A conservatory can be a lovely addition to the home, offering more space and light and a beautiful room to enjoy the garden. However, in the winter conservatories can be cold, damp rooms, often effected by condensation and mould. In the summer, conservatories become greenhouses tacked onto the home, often becoming unbearably hot and rendered unusable.
The reason for the temperature fluctuations is simply because the materials used to create conservatories have very high U-Values - which means that the heat transfers very easily and quickly.
In the winter, heat leaks, or ‘transfers’, from inside the home to outdoors through the conservatory walls and roof (but particularly the roof as heat rises). Likewise, in the summer the heat transfers into the conservatory, with the glass magnifying the trapped sunlight and heat.
The only way to resolve these issues is to insulate the conservatory, especially the roof, to reduce the heat transfer. So, we have been looking at a variety of methods to insulate the conservatory roof and help keep the conservatory a more comfortable temperature all year round.
We’ve compiled a list of our findings, from most effective to least effective ways to insulate a conservatory roof.
Insulated Roof Panels
In 2010 the Uk relaxed the planning laws in regard to conservatories and as a result, in most cases, solid roofs can now be installed without the need for planning permission. Therefore, since 2010, Insulated Roofing Panels have become an extremely popular alternative to the usual glass or polycarbonate roofing. These panels are specifically designed with Insulating as the predominant feature and so are by far the most effective option to insulate conservatory roofs.
Compared to all other options, insulating conservatory roof panels have a much lower U-Value, insulating the conservatory roof 8 times better than some of the most common conservatory roof options. They are often simple to install, replacing the current conservatory roof panels or glass panes by slotting into the frames meaning that the whole installation can take just one day.
The insulated conservatory roof panels are strong but lightweight, so are normally suitable for most conservatory roof frames, and need very little maintenance or upkeep. These are an ideal option for a quick and long-lasting conservatory roof insulating solution.
Tiled Roof
Another option to insulate conservatory roofs is to replace the entire roof with a tiled roof system. This could be seen as a more aesthetically pleasing option often making the conservatory look more like an extension than a conservatory. Unfortunately this option can be costly, and does come with more upkeep than other options. Having a tiled conservatory roof installed to insulate the conservatory roof can take longer than other options, including the insulated roof panels, as the entire roof will need to be removed and rebuilt, also making it unfeasible for some structures if they aren’t strong enough frames. Aside from these considerations, installing a tiled roof as conservatory roof insulation does provide a good level of insulation for the conservatory.
Polycarbonate Roof Upgrade
Overtime polycarbonate roofs do degrade, with just an average life span of 10 years, so eventually the U-Value of a polycarbonate roof can increase. Ways to insulate a conservatory roof made from polycarbonate include replacing the panels completely, or in some instances it may be possible to expand the bars and install thicker panels. This will help to keep the heat in and insulate the conservatory roof better, although polycarbonate has a fairly high U-Value compared to other conservatory roof options anyway so the heat transfer through a polycarbonate roof will always be higher than insulated roof panels or tiles for example.
Multifoil Insulation or Thermal Wadding
Multifoil/Thermal wadding insulation is a much simpler method to insulate conservatory roofs. This involves sandwiching a layer of foil insulation or wadding beneath the current conservatory roof and a layer of cladding. It can be done fairly quickly and helps to insulate the conservatory roof and prevent heat transfer. As it is simply installed underneath the current roof, it can be less disruptive than the tiled roof option where the whole roof will need to be removed, however could be more invasive for homeowners as the installers will need to be inside the conservatory for the entire install, unlike Insulating Conservatory Roof panels, which can be fitted from the outside.
Curtains/Blinds
Fitting curtains and blinds can be a much cheaper, although less effective way to insulate the conservatory roof. Whilst conservatory roof curtains or blinds may need to be installed by a professional, curtains or blinds on the conservatory windows can be done by the homeowner with relative ease and can then be easily removed if need be, unlike the previous options to insulate the conservatory roof which are more permanent changes.
Curtains and blinds help to lessen the heat transfer in the winter by blocking the windows and helping to keep the heat in. In the summer, the curtains will block the heat and light from entering the conservatory, stopping it from getting trapped and prohibiting the greenhouse effect. The heavier and thicker the fabric, the better the insulating quality, particularly for the winter months. Blinds can be even thinner and so offer less effective insulating for the conservatory roof, but can help reduce some heat transfer.
In general, curtains and blinds are a better option for insulating conservatory roofs through the summer months, but wont be as effective at insulating conservatory roofs through the winter.
Tinted/Coloured Glass
Tinted glass is another option some people may opt for to insulate a conservatory roof. Although similarly to curtains and blinds, this option is more effective in the summer months at reducing the green house effect, rather than lessening heat transfer and insulating the conservatory roof against the cold weather.
Tinted glass has a higher u-value than insulated conservatory roof panels, with its prevalent features being that it reduces glare and reflects the heat. A good option for protecting furniture from fading, tinted glass is not as effective an option for insulating conservatory roofs.
DIY methods to insulate conservatory roofs
There are other low cost, DIY options to help insulate conservatory roofs, although it’s important to consider the weight of any additions and the strain that may put on the conservatory roof frame.
It is possible to buy insulating foil in rolls from hardware stores that can then be fixed to the conservatory roof to insulate it. This is a fairly cheap option, and like curtains or blinds, can be a good temporary way to insulate the conservatory roof.
Another even cheaper option is to fix other materials, such as fabrics or large bubble wrap, across the ceiling to insulate the conservatory roof. One issue that may arise from using fabrics is that the damp and condensation in the conservatory may cause the fabric to become damp and mouldy over time, so this option would have to monitored regularly and potentially replaced often depending on the dampness from the conservatory roof. Likewise, fixing different materials to the roof may need to be done with some caution to ensure no vents are blocked, or that the material used doesn’t also begin to condensate or collect water from leaks and cause more issues.
These cheaper, DIY options are a quick solution to insulate the conservatory roof, and ideal to solve an immediate conservatory roof insulation problem as they can be put up, removed or redone by the homeowner anytime. However they wont be as effective at insulating conservatory roofs long term as some of the other options we have looked at.
