Prior to the 1980s home insulation was not a big priority; if it got cold you would just turn up the heating. These days with the higher costs of home heating people are finding it more and more difficult to be able to afford their utility bills. In the last year alone prices have risen twenty percent and they are set to increase yearly as our dependence on gas supplies from abroad increases.
Modern homes are insulated and some of the latest new houses are super insulated. Some of these super insulated are so well insulated that they only require a quarter of the amount of heating compared to conventional housing requirements. With low cost traditional forms of home insulation you can expect to be able to reduce your heating bills by about 20 percent.
What to insulate
It is always best to insulate the areas of your home that will make the biggest savings at the lowest cost. For most homes this means loft insulation closely followed by cavity wall insulation. By insulating your loft and walls you are reducing over half of the heat loss from your home. For those into DIY loft insulation is something that you can do yourself but cavity wall insulation has to be done by a specialist company with the correct equipment.
Is your home suitable?
Most homes in the UK are suitable for these types of insulation. If your loft has less than 270mm of insulation roll installed then you can get it done with a government grant. Most homes have cavity walls, you can get a grant to cover most or all of the cost of getting blown insulation fitted in the cavity.
Whilst you can do the loft yourself the walls need to be done by a professional installer. Both can be done at the same time so it usually makes sense to get the installer to do both the walls and loft so as to be able to claim the home insulation grants available.
How much will it cost?
There are government grants available that will cover 100 percent of the cost for many people as long as you meet the criteria. Generally this means that if you are 70 plus or are in receipt of any sort of financial support then you will likely get a 100 percent grant. If you are working and not claiming any income support then you can still get up to 70 percent of the cost towards both loft and cavity wall insulation.
For most people who do not get the full grant the final cost for loft insulation is in the region of 99 – 149 pounds and for cavity wall insulation up to 199 pounds. The costs will vary depending on the size of your property, a mid terraced home will cost a lot less than a large detached property.
What are the benefits?
You will save around 20 percent on your heating bills which for many will be in the hundreds of pounds a year. You initial costs if you have any will be paid back through your savings in under 2 years. Your home will feel warmer and you will be able to turn your thermostat down and enjoy the same level of warmth. In short it will make you home warmer and cosier, help reduce damp and condensation and increase the saleability of your home.