Conservatory Roof Insulation: Cost & Benefits

A new conservatory built on your home gives you the incredible benefit of an extra room on your home reserved for whatever you want whether that’s a relaxing reading room or a separate dining room for the family to enjoy!

However, improper conservatory roof insulation can really reduce the number of days per year that you can enjoy your conservatory, and of course, with such an investment you really want to use your conservatory year-round! In this article, we’re going to explore the cost and benefits of conservatory roof insulation, the best way to insulate your conservatory roof, and replacement conservatory roof options.

Best Way to Insulate a Conservatory Roof

There are a few ways to approach conservatory roof insulation, ranging from changing your conservatory roof panels from materials no longer fit for purpose and installing materials that have improved conservatory roofs across the country, to considering how well your walls and window glass is insulated. Throughout this guide, we’re going to explore everything you need to know about how to make your conservatory warmer, save on energy bills and ultimately be able to enjoy them a whole lot more throughout the year.

Conservatory Roof Materials

If you have an existing conservatory roof and you’re struggling with the temperature inside it, it could be down to some old building regulations that were in effect when you had your conservatory ceiling installed. These regulations stated that your conservatory roof panels needed to be at least 75% transparent, which lead installers to fit either a polycarbonate roof with glazing bars or a glazed roof panel, which unfortunately are not the best materials for a properly insulated conservatory and certainly not the best material for a fully insulated conservatory roof!

Polycarbonate panels and glazing bars are especially poor at allowing the heat inside to build up, leading to problems with the cold and an even bigger issue with the heating bills that will likely follow. Of course, polycarbonate panels are not all bad, and when weather conditions allow the sun to heat the conservatory naturally, it can be very pleasant, but this isn’t a very logical solution for the UK where those days filled with sun come very scarcely throughout the year.

Aluminium

Aluminium is a fantastic alternative for your conservatory roof, as aluminium panels are typically filled with a fairly thick layer of dense foam, which will ultimately make your conservatory warmer by retaining more of the heat you generate indoors and therefore allowing you to use the conservatory year-round. This is probably the best way of insulating your conservatory if you already have a conservatory roof built before the building regulations specified the roof material be 75% transparent. Conservatory roof insulation is the main thing to focus on when your conservatory is cold because heat rises and if your conservatory roof panels are incapable of reducing heat loss, you’re fighting a losing battle.

UPVC

UPVC is a very versatile material that is most commonly used for window frames and front doors, however, it makes a wonderful material for creating an insulated conservatory roof! UPVC isn’t transparent, so it will block out UV rays, while also retaining more heat from inside your conservatory, and it will also block out any rain noise or any noise from surrounding areas. UPVC makes for great roof solutions and due to the nature of UPVC, its an incredibly affordable to install.

Plaster Finish

Conservatory roofs generally look the same, especially as they rose to prevalence very quickly, and a lot of people opted for the same design and layout. However, you can convert your existing conservatory into a part of your home by ensuring the roof insulation is installed with the addition of a plastered ceiling. This has a real luxury look to it and is practically sound. Insulating your conservatory this way, a roofer will need to insulate your conservatory roof fully, either with standard roof insulation materials or by installing a replacement conservatory roof. The issue with a plaster finish is the loss of roof space between the ceiling and the roof, but most people don’t find this to be too much of an issue.

Glass

A glass roof for your conservatory works in a similar way to the double glazing that helps insulate your entire home, with two glass panels creating a pocket of air in between to generate an insulation barrier to stop the warm air from escaping and allowing it to build up in the room. You can also add a window film to this type of roof to reduce any glare and harmful UV rays on sunny days, which is a great safety addition and it’s also a very easy project to complete yourself to keep costs low while transforming your space.

Cost of Conservatory Roof Insulation

A very important aspect for any homeowner looking for roof insulation is, of course, the cost of the job. To insulate a conservatory roof you could pay anything from £800 for internal conservatory insulation to over £3,000 for conservatories that require entirely new roof panels. Of course, these prices will range from installer to installer, they are a business after all, but these tradesmen will always try to win work from customers, so there there may well be some movement on price. Try and get a few quotes whenever you can so that you have something to compare to.

Ultimately, the price does put some customers off having the conservatory insulation work done, but this investment more than pays for itself with reduced energy bills and the ability to use your space much more than you ever have. Roof design has developed so much in recent years that some simple conservatory insulations can make a world of difference almost overnight! To help you out a little further with the pricing of different products and installations mentioned throughout this article, we’ve added some key points below.

Internal Conservatory Insulation

Ranges from around £200 for simple insulation addition, but extends as high as £1,000 for bigger projects.

External Insulation and Roof Repair

External repairs and replacements are far more costly than any internal repairs and you’re likely to pay between £1,200 and £3,000 depending on the materials used.

Glass Film

This is an easy to fit film that costs around £10 for a plentiful roll of film, which will be plenty for your roof.

Temperature Regulation Problems in Conservatories

Poor insulation in conservatories and in the roof of a conservatory can create a ton of problems down the line for you as a homeowner, leaving you with no option but to pay an installer to fix these costly problems. We’re going to break them down in a little more detail here.

Temperature

The first problem is a pretty big one. Your conservatory is supposed to be a place of solitude for you to relax after a tough day at work, or to play with the kids before dinner, but this isn’t an option if your conservatory roof insulation isn’t adequate enough to keep the room from being too cold. Your conservatory roof is the main place which heat escapes from the conservatory, so this should be the first project to focus on, before moving on to any other projects in your conservatory.

Condensation

When the cold temperature meets with warm air projected in from the home, this will likely generate condensation which will not only result in mould and damp issues but may work its way into the glass in the windows, causing them to mist and creating quite a costly repair with a window fitter. Most conservatories will have ample ventilation to avoid this becoming an issue, but by focusing on the roof first, you can remove any danger of condensation issues. If you have an older conservatory and are experiencing this issue though, knowing the right way of how to clean a conservatory and roof can certainly help.

Use

You enlisted the services of a conservatory fitter to build you a conservatory so you could enjoy the tranquillity and peace of the space, while still being in close proximity to the rest of your home, but if the conservatory roof or roof panels aren’t up to scratch in the insulation department, it’s as good as useless for a big portion of the year. If that is the one issue preventing you from enjoying your conservatory, invest in getting it fixed so you can enjoy your private room again!

Summary

Conservatory roof insulation is an incredibly important aspect of keeping the room and your home both comfortable to live in, but also practical in terms of energy costs and health. Roofs are usually the main solution for preventing heat loss, but roofs are also quite costly to work with, so the services of roofers come at a premium. Still, the benefits to be reaped from investing in your conservatory roof can’t be understated, and in the grand scheme of things, its a very low cost to pay to be able to enjoy your conservatory year-round with the worry of cold or inclement weather.