No insulation in attic crawlspace???

Quosoo · 29-01-2026 01:00AM #1

Hey,

I live in top floor apartment flat of a block built in 2005 and I have problems with keeping the heat in winter. There is a crawlspace above my ceiling / below the roof. I had a look today - do I see correctly there is zero insulation there?

dathi · 30-01-2026 03:41PM

no insulation on water pipes for context are the copper pipes entering your apartment

Quosoo · 30-01-2026 07:07PM

Yes, these pipes are entering my hot press and are definitely bare. Its the whole ceiling that im worried about - not an inch of wool to see…

elperello · 30-01-2026 07:19PM

Is that space part of your property?

drunkmonkey · 30-01-2026 07:23PM

maybe I’m looking at it wrong but that’s a services area, apartments are insulated below that level. If you grew up in a house it probably looks odd.

Boggles · 30-01-2026 07:25PM

Looks like insulated roof panels.

Quosoo · 31-01-2026 05:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124193331#Comment_124193331

That space is directly above my apartment and below the roof of the block.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124193340#Comment_124193340

I wish it was the case, but when you look at the attached pic, you can see some recessed light fixtures and the bulbs which means there is nothing of substantial thickness between my ceiling and this crawlspace.

If that's correct and I have virtually no insulation above my ceiling then I'd consider having some put, if possible and if OMC agrees.

elperello · 31-01-2026 06:14PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124195361#Comment_124195361

This old thread might be useful.

Top floor apt with no ceiling insulation! - Page 2 — boards.ie - Now Ye're Talkin' https://share.google/HKyYOyXRC0OOVGEYF

dathi · 03-02-2026 09:49AM

1,are you gaining access to this area through a hatch in your apartment or one in a common area. 2,are all the walls that you can see the tops of in photos, internal divides for your apartment or do some of them belong to other apartments. 3,is the flexible vent hose venting to the outside and is it from bathroom or kitchen.

10-10-20 · 03-02-2026 10:26AM

I'm not sure that ceiling will even take insulation - the spacing between the steel frame looks too wide to me and the insulation would probably cause a sag on the suspended plasterboard.

ted1 · 03-02-2026 10:41AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124201647#Comment_124201647

pretty sure that would be a serious fire safety breach if they were other apartments. firewalls will go all the way up

Penn · 03-02-2026 10:54AM

There would be no insulation in the services void in your ceiling, because the roof construction itself is insulated. Flat roof construction is comprised of rigid insulation with appropriate sheeting and roofing membranes over. The services void in your ceiling is just that; a services void. It's not supposed to be insulated. Same way all apartments which aren't on the top floor would have a ceiling void like yours, then the floor construction of the apartment over. The ceiling voids are already within the thermal envelope of the structure.

If you are having trouble retaining heat in winter, first and foremost you should check windows and any external/balcony doors, especially if the block was built 2005 and so these windows/doors would now be 20 years old. Seals may have hardened or dented and therefore you're losing heat through them.

bohsfan · 03-02-2026 11:11AM

You shouldn't be seeing any wool in that space. The roof itself will contain the insulation, either as part of the roof panel or as a separate layer between the roof deck and roofing membrane. Depending on specs there could be 75-150mm of foam. The photos don't suggest a lot of condensation happening up there, so I don't think the main problem is cold coming in from up top. You may have a certain amount of heat loss occurring in the service space from bad sealing and finishing. You'd have to get a thermometer up there on a cold day.

As Penn says above- I would look first at the likely culprits within the apartment itself (doors, windows, extraction outlets etc.) to rule them out.

Quosoo · 10-02-2026 01:21AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124201647#Comment_124201647

Sorry for late reply lads.

1. The access is from my own apartment through the hatch in a cupboard.

2. I can confirm these are all my rooms below

3. Yes the flexible hose outputs to outside and collects both bathrooms and kitchen vapors.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124201728#Comment_124201728

You're probably right, if its only thin plasterboard it wont carry too much weight..

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124201769#Comment_124201769

Correct, there are firewalls between my apt and the common areas to the sides (I share no walls with other neighbors, only floor).

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124201801#Comment_124201801

Thanks for valuable insight. The windows are indeed double glazed but really poor quality with gaskets no longer produced anywhere. They are problem on their own that I have to tackle.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124201840#Comment_124201840

Thanks for this, during high winds the noise is awful, there are bits of the roof knockin etc. And I can hear raindrops knocking on the roof every time in rains (while sitting in any of rooms). I assume the insulation/membrane/sealing is either crap quality/really thin or damaged. I will look into replacing the windows instead..

MicktheMan · 10-02-2026 08:35PM

OP, I would be in a mad rush replacing windows yet. As you describe it your main heat loss issue could very well be poor overall air tightness (which has generally nothing to do with insulation).

If this is the case then, if properly investigated and understood, this issue can be addressed with significant uplift in comfort.

Quosoo · 10-02-2026 09:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124224321#Comment_124224321

I had the flat surveyed by engineer before I bought it back in 2023 and the windows were red flags. Roof situation was unknown since engineers couldnt get to the crawlspace.

Old BER advisory notes that:
Windows U-values are between 2.7 and 4
Part of the wall area in this dwelling has a U-Value of greater than or equal to 1.1
Part of the wall area in this dwelling has a U-Value of less than 0.6 and greater than 0.27.

I will try to find someone look into that although I feel there's not much I can do to make my gaff cozier.

MicktheMan · 11-02-2026 01:55PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124224440#Comment_124224440

This is my point. I am not referring to elemental u-values at all here (conductive heat loss which insulation addresses). I am pointing towards convective losses, aka draughts. And contrary to widely held beliefs, windows and doors are rarely the prime culprits.

If you are serious about making meaningful improvements then there is generally a lot you can do if you get the right heat loss expert to advise.

Bear in mind also that your neighbours are likely experiencing similar issues.

Forget the BER, a completely flawed method for evaluating actual heat loss mechanisms and is not fit for purpose.

Quosoo · 11-02-2026 10:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124226323#Comment_124226323

Thanks for advice!

No insulation in attic crawlspace???

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