[Soccer Mum]

Hi folks, wondering if anybody has any experience with this.

We have very old batts in our roof. We have had a few quotes to get new roofing insulation. A couple said they would just lay new batts on top of the old, which would be about 1K. But one said that you cant do that because there will be gaps which stop it working, so you need to have the old batts taken out at an additional cost of about 1K.

Has anybody had either of these options done, and what difference did it make to your house?
Thanks very much!

[CallMeProtart]

We had a similar thing, one company said they'd lay batts on top, and that removing the old ones would be really expensive.

Then another guy came and said look, the amount of asbestos it would stir up (there is asbestos in our roof, and old batts are sometimes asbestos too), I wouldn't bother, you have old batts there and the added energy saving from replacing them with new batts wouldn't be significant, and you shouldn't just lay the new ones on top.
He seemed very un dodgy and of course wasn't trying to sell us anything, so we believed him!

[Soccer Mum]

Thanks CallMeAliG. Did you go ahead with the insulation? Im interested to hear what sort of difference it makes (bearing in mind that theres other factors like windows and orientation of the house coming into it)

[fi73]

We got new roof insulation put in a few years ago when they were doing a grants for installing it.We had really old roof insulation and were told it would be better to get it removed, which we did they came with a big truck and massive vacuum and suck it all out.Then got new batts layed, we have noticed a reasonable difference particularly in winter keeping the heat in.
Fiona

[~elle~]

We had the horrible old insulation stuff. It was thinner than the width of your little finger - so not doing anything insulation wise.

While getting quotes - the removal seemed the biggest cost - its labour intensive. Hubby got in the roof and got rid of it, we put it into large black bin bags and he and dad took it up the tip. You have to check with them and dump it in the right section though - it may have cost extra, but nowhere near the Company doing it.

If you do this get hubby to wear old clothing and old shoes /joggers/socks that can be chucked out straight away ( and he did get itchy and sweaty from being in the roof).We are in WA so no surprise there!!

I think we had 3.5 rating batts installed - the golden ones and they've been terriffic. People really notice how cool the house is / warm in winter.

[sammyv]

Just asked my builder and he said you have to take out the old ones so the new ones will work properly.

[Tigerdog]

Hubby got in the roof and got rid of it, we put it into large black bin bags and he and dad took it up the tip.

Be very, very careful about this - see PPs post re. asbestos in older buildings. I'm assuming because you got quotes done prior to removal it would have been pointed out if there was any asbestos in the roof?

[Soccer Mum]

Pretty sure we dont have any asbestos in the roof, but hubbys not keen to remove them himself as he gets asthma, and Im 8 months pregnant with back pain and sciatica so I dont think either of us will be doing it!

Far out I still dont know what to think...

Good to hear from those who say the batts improved their comfort, thanks for that

[~elle~]

No - no mention of asbestos in the roof.

My god - the special removal and precautions for that would have blown the quote out astronomically!!!

[Finch]

I work for an insulation company in SA. You need to have the old insulation removed so that the new stuff will work effectively.
Often the older insulation is made up of product completely useless in actually insulating... You would be surprised what we have come across.