Can I temporarily insulate a conservatory roof?

Discussion in 'Builders' Talk' started by tonynoarm, Nov 12, 2006.

  1. Nice job, Ben.

    Yes, I guess the glass would look more cosy if it had décor mouldings or summat?

    BMC may be techincally right; 'thistle' board 'skim' wouldn't be suitable for going straight on to the brickwork, but you can get plaster which can be applied to a much greater depth, and you could use this in a single coat if you wished. Are you going to DIY the plaster or get someone in?

    For such a small area, surely scratch-coat, float and skim is ott?

    I personally wouldn't bother...
     
  2. Mum to the rescue

    Mum to the rescue New Member

    Hi All,
    This forum has been SO interesting and helpful but can any one answer the following in relation to my daughters aluminium / upvc conserv with glass roof( double glazed)
    I intend to use celotex board for temporary winter insulation---am thinking adhesive Velcro down the underside of the rafters ( to get a gap btwn board and glass )sealing as best as I can and covering the foil inside and out--with something purely for aesthetics?
    1) if I did get some condensation build up--- would that cause any real damage ( seeing that it would be up for 4/5 months max)
    2) can anyone suggest a lightweight covering for the glass side of the celotex that would survive possible condensation?
    2nd batch of questions:-
    If this turned out to be totally successful and daughter didn't mind the light reduction and we ended up considering leaving it there all year----
    3) can anyone tell me--- as I m concerned that leaving celotex with the foil to the glass side in place through the summer would lead to a huge build up of heat?
    Would that damage glass or frame ( ie cause it to buckle) or would the heat be reflected back to the outside.
    Would I be best to peel off the foil to the glass side?
    Or do I need to cover that foil with something that can absorb heat?
    Or Am I worrying about nothing?
    Ps- before you ask--- don't want to do cladding etc to room side---
    She may well be moving on in a few yrs--- so it's got to be affordable and removable
    Thanks
     
  3. Hi Mum.

    Celotex is light stuff, so almost anything will hold it up. I wouldn't bother going more than 35mm thick.

    But wouldn't adhesive Velcro be left permanently stuck to the rafters after you take down the panels?

    Anyhoo, my thoughts - and that's all they are - are that (a) any condensation up there won't cause any harm. Yes, you might get mould and stuff, but that will be easily cleanable after you take the sheets down. In theory, if you seal all gaps securely (using the proper Celotex tape), there should be very little - if any - condensation in that gap.

    (If you were doing this job permanently, you'd ideally want that gap ventilated, which would almost be the 'natural' case with a normal draughty polycarb connie roof, but may not be the case with yer daughter's superior (no need to gloat) glass d-g units.)

    (b) I wouldn't worry about heat build-up as the foil layer should reflect most of the heat back through the glass. It will get pretty hot, but that shouldn't be an issue. If you were to remove that top foil layer, or cover the board with an absorbing layer (matt black, anyone?), then you would burn burn burn. Er, I mean, it would get very hot up there.

    I'm surprised that having a d-g glass roof makes your connie cold - it should be far better than a polycarb roof. What heat source does she currently use?
     
  4. Mum to the rescue

    Mum to the rescue New Member

    No heat source at all. A little electric heater sometimes. And to be fair it heats up pretty quickly. But she. Lives on air and worried about her bills and I m thinking if I can make this room a little less extreme in its temperature fluxes-- she won't have to use so much lecci? Btw it's Edwardian with quite a high pitch
    1) what wd you use instead of Velcro? Seeing as I don't want to go down the baton route--- and I need to remove( or not)
    2) create ventilation holes? ---- I m assuming that you mean drill some to the outside? Where?
    3)- so any covering to the outside foil (aesthetic) Actually needs to be non heat absorbing?- to let the foil do its work? Can you suggest? Paper? Cotton sheeting? Window netting?

    Also boiling in summer--- and I had been looking into sewing an outside cover for roof with some sort ofshadeing fabric---- but wondering if celotex just might cure all!!!

    I ve never had a conservatory----- I told her that I thought she'd find it a fairly useless space as it was--- ( when she was buying) which she has!!----- so a learning curve for all of us
    I m rambling now -- could you answer 12&3 if possible
    Cheers
     
  5. 1) Not sure what to use instead of Velcro - I'm just thinking that the Velcro strip itself would be left well adhered to the rafters after the sheets have been rrrrripped-detached, that's all. How about double-sided tape? Thick stuff that looks as tho' it can be peeled off the surface afterwards (tho' some will certainly be a pain to remove).

    Or double-sided tape but not in whole lengths - just 6" strips every couple of feet (finding the balance between it being easy to remove and it not falling doon...)

    2) No ventilation holes - unless perhaps you were to make this insulation permanent in future. But even this might not be necessary - you should know when you remove the sheets in 6 months/ 1 year's time - see what it looks like up there. (Anyways, any build up of nasty green or black slimy crawling stuff will be visible from the outside through the glass...:rolleyes: )

    3) Nope - leave the shiny silver surface to do its job - reflect away the sun. Yes, your connie might look well bling from the outside, but you need that shiny foil to do its job.
     
    Timcorps likes this.
  6. Mum to the rescue

    Mum to the rescue New Member

    Hi DA ,Thank you very much for your help
    Am sure next owner might find Velcro strips handy for attaching sails or the like?????
    Just one more question---- what if you " frosted" the glass on the inside first before you put up the bling?
    ( am thinking neighbours side) Daughters connie was built ON the boundary!!!! Arghh !!!
    ( not ideal - hence another reason not to invest too heavily in it!!)
    Cheers
     
  7. Frosted for the purpose of making it looking better for the neighbs? Well, that's well neighbourly of you :)

    No reason why not. You can get stick-on sheet, can't you?

