Why Insulate Your Convertible Attic?
You are lucky to have convertible attic and want to know if it is worth undertaking insulation work? Here we explain what the advantages of this approach are and how to do it.
Convertible attic and lost attic: how to differentiate them?
Before we get interested in the insulation of convertible attics, it is important to remember what exactly this term means and how to know if this is the case in your home.
What is convertible attic?
Convertible attic, also called habitable attic or accessible attic, refers to the space located just below the roof that can be arranged to serve as a place to live. To be considered convertible, the attic must meet certain criteria. The first concerns the average clear height between the floor and the roof. It must be at least 1.80m in order to allow an average individual to stand. Then, it is also necessary that there is enough free surface to make the place habitable and that the inclination of the roof is at least 30 °.
What is lost attic?
To put it simply, the lost attic is the opposite of the convertible attic. They can also be called non-convertible attic. Here it is very difficult or impossible to make the space habitable because the attic does not meet the conditions we mentioned earlier. This may be due to insufficient height, a too small roof angle or a bad configuration of the frame. For example, if the latter is of the industrial type (with beams that intersect), it is often impossible to arrange the attic. They are then considered “lost”.
The interest of properly insulating convertible attic
Being able to arrange the attic of your house and enjoy an additional room is a great asset. That said, the quality of insulation must be irreproachable if you want to enjoy it in the best conditions. Here’s why.
Energy and money savings
Attic insulation is one of the most efficient energy renovation works. Indeed, a poorly insulated roof can cause up to 30% of a home’s heat loss. A good insulation of the attic can therefore make it possible to make sacred savings on its bills by having less need to solicit your heating, especially in winter. In the case of convertible attic, insulation is all the more important because it is more difficult to heat a room directly in contact with the roof. Keeping the heat inside is essential here so as not to have to overconsume.
Better comfort
Proper insulation of the attic will significantly increase the comfort felt inside the room. The first obvious reason is that as we were able to mention earlier, it will be much easier to heat the room. On the other hand, in summer the heat will come in less easily and cooling the room will also be less tedious. You will be able to enjoy a pleasant place to live whether in cold or hot weather. Finally, insulation also reduces external noise such as wind or rain hitting the roof.
A real estate capital gain
Having one more room in your house thanks to convertible attic is good, but with good insulation it is better! Indeed, it can have a real impact on the real estate value of your home. The diagnosis of the energy performance of a home is now mandatory and is very important in the eyes of buyers. The better this diagnosis, the lower the energy bills will be. Thus, by investing in the renovation of your attic, you will always be a winner since it will increase the selling price of your home.
Insulation of convertible attics: how to go about it?
Although it is possible to insulate convertible attic yourself, it is always better to call on a professional to be sure that the job is well done. Also favor craftsmen certified RGE (Recognized Guarantors of the Environment) who are specialized in energy renovation. Attic insulation can be done in two ways: from the inside or from the outside. The advantage of doing it from the inside is that it is generally simpler and cheaper, but insulation from the outside will not lose exploitable surface and not impact the aesthetic appearance of the frame.