Maintaining My Home

although not common, there are cases where houses with a pitched roof and horizontal ceiling have no access to the roof cavity

accessing a roof cavity can allow thermal insulation to be installed above the ceiling (if none exists already) to make the house warmer. It may also allow installation of ventilation ducting (carrying moist air from kitchen or bathroom to the outside) and other services

if you decide that installing an access point to the roof cavity would be a good idea, bear in mind that it is crucial that the access panel must be properly sealed when it is closed. An access panel that is poorly installed can allow heat to escape from the living area into the roof space. It may also allow moisture from wet areas (kitchen, bathroom) to be carried into the roof space, where it can result in problems with condensation and mould

ready-made roof access hatches that incorporate insulation and effective seals are commercially available. Follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions