Loft conversion: Where am I with the old glass wool?

W. I know, Trier: In the case of a batten substructure for profile boards, that is what matters, that it is installed evenly. The rafters on my old building are very different. I worked with leveling screws, that went well too. Still I would like to know, if there is a trick, so that the slats are aligned.

Do it Yourself: Nothing speaks against leveling screws. Differences in level can also be leveled out with wooden wedges. You can get aligned battens with a long straightedge, with. B. a wide aluminum profile, and the spirit level. Also a guide, stretched between two fixed points, is a good help.

J. Henk, Aurich: We have a loft above our attic, only the one in the middle 145 cm high. May we set up a bunk there? Do you have to have skylights approved??

In our opinion, an expansion of this kind does not require a permit, since it is not a living space in the true sense. Be careful though, that you don't get any bumps when you stand up! Now for the skylight: If your new window can be installed between the rafters, you don't need a permit. That will be necessary, if for the installation of a larger window, rafters need to be divided and intercepted with a change.

H. refining, House sum: I want to add a staircase to the attic. Are there regulations, as for the building material and the width of the stairs?

The installation of stairs for modernization measures usually does not require a permit. A minimum width of 80 cm should not be undercut, 90 cm step width would be better.

Ch. Meierding, Ulm: The floor under our gable consists of wooden floorboards. how can i prevent, that vibrations are transmitted?

To reduce vibrations and impact noise, you should lay out hard foam insulation boards on the old floorboards, swimming over it, so no wall contact, Process floor laying boards or dry screed boards, which are glued with tongue and groove.

R. Ebers, Rostock: Can you explain to me the difference between PE films and a vapor barrier film?

Common PE films are vapour-tight, Vapor barrier films, on the other hand, allow water vapor to penetrate to a certain extent.

K. Wings, Dresden: I would like to rip out ancient damp insulation material from under the roof and insulate the roof again. What about the old glass wool??

Ask your builders' merchant, whether he can forward the old insulating material for recycling. When it is disposed of, it is classified as hazardous waste. Incidentally, damp insulating material has lost its effectiveness. example: The wet sweater no longer warms! Overalls when working, gloves, wear dust mask, avoid dust.