    Surprised your daughter doesn't find it a useful room for a goodly part of the year - it should be. Apart from the extremes - when it's stone cold outside - it should be a comfy enough place to be in.
     
  8. Chris Sheraton

    Chris Sheraton New Member

    I contacted a few companies when doing mine about vinyl covering to apply to the glass. I never found anyone suitable due to thermal shock risk.
     
  9. Timcorps

    Timcorps New Member

    Is anyone still answering on this thread ? I have a few small questions
     
  10. Is this a solar reflective film? Or purely decorative/privacy type?

    We had a similar issue at out school when trying to work out the best way to cut down light and glare through the new windows. Teechurs wanted a solar film, but all the companies we called out said the same as you - they might affect the heat build-up in the DG units and cause premature failures.

    Personally doubt that would happen, but who's gonna take the risk?!

    (The school now has blinds).
     
  11. Ten thirtyseven.
     
  12. Timcorps

    Timcorps New Member

    So after reading this thread about 20 times i decided to crack on with my conservatory. Battens screwed to ally rails and quilt stapled to battens. Now I'm ready to attach the second set of battens , only thing is I want to fit downlighters in the pvc cladding that's finishing the roof. Have been told that the insulation can't touch the lights. Which means I'll have to cut a hole in the quilt , will this not now make the sealed airspace above unsealed if you get me ?
     
  13. Blimey, is there enough space behind for taking the downlighters anyways?

    Anyhoo, a quick surf comes up with surface-mounted LED downlighters such as http://www.ledbulbcentre.co.uk/prod...CJyjqfexpMsCFe4y0wodJmQJQA&variant=9457713797

    Ok, not exactly 'surface' mounted - they do sink in by 25mm - but being LED they will run MUCH cooler, and I personally wouldn't worry about the insulation sheet behind it.

    If you are DIYing this, I'd also recommend an ELV system so's you're only dealing with 12V or 24V or so. And no earthing issues.

    (I know nothing about the lights I've linked to - they are chust an example.)
     
  14. Timcorps

    Timcorps New Member

    This is the thing it's tight for space behind there ,but we only have enough wall space for 1 wall light which even with a glass roof doesn't light up the conny that well. Spots are the ideal if I can fit them in. Will fitting slightly bigger battens solve this or start to put too much pull on the rest of the roof ?
     

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  15. Chris Sheraton

    Chris Sheraton New Member

  16. Chippy1969

    Chippy1969 New Member

    Hi, I'm an Avid reader but first time writer....from what I have learnt I'm going to insulate and board my conservatory roof like this:

    1.vertical battens 38x25, bit of sticky stuff, but screwed to the roof
    using bay pole screws.
    2.attach super quilt using 14 mm staples.
    3 screw horizontal/vertical battens to existing battens
    4 fix plasterboard...

    I have a couple of querys if anyone would be so kind to answer them

    1.im going to use 50 mm baypoles..(I spoke to a fitting company that said they use up to 80mm). Are these long enough as I'm worrried where the tip may end up.
    I've seen online that you should check your ally struts as to what shape they are because your screw may not go into thin air?

    2. A couple of companies have drilled small ventilation holes all around the roof line? Is this necessary? Is there not enough ventilation on there?.
    .
    3.ive also seen someone leave gaps in their first battens to allow air to move from one panel to the next?

    Any thoughts would be much appreciated, many thanks....
     
  17. 1. Yes, you need to ensure the screws don't end up sticking into a poly roof panel... Or, even if it doesn't damage the panel, if it ends up on the 'outside' it could allow small but constant water through. So check that you don have an isolated 'void' in the centre of the ali sections to screw in to.

    How far to screw? Well, the ali will only be two or 3mm thick, I guess, so once the screw is in to its widest thread part (ie - chust beyond the tapering tip) then there's no point taking it further. So I'd have thought that certainly no more than 10mm penetration is needed, or will make any difference.

    2. You ideally want to seal the connie roof from the room inside, using the new insulated ceiling. You don't want gaps in your ceiling that would allow moisture-laden household air to get up there and condense on t'other side. But, you do also want to have that upper void ventilated to the outside 'cos there is bound to be some water penetration or some dampness working its way through somehow. So, having these vent holes along the perimeter - so keep the space between the ceiling and the connie roof ventilated and dry is a good idea.

    3. That makes sense, and won't be hard to do. It'll help ensure there is a free flow of air up there, around the whole area.


    If you could post photos of your approach and progress, that would be cool :)
     
  18. Chippy1969

    Chippy1969 New Member

    Many thanks DA, just confirm then that should nt really use baypole screws any longer than 40mm.... 25mm to go through the batten and 15 mm through the ally?...
    I'll take plenty of photos when I get started, can't wait...
     
  19. BMC2000

    BMC2000 Screwfix Select

    Plasterboard will no stop household condensation getting in the void I'm afraid.

    You need a continuous vapour control layer behind the plasterboard, unless you use certain insulated plasterboards. The problem gets worse when you pepper the ceiling with holes for spots.

    At least aluminium and glass won't rot, but some ventilation to the glass side of the insulation would be useful to blow out condensation. Like a cold roof.
     
    Deleted member 33931 likes this.
  20. Very good points, BMC.

    The venting of the upper void - it won't need much - is pretty important.

    To be honest, it's likely that, if simply left as it is, it will already be draughty enough - the poly sheets tend to be sealed against the 'wallplates' using foam strips, and to the ali roof rails with rubber blades. Neither will give a perfect seal along all its length.

    But, proper li'l holes would be good - to be sure to be sure.
     

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