Why we should be thinking about home insulation at the height of summer

AS we approach the height of summer, many of us would like to be thinking about BBQs and beers gardens instead of cosy nights in front of the TV.

But with the rising cost of living, and in particular a hike in household energy bills, heating the home is never far from our thoughts.

Home insulation is one easy but very effective way of keeping heat in during the colder weather, and now is the perfect time to start putting some steps in place to winter proof your property.

When the hike in gas and heating bills was first muted back in April, research from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit suggested that families living in properties with poor insulation could be the worst hit.

So, what is insulation and how can it help to slash bills?

Home insulation is the process of trapping heat inside a property, usually by covering areas exposed to the outside, such as roofs and walls.

The Energy Saving Trust estimates that a quarter of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. Insulating your loft, attic or flat roof is an effective way to reduce heat loss and in turn, reducing your heating bills.

Installed correctly, loft insulation should pay for itself many times over in its 40-year lifetime. Two-thirds of homes, that’s 19 million, need better insulation, according to government data.

The main types of insulation, depending on the property, are:

• Loft insulation
• Cavity-wall insulation
• Solid-wall insulation
• Floor insulation
• Draught-proofing

Most heat is lost through the roof, so it should be insulated as a priority.

Heat is also lost through walls. However, many properties have a cavity-wall structure - a gap between the inner and outer walls - where insulation can be inserted.

Whether you carry out the work yourself or enlist the work of a professional it is a good idea to get an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for your home – particularly if you are considering selling your property.

An EPC also highlights the energy efficiency improvements you could make, how much they will cost, and how much you could save. This can be useful when looking to improve your current property, or if you’re looking to buy and improve.

It can tell you how costly it will be to heat and light your property, and what its carbon dioxide emissions are likely to be.

EPCs are valid for 10 years from the date of issue.

For a one-stop-shop when it comes to loft or cavity wall insulation, our tried and trusted member A to Z Energy Solutions can help.

Martin and his qualified team can offer the following services: 

• Cavity wall insulation - using Instafibre 040 which is high quality, water repellent glass mineral blowing wool insulation, manufactured by Knauf. 
• Loft insulation – using high quality materials.
• Loft insulation removal – the chance to remove, refresh and replace old, tatty and scratchy insultation.
• Loft boarding – the chance to save on bills while maintaining or introducing valuable storage space.
• Loft hatches and ladders - existing loft hatches that are tight to fit through can also be enlarged to allow installation of a drop-down hatch and ladder.
• Domestic EPC to identify where improvements can be made in the home.