In the UK, the push towards energy efficiency is both a national commitment and a personal responsibility. As we strive to meet ambitious environmental goals, reducing home energy consumption plays a pivotal role.
While many focus on windows or insulation, the loft hatch often goes overlooked, yet it’s crucial in maintaining a home’s thermal envelope. Manthorpe Building Products introduces its Manthorpe part L compliant insulated loft hatch as a solution, not only aiding in energy conservation but also in reducing our carbon footprint significantly.
What Are Insulated Loft Hatches?
Insulated loft hatches serve as a crucial barrier between the warmth of your living space and the cold, uninhabited loft above. Engineered to be airtight and equipped with high-quality insulation materials such as polyurethane foam or mineral wool, these hatches play an instrumental role in preventing heat from escaping your home.
This is particularly relevant given that, according to the Energy Saving Trust, a quarter of all heat loss in an uninsulated home occurs through the roof. The importance of minimising energy waste through effective insulation cannot be overstated, especially considering the potential energy savings associated with proper loft insulation.
For detached houses, there’s a potential to save up to 1000kg of CO2 annually, along with £330-£590 on energy bills.
Semi-detached houses could see up to 620kg of CO2 saved each year, with potential savings within a similar range to detached houses.
Terraced houses may save up to 550kg of CO2 annually, with energy bill savings likely falling in the same range.
Incorporating insulated loft hatches into your home’s insulation strategy enhances these benefits further.
By reducing the heat that escapes through the roof, these hatches ensure that the loft insulation performs at its peak efficiency. This synergy between insulated loft hatches, and loft insulation maximises the potential for energy savings and CO2 reduction, underscoring the importance of comprehensive insulation measures in achieving an energy-efficient home.
Manthorpe’s Innovation in Loft Hatches
In the competitive market of building enhancements and home efficiency solutions, Manthorpe emerges as a leader with its superior range of loft hatches. Renowned for their energy-saving features, these hatches are engineered using High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS), a durable and impact-resistant plastic.
This choice of material is not random but strategic, ensuring the products are strong, long-lasting and adaptable across various applications, particularly in crafting access doors and loft hatches that stand the test of time.
These loft hatches are produced through an advanced injection moulding process. This involves melting HIPS and injecting it into precisely crafted moulds, allowing for the production of components with exact dimensions and complex geometries.
This meticulous process ensures that each hatch perfectly aligns with its intended space, guaranteeing a seamless fit and optimal performance. The resulting product is robust, with a sleek design that complements the modern home’s aesthetics, further enhancing its value.
A standout feature of Manthorpe’s loft hatches is their exceptional insulation capabilities, facilitated by 110mm of Expanded Polystyrene (EPS). This material is selected for its superior thermal resistance, effectively preventing heat loss and contributing to a home’s overall energy efficiency.
Complementing this insulation are the draught seals made from Expanded Polyurethane, meticulously integrated into the hatch design. These seals form an airtight barrier, eliminating unwanted airflow and further bolstering the hatch’s insulation properties.
The combination of EPS insulation and polyurethane seals addresses two critical issues: reducing energy consumption by stabilising indoor temperatures and preventing moisture ingress, which can lead to condensation problems and undermine thermal efficiency.
Furthermore, incorporating these advanced materials and the hatch’s design specifications exceed the stringent requirements of Part L of the Building Regulations concerning air leakage. This not only assures homeowners of a product that delivers exceptional thermal performance but also positions them advantageously in light of increasing regulatory demands for energy conservation in buildings.
Compliance with Part L Regulations
Manthorpe’s loft hatches not only meet but exceed the rigorous demands of the UK’s Part L Building Regulations, designed to enhance fuel and power conservation in new builds and renovation projects. The loft hatch’s advanced insulation and draught-proofing capabilities are at the core of this compliance, critically reducing energy loss and enhancing the building’s overall thermal efficiency.
A pivotal element in this achievement is using Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) insulation in the GL250-035-EPS loft hatch model. This material boasts a Global Warming Potential (GWP) of less than 5, underscoring its minimal environmental impact.
Moreover, it’s CFC/HCFC-free, ensuring no contribution to ozone depletion with an Ozone Depletion Potential (ODP) of zero. Such characteristics highlight the product’s alignment with sustainable building practices and its role in reducing the carbon footprint of homes.
The draught seals integral to the GL250 loft hatch have undergone rigorous testing by the Building Research Establishment (BRE), which aligns with BS EN 13141-1:2004 standards. The outcomes of these tests reveal that the door surpasses the established benchmarks for a “Well Sealed Ceiling” as per BS 5250, exhibiting an air leakage rate below 1m³/h at a mere 2 Pa pressure differential.
This exceptional performance significantly exceeds Part L’s ‘reasonable limit’ for design air permeability in buildings, which stands at less than 10m³/h.m² at 50Pa.
Adding to this, the loft hatch’s thermal efficiency is evidenced by an impressive U-Value of 0.035W/m²k.
This figure serves as a testament to the hatch’s superior insulation properties and showcases its ability to surpass the minimum thermal performance requirements set forth by current regulations.
Installation and Operation
Installing a Manthorpe loft hatch is remarkably straightforward, typically requiring a single individual to complete the setup. This ease of installation is a significant advantage, especially compared to traditional loft access solutions.
The design features a unique sliding door catch mechanism, operated from a single point, simplifying the process and enhancing the door’s operational efficiency. The innovative hinge system is another highlight, designed for quick and easy removal of the door from the frame, facilitating simpler installation and providing better access for insulation placement.
The GL250-035-EPS model addresses common issues, such as door sagging over time, which can lead to decreased efficiency in sealing and increased air leakage. The door incorporates 12 independent catch points around its perimeter to combat this, all operable from a single position through a sliding mechanism.
This design ensures a tight and effective draught seal across the entire opening, significantly enhancing the door’s energy efficiency.
Moreover, the inclusion of screws that fix directly into ceiling timbers streamlines the installation process while ensuring optimal pressure on the frame seal, further contributing to the hatch’s airtightness and thermal performance.
Conclusion
Investing in a Manthorpe Part L compliant insulated loft hatch is a forward-thinking choice for any homeowner dedicated to improving their property’s energy efficiency.
These hatches embody the intersection of innovation, sustainability, and practicality, offering a solution that meets today’s energy standards while preparing homes for the future. As we continue to navigate the challenges of climate change, making informed, eco-friendly home improvements like this becomes ever more crucial.
