Conservatory roof’s are made of many different materials, with a huge percentage of these being glass. Glass is notoriously a poor insulating material, so we’ve examined how to insulate a glass conservatory roof.
In short, you would insulate a glass conservatory roof by applying a layer of conservatory insulation, however, let’s dive a little deeper.
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Why Do Glass Conservatory Roofs Need Insulating?
As we all know, in the United Kingdom, winters can be cold and summers can get hot (well on some days they can!).
Temperatures often plummet below 0 degrees and this often makes our homes freezing in winter. Then in summer, a temperature of just 19 degrees can make any room facing the sunlight feel very warm.
However, at least our homes have roof tiles and often a thick layer of insulation to help keep it warm in winter. This is one thing our conservatories don’t have. Most conservatories simply have a relatively thin glass or polycarbonate roof. These both have very poor insulating properties.
Because conservatories have such poor insulation on their roofs, it often means the temperature inside is not much warmer than the temperature outside on cold winter days. This can make the room virtually unusable through the winter months, November to February.
Then from the months of May to August, a room with a glass conservatory roof can become unusable for the opposite reason. The glass allows sunlight to come in and then traps it within the conservatory. This leads to a greenhouse effect and the conservatory becoming unbearably hot.
You can read more about Glass and it’s poor insulating properties here.
How To Insulate A Glass Conservatory Roof
When looking to insulate a glass conservatory roof, homeowners have a few options available to them:
Conservatory Insulation
Conservatory insulation does exactly what it says on the tin. When it is added the installer adds multi layer foil quilting on the underside of your glass conservatory roof. This is supported on wooden beams and then either a uPVC or plaster finish is put over the top.
Solar Film
Solar film adds a very thin film on the underside of your glass conservatory roof. This has some great benefits in summer, such as keeping the room cooler and often darker.
However, solar film does not solve the problems associated with a lack of conservatory roof insulation in winter. The film is too thin to stop the cold outdoor temperature transferring inside. It also doesn’t keep any heat generated from central heating inside.
Roof Replacement
One of the best ways to insulate your conservatory is by replacing the glass conservatory roof. Often homeowners will opt for a new tiled roof instead.
Warning though – this can be quite an expensive option!
The insulation and shade provided by the roof tiles, allow the room to be cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
How Conservatory Roof Insulation Is Installed On A Glass Roof
Conservatory roof insulation is fitted just below the glass roof. This can be installed yourself or you can use a conservatory insulation company.
We would recommend using a conservatory insulation company, especially if you have a glass conservatory roof. This is because it needs to look tidy through the glass roof and we also wouldn’t want you to damage your roof. That could lead to very expensive repairs!
The process for installers is as follows:
1) Wooden beams are suspended below the glass roof. This is usually done with screws to the beams in your conservatory roof.
2) Multi layer foil quilting is attached to the wooden beams using heavy duty staples.
3) uPVC or plasterboard is then screwed to the wooden beams to provide a cosmetically pleasing finish. In cases where plasterboard is used, this also has to then be plastered over.
How Much Does It Cost To Insulate A Glass Conservatory Roof?
There are several factors that influence the cost of insulating a glass conservatory roof. These include your conservatory’s size, your location, your chosen installer etc.
However, generally speaking you should expect to pay between £2,000 and £6,000 depending on the above factors.
We can give you an indication of how much it will cost using our our online conservatory insulation quote.
