What is the best way to insulate your conservatory?

Many homeowners across England have had conservatory extensions on their properties, they make a great home addition, but it is important to understand the insulation implications behind them. Conservatories, typically consisting of a lot of window space, if not insulated, can cause many issues for your home, especially throughout the cold winter nights. Your great new extension may just become an uncomfortable place to be in, therefore, in order to prevent a wasted conservatory, you can effectively insulate them and make sure they fulfil their great potential.

Why do you need to insulation your conservatory?

Well, all the heat inside the walls of your home can easily escape through the windows of your conservatory. Glass, typically a poor insulator, makes it difficult for conservatories to retain heat. Additionally, and especially if the roof of your conservatory is glass, as heat rises, it will easily escape through the top. Therefore, by investing in window and roof insulation solutions for your conservatory, you can help to prevent and reduce the amount of heat loss, keeping your new conservatory space an enjoyable place to live in.

Conservatory Insulation Solutions

1. Window Insulation

There are a variety of window insulation solutions that can help warm up your conservatory. First, it is best to assess your windows, are the single glazed or double-glazed? Some key window insulation tips for conservatories are:

- Double-Glazed Windows

The glazing layer will make a huge difference to your thermal retention properties in your home. You will notice less heat loss via the windows by installing double-glazed windows. With conservatories consisting primarily of windows, it is important to make sure they provide the most insulation.

- Curtains/Blinds

Adding curtains or blinds can benefit you throughout winter and summer. In the summer months, they can help protect against the sun’s heat and bright light from entering the conservatory. In the winter months, they add an extra layer of insulation to your conservatory windows, retaining more heat inside.

- Material Frames

The material of your window’s frames can make a difference. For instance, if they are made from aluminium, then their insulating capabilities will be much less than if they were made from uPVC or wood.

- Thermal-Coated Windows

Thermal coating blocks 100% of UV rays, which minimises the penetration of infrared, preventing the accumulation of heat and reducing your energy bills. Additionally, in winter, you will have more control over your heat loss due to the thermal barrier that is created from the coating.

2. Roof Insulation

Traditionally and commonly, conservatories have a glass roof, this is not an ideal material for insulation reasons. As the heat rises, it can easily escape via the minimal glass protection, than if it were made from tiles or at had least double or triple-glazed windows.

Thankfully, 2010 UK planning laws were eased, allowing homeowners to fit a solid roof over their conservatories without the need for planning permission (in the majority of cases, we still recommend double-checking just to be sure). The two roof solutions for conservatories are:

- Insulated Panels

One type of panel insulation for your conservatory roof are tiles, they are much better at retaining heat than glass, and they even go a step further in having soundproofing qualities.

Other insulated panels can be made from PIR insulation board, breather membrane or insulated plasterboard, all of which can be fitted to the roof of your conservatory, aiding in the insulation and heat retention for your home.

- Double/Triple-Glazed Roof

If you want to keep the glass look, which can be preferred as your conservatory will enjoy more sunlight than if you opted for insulated panels. Then, we recommend double or even triple-glazing. Double and triple-glazed windows can benefit from insulation and have soundproofing qualities, and, similar to the windows on the side of your conservatory, you can choose a treated type of glazing. This type of glazing can have beneficial properties for both noise reduction and to control the internal temperatures of your conservatory.

Conservatory for Homeowners

If you have any questions, queries or know what you are looking for, then you can contact us directly on 0203 411 5188 for more information, a quotation, or a free survey of your conservatory. At EcoSpray-Foam Systems we have over 20 years of insulation expertise and experience, helping homeowners save money, warming up their homes and providing soundproofing treatments. If you have an insulation problem, then let us take a crack at it, you can call us, chat to us with our online support, or email us via our contact page.