Rising energy prices hots up demand for insulated loft boards

A desire by homeowners to reduce their fuel bills and make their homes more energy efficient has led to an increase in demand for Styroloft loft boards from Panel Systems.

Danny Phelan, Sales Manager for Panel Systems, explains:

“There’s been a significant increase in sales of our loft boards, as people look for effective ways to reduce rising energy bills. Contractors and homeowners like the fact that Styroloft is easy to fit and can be walked on or used for storage, whilst helping to reduce heat loss at the same time.”

According to the Energy Saving Trust, nearly a quarter of the heat generated within an un-insulated home is lost through the roof. Adding loft insulation is one of the most effective ways of reducing this heat loss.

Styroloft is manufactured from birch plywood bonded to both faces of Styrofoam extruded polystyrene insulation. It is available in thicknesses ranging from 18mm to 115mm and at 50mm it provides 15 times greater energy efficiency than standard 18mm chipboard. Styroloft boards help to reduce heat loss through the loft space, as well as providing a robust surface that can be walked on, or used for storage.

Styroloft is compliant with the CITB-Construction Skills guidelines ‘General Requirements for the Installation of Loft Insulation.’, which sets out clear requirements for walkways and storage spaces that are fitted above loft insulation.

The guidelines state that timber or flooring grade chipboard with a minimum thickness of 18mm should be installed above existing insulation material, if a walkway or storage space is required. The requirements set out by CITB-Construction Skills also require loft panels or boards to have a minimum width of 300mm to allow entry through a normal loft hatch.

The boards are lightweight, weighing less than 3kg each, and can be easily cut on site with no need for specialist equipment or skills. This makes it easy to lift Styroloft boards through the loft hatch with no need to cut into smaller pieces. The boards can be butted together to give a smooth and even surface.

Styrofoam, as the insulation material for Styroloft Boards, is renowned for its compressive strength and for being light in weight. It has a unique closed-cell structure that makes it resistant to moisture. As the material won’t rot or allow the development of fungi or mildew, it permanently retains its insulation properties and will not deteriorate like some other materials

Styroloft is available to buy online at www.styroloft.co.uk and can be delivered to customers’ homes or direct to site within 3-5 working days.