Loft or attic conversions can be great – you can make your home more energy-efficient, increase your living and storage space and even add value to your home. However, loft conversions also come with their own dangers: all too often, people underestimate the importance of fire safety and just how many fire regulations need to be met in order to have a successful conversion.
Opt for a substandard loft boarding service and you may as well kiss your money goodbye! Here, we look at the importance of fire safety when converting your attic or loft space, and show you why professionally-installed loft boarding is the way to go.
Fire doors
It’s one of the key principles of loft or attic conversion: all existing loft doors should be changed into fire doors. UK building regulations stipulate that you need to provide a route – other than a window – which, in the event of a fire, people can use to escape from your loft. A fire door, connected to the main door through a safe space, should be installed. Fire doors should also be self-closing and have a heat-resisting rating of at least 20-30 minutes.
Smoke alarms
More often than not, we fill our homes with smoke alarms but neglect to put one in our lofts! Smoke alarms in lofts are actually mandatory and should be mains-wired in case there is a power outage. They should also be kept at a safe distance from radiators and lights to ensure maximum fire safety!
Extra protection = sprinklers
Sprinkler systems aren’t compulsory for lofts but offer great extra protection. These systems can be tricky to manage, though, as you need proper water pressure in order for them to run smoothly, they’re often expensive, and you more than likely need to have them installed professionally.
Contain that fire
If you live in a terraced or semi-detached house, i.e. one that has walls separating your property from a neighbouring property, make sure you do the neighbourly thing and ensure that the walls in your loft are fire-resistant. That way, if there is a fire in your loft, it will be largely contained – and damage won’t be spread. For this space, you can also invest in fire-resistant curtains or a more cost-effective item, like a home fire extinguisher. Home fire extinguishers inexpensively work wonders in preventing serious fire accidents.
Get a professional in
These protection measures may be daunting but are essential to making sure your loft or attic conversion is fire safe. One of the best ways to safely convert your loft space is by investing in high quality loft boarding.
If your home is in the Midlands or the South of England, heed that Instaloft provides a great loft boarding service. This Telford-based company’s loft boarding won’t damage your property, doesn’t require planning permission, will add value to your home, will save you money in the long term, will increase your storage space and is incredibly fire safe. Take the hassle out of loft conversion and spend on a quality service.
