm of mineral wool. In Leeds we laid 300mm in two layers: the first between the joists and the second across them. Crossing the second layer over the timbers covers the joists, so heat cannot escape through cold gaps along the wood.
Can I board my loft without squashing the insulation?
Yes, by raising the boards. In this Leeds loft we set raised legs into the new 300mm of mineral wool and boarded 15m² on top. The deck sits above the insulation instead of crushing it, so the homeowner has storage and still keeps the full depth underneath.
Is the survey free and how is the job priced?
Yes. An EcoTrust surveyor checks the state of the existing insulation, measures the loft and any area you want boarded, and gives you a fixed written price before anything is booked. On this Leeds job that meant pricing the removal, 300mm of new wool and 15m² of raised boarding.
Do you cover the rest of Leeds and West Yorkshire?
Yes. We insulate and board lofts across Leeds, including Headingley, Horsforth, Morley and Pudsey, and across West Yorkshire and most of England from our Manchester and Sevenoaks offices. Book a free survey online or call 0800 870 8086 and we will confirm a date that suits you.
Need loft insulation in Leeds or nearby?
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