Five Types of Home Insulation

Cavity Wall Insulation

• Installing cavity wall insulation can dramatically reduce the amount of heat that you lose through the walls of your home. Many old homes (pre 1920) are built with a small gap existing between the internal and external walls. The cost of filling up this gap will be repaid by the amount of money you will save through improved insulation. According to the UK Energy Savings Trust, it will take just two years to recoup the cost of insulation.

Solid Wall Insulation

• If you have a modern property, then more often than not it would have been built without a gap in between the walls, making cavity wall insulation irrelevant. However, walls without cavities can lose up to twice as much heat if left non-insulated. Solid walls can be insulated in two ways: with internal or external insulation. The UK Energy Savings Trust estimates that you can reduce your heating bill by up to 40 percent by insulating solid walls.

Attic Insulation

• In most homes up to a quarter of heat is lost through the attic. By insulating this area you will immediately make your home more energy efficient and see bill savings almost overnight. Attic insulation is suitable for every home if it has an accessible loft with no condensation problems. It is a perfectly simple job that can be completed by a professional or a homeowner, as all that is needed is to lay insulation blankets.

Draft Proofing

• In many homes, particularly old builds, drafts can be a real problem. One way to eliminate them is to draft proof your home. Draft proofing is one of the cheapest and most efficient ways to save energy, as it involves plugging gaps in doors, windows, loft hatches, pipes and suspended floorboards with a variety of draft-proofing materials such as foam strips and flexible fillers.