Loft Insulation

In a home that is not insulated a quarter of your heat is lost through the roof. Insulating your loft is a simple and effective way to reduce your heating bills.

Loft insulation - what's it all about?

It's never been more important to think about insulating your loft. With out proper insulation a lot of the valuable, expensive energy you use to heat your home will be lost through the loft. The recommended depth for mineral wool insulation is 270mm however there are other materials which require different depths.

»    Why insulate your loft?
»    What could you save?

Why insulate your loft?

Loft insulation is an effective way to save energy and money at home. A well insulated house keeps warmth exactly where you need it - indoors.

So, insulating your loft - or topping up any insulation you have already - will help to heat your home more efficiently. Using less energy reduces carbon dioxide emissions (CO2): one of the biggest causes of climate change. You will also save money on your bills too.

What could you save?

Insulating your loft is one of the most effective ways to save energy. You could save up to £150 a year on bills depending on your existing level of insulation and around 800kgs of CO2 per year*.

As depths of insulation have increased in recent years, so the expertise and attention to detail necessary to carry out satisfactory work, has increased.

The current recommended depth is 270mm - compared to an un-insulated loft, homeowners can achieve payback in only 1 year and save 800kgs of CO2 emissions per year. If you are topping up your loft, you will still save enough money in four years to pay for your initial investment. These are estimated figures based on insulating a gas-heated, semi-detached home with three bedrooms.

Loft insulation is effective for at least 40 years, and it will pay for itself over and over again in that time. The better insulated your home, the less energy you need to keep it warm - the more money you'll save in the long run.

By saving energy, your household will produce less CO2. So, adding or topping up your loft insulation is a great way to do your bit - and reduce your impact on the environment.

Cavity Wall Fill/Insulation

Did you know that around a third of all the heat lost in an un-insulated home is through the walls? Insulating cavity walls reduces heat loss and can save you around £115 a year on your fuel bills.

Cavity Wall Insulation is one of the simplest ways to reduce your heating bills - by up to £115 per year*. You'll also save 610kgs of CO2 per year when it's installed.

An un-insulated home can lose up to 35% of its heat through the walls so it is easy to see where significant savings on energy bills can be made. Insulating the cavity between the walls will save you around £115 per year. Source EST.

Grants, provided by the Government through energy companies, are available to all homeowners and this funding can be accessed to minimise the cost of installation of your cavity wall insulation.

An added bonus is that you can be safe in the knowledge you are doing something to help the environment by saving around 610kgs per year of carbon dioxide emissions.

Cavity wall insulation - what's it all about?

If your home was built from 1920 onwards, the chances are that its external walls are made of two layers with a small gap or `cavity' between them. This means they are `cavity walls'.

Insulating your cavity walls means filling that gap - with very good reason.

»    Why insulate your cavity walls?
»    What could you save?
»    Could cavity wall insulation work for your home?
»    How do I get cavity wall insulation?
»    What is a registered installer?

Why insulate your cavity walls?

Cavity wall insulation is an effective way to save energy and money at home. A well insulated house keeps warmth exactly where you need it - indoors.

So, insulating your cavity walls will help you to heat your home more efficiently. Using less energy reduces carbon dioxide emissions (CO2): one of the biggest causes of climate change. You will also save money on your bills too.

Cavity wall insulation can also help to reduce condensation inside the house if it is a problem on external walls.

What could you save?

Measure	Annual Saving Per Year (£)	Installed Cost (£)	Installed Payback	CO2 Saving Per Year
Cavity wall insulation	Around £115	Around £250	Around 2 years	Around 610kg

These are estimated figures based on insulating a gas-heated, semi-detached home with three bedrooms. The installed cost includes the subsidy available from the major energy suppliers under the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT); the typical unsubsidised installed cost is around £.

Cavity wall insulation is so cost effective that it will pay for itself over and over again. The better insulated your home, the less energy you need to keep it warm - and the more money you'll save.

By insulating your cavity walls you could cut your heating costs and, by saving energy, your household will produce less CO2. So, insulating your cavity walls is a great way to help fight climate change.

There are grants and offers available to help pay for cavity wall insulation.

Could cavity wall insulation work for your home?

Generally speaking, your home will be suitable for cavity wall insulation if:

»    The external walls are unfilled cavity walls.
»    The masonry/brick work of your property is in good condition.
»    The cavity is at least 50mm wide.

If your home was built in the last 10 years it is likely that the cavity is already insulated. Some walls exposed to driving rain can also be unsuitable for cavity wall insulation. In all cases if you're thinking about cavity wall insulation, always check with a registered installer who will assess whether your home ticks all the right boxes.

Did you know?

An un-insulated home loses around a third of its heat through its external walls. If every UK household that is suitable for cavity wall insulation installed it, we could save around £690 million and nearly 4 million tonnes of CO2 every year.

How do I get cavity wall insulation?

Filling cavity walls is not a job you can do yourself. Installation must always be carried out by a registered installer.

What is a registered installer?

We consider a registered installer for cavity wall insulation being one that is a member of any one of the following organisations:

»    The National Insulation Association (NIA)
»    The Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA)
»    The British Board of Agreement (BBA)

Two key things to look out for when considering an installer:

»    They sign up to a code of professional practice like those provided by the NIA
»    The installation is guaranteed for 25 years by CIGA.

For these installers, the job is simple, quick - and makes no mess. Typically, a home will take around two hours to insulate, depending on how big your house is and how accessible its external cavity walls are.