Conservatory renovation, refurbishment & repair - FAQs

Q: Would it be cheaper to rebuild a conservatory rather than refurbish?
Only in very exceptional circumstances where the conservatory is in a particularly dilapidated condition. In our experience a refurbishment is on average about 30% to 40% of any rebuild cost.

Q: Will the character of my conservatory be maintained once it has been refurbished?
Yes, Insu will always endeavour to make any changes complement the current conservatory style by matching materials and finishes wherever possible. Our aim is to transform your conservatory so it's 'better than new'.

Q: After refurbishment will the conservatory meet all the current regulations?
Yes and very often the standards set by the regulations.

Q: How long will the refurbishment take?
This will depend on the size and complexity of the installation and of course the weather! Generally a typical job can be completed in two to three days. This will be discussed with you at survey stage.

Q: If there is a problem after completion, what do I do?
Simply contact our service department and we will arrange a visit. In urgent situations we will endeavour to get to you within 24 hours.

Q: What parts of the country does Insu cover?
We cover most of England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland are not covered at this time.

Q: I have leaks in my glass-roofed conservatory when the wind is in a westerly direction which drip down the light fittings and damage my furnishings.
This is a dangerous state of affairs, you should immediately disconnect the power to the light fittings or leave the lights off until the leak is repaired.

Leaks - check at gutter level to see if any of the roof panels have slipped, and/or if you can see any chinks of light when you look up at the top of the roof panels from inside the conservatory. If you see either of these the solution is simply to fit new gaskets, and reposition, and secure the panels.

If the panels are secure and the conservatory is over ten years old the problem is more serious, and the conservatory will need to be inspected to diagnose the problem and recommend the correct solution.

Q: My conservatory is 8 years old and some of the roof panels have discoloured to a beige appearance.
It sounds like the discoloured roof panels have been fitted upside down, with the ultra-violet protection surface down instead of up. The discolouration is due to exposure of the virgin polycarbonate to direct sun.

The faulty panels should be replacing with new and fitted correctly.

Q: My polycarbonate roofed conservatory, which is twelve years old, is unbearably hot in summer and uncomfortably cold and unusable in winter. What are my options?
You can upgrade the conservatory, as is, for summer comfort by installing Insu heat reflectors. These will solve the summer problem but will only provide limited improvements in Winter temperatures.

A better solution, bearing in mind that the roof has a life expectancy of only another eight years is to renovate, and refurbish with Insu high performance roof panels. These upgrade the Winter insulation of the whole conservatory to the new Building Regulations- irrespective of the fact that the side window glazing will not be replacing - to give winter comfort, and economic fuel bills.

Q: My conservatory has leaked on and off for some time. The original conservatory company kept sending men round who simply pumped mastic into the gaps. This has made the conservatory unsightly but has never provided a long-term solution. I am thoroughly sick of this unsatisfactory situation.
Leaks in conservatories are notoriously complex and diagnose can be difficult since the points of entry and exit of the water are generally in totally different places as water can tracks through the internal structure of the roof. The job of resolving leaks requires a real knowledge of the roof structure and how water passes through it, and considerable experience. A skill that handy men, Builders and Conservatory Companies do not have, and this explains why the only tool at their disposal is the mastic gun.

A detailed inspection by an expert, and in some cases opening up of the roof’s glazing bars, and ridge, is necessary for a correct diagnosis and resolution.

Q: When my wooden conservatory was new I loved it, but now, because it because it looks tatty and leaks, I hate it.
Wooden roofed conservatories are extremely susceptible to the weather and require regular maintenance and repainting, especially to the roof, to retain their appearance. The cost of roof maintenance is exceptionally high, since it is difficult to find people prepared to undertake this type of work because of the perceived risk of working on a glazed roof.

The leaks you complain of are due to deterioration of the wooden glazing bar cover bead, and seal at the ridge. Insu’s solution is to totally replace the wooden cover bead with durable aluminium in white or brown, and to replace the ridge flashings etc. This work eliminates maintenance and any need for repainting the roof, and totally transforms the appearance of the conservatory, so that it looks as god as new.

Q: The roof of my conservatory has a steep pitch. The glass roof double glazed panels have separated and slid into the gutter, and water floods into the conservatory when it rains.

The seals around the perimeter of the Double glazed units are not of the correct type for a steep pitched roof. When the conservatory has become hot in summer the seals have softened and lost their strength leading to separation of the two glass panes.

The solution is to replace all the glass roof panels with the correct type as soon as possible because of the safety risk. It is essential that the panels above the conservatory door, into the garden, are immediately secured as other wise they could act as a guillotine if they slide off the roof.

Q: When I look through my bedroom window at the polycarbonate conservatory roof I can see what appears to be bullet holes in the panels through which dirt and water are entering the roof. My conservatory is eighteen years old ?
The roof panels have reached the end of their life and what you are seeing is hailstone penetration, this will be followed by total failure characterised by cracking all the way across the panels.

A conservatory eighteen years old needs a refurbishment/renovation. The poor state of your roof panels demands that they must be replaced as soon a possible before the roof fails and there is a disastrous flood.

Q: I have a glass roofed conservatory where the panels are misted and some are discoloured white inside. Two of the side window glazing panels have also misted?
The sealed double glazing units have reached the end of their lives. We recommend that roof panels are replaced with Insu high performance double glazed units. These have a twenty-year life and will cut heat loss in winter by 60% so that the conservatory can be used in comfort all year as part of the house. In addition they will upgrade the conservatory to the new building regulations, and eliminate the problem of summer overheating and glare.

Q: My wooden conservatory is showing signs of age, and there is evidence of rot in the sills and possibly the rafter. Can it be economically repaired or do we need to knock it down and replace it with a new conservatory?

A wooden conservatory has to be in a very bad state to require total replacement, In most cases they can be repaired and upgraded so that the wood in the roof - the most vulnerable area of the structure- is totally protected, and requires no future maintenance.

A full inspection is needed to determine the exact condition, and work required, to bring the conservatory back to a good condition and upgrading it to modern standards.

Q: Water is leaking into my conservatory in the area below the valley gutter, especially during heavy rain.
There are several possibilities. The simplest is the valley gutter has become blocked with debris and is overflowing and needs to be cleaned out. Other possibilities include: a breakdown of the lining of the valley gutter, side glazing panels that have slipped into the gutter and is blocking it etc. A full inspection is necessary to establish the exact cause of the problem and the correct solution.


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