You pay for all the heat generated in your home. If your home is poorly insulated, you are paying for all the heat lost through your home’s roof, walls, windows and doors. Poorly insulated homes cost more to keep their residents warm than well-insulated homes. The measures below all help reduce heat loss from homes. On cold days these measures will help keep homes warm, making your home more comfortable and reducing heating bills. On warm days, they help keep the home cool from the heat outside.
Energy efficient doors and windows
If you are looking to replace your windows or doors, replacing them with A-rated double or triple glazing can significantly reduce heat loss. If you cannot replace your windows, adding secondary glazing is also an option. Double glazed windows have two panes of glass, the gap in the middle is filled with an inert gas which is more insulating than air. This creates a barrier to help keep warm air in your home during winter and hot air out during the summer. Triple glazing works in the same way but as it has three panes of glass, the insulating effect is improved, they also have the advantage of eliminating draughts and noise.
Like windows, doors can be insulated and draught-proofed to reduce home heat loss. New doors often have insulated cores, which makes them more energy efficient than older doors. Other measures like keyhole covers, letterbox flaps, and foam or brush edging can help reduce the heat loss through your front or rear door.
Loft insulation
Insulation can be laid in a home's loft to reduce the amount of heat lost through the roof. Because heat rises, loft insulation is particularly effective at keeping heat inside during the winter. Loft insulation can be installed on the floor or roof of a loft, and different types of insulation can be installed depending on the use of the loft. For example, if the loft is being converted into a bedroom, insulation is likely to be installed in a different area than in the loft is to be used as a cool storage area.
External wall insulation
External wall insulation is solid insulation added to a home’s exterior. The insulation panels are added and then covered with render or cladding and a finish, like paint or pebbledash. External wall insulation helps keep heat from moving between the inside and outside of a home, keeping it warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Homes with external wall insulation will usually also have additional ventilation installed.
External wall insulation is not suitable for all homes and may also require some of the exterior features of a home, such as downspouts, to be reconfigured.
Cavity wall and underfloor insulation
In many homes there is a gap between the exterior wall and interior wall, or between the floor and subfloor that is filled with air. Cavity wall insulation is an insulation made of beads or spray foam can be injected into the gap. This insulation decreases the amount of heat lost through the home’s walls, keeping the home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Homes that have cavity wall or underfloor insulation installed may also need to have additional ventilation installed.
Some homes may not be eligible for cavity wall or underfloor insulation if, for example, the home has single-brick walls or if there are issues with damp in the wall cavity that need to be addressed. Some homes also have insulation installed in wall and floor cavities during construction.