Insulation Material Guide, Facts and advice

Figures show that up to half of your heat is lost through un-insulated walls. It is possible to prevent around 70% of this from being lost by installing cavity wall insulation. Typically this would result in a heating bill saving of around 25%.

Cavity insulation can be applied to most houses with cavity walls and generally involves drilling a series of holes in the outer leaf of the outside wall and blowing the insulation into the cavity. The holes can be sealed again leaving little or no trace of the work.

Cavity wall insulation will make your house feel warmer as it will not be subject to rapid temperature changes brought about by changes in the outside temperature. As a result, your central heating will be able to cope more easily as it will only require short bursts of heating to maintain your chosen temperature.

Wall insulation helps to reduce the amount of gas, oil, coal or electricity used to heat your house. Savings in these mean equivalent savings in Carbon Dioxide which is the main greenhouse gas. Green house gasses cause global warming which results in climate change. The climate here is already showing signs of colder stormier winters and summer droughts.

Wall insulation should last the lifetime of the house and will therefore continue to save every year of the life of the house.

Cavity wall insulation costs about £4.70 per metre squared of external wall. (i.e. a three bed semi-detached would cost about £479)

The Energy Saving Trust intermittently offer grants of £200 cash towards each job. Contact them to find out the current situation (see below and Links)

It will save you up to one-third of your running costs, and can pay for itself within three to four years.