Home insulation - slash your energy bills, stay snug in winter (and cool in summer)
- Date: 2007-07-26 - Word Count: 657
Share This!
Insulating your home is normally the biggest single thing you can do to save money on gas and electricity, and cut your personal contribution to climate change. The following article tells you about some of the things to think about when planning to insulate your home.
You can add insulation to almost any home. Depending on the structure of your building, the best areas to add insulation are normally the loft, and also the cavity between your home's inner and outer walls. Insulating these saves a lot of energy and based on calculations for a British home, usually covers its cost within 2 years. What's more, if you properly insulate your home you will prevent several tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere each year.
Insulating your cavity walls and loft will have the biggest impact on your bills. More heat is lost through walls than any other route - approximately 33% in an un-insulated home. 270 mm (10 inches) of loft insulation can save up to 25% of a home's heating costs.
In most houses in the United Kingdom built after the 1920s, the external walls are made of two layers with a small air gap or 'cavity' between them. If your home has unfilled cavity walls, a considerable slice of your energy bills will be spent heating the air outside. Filling the gap between the two walls of a house with an insulating material massively decreases the amount of heat which escapes through the walls. It will help create a more even temperature in your home, help prevent condensation on the walls and ceilings.
Cavity wall insulation is quick, clean and relatively inexpensive to install. It's injected into the cavity from the outside, taking between two and three hours for a three bedroom semi-detached house. In the United Kingdom it typically costs around £250, and with the savings homeowners then make on their heating bills, it can pay for itself in under 2 years.
Another really important area to consider is that you could be losing up to a third of the heat in your house through your roof and loft insulation can cut this right down. The recommended depth for insulation is at least 270mm. If you currently have insulation that is less thick than this you may consider adding another layer, although the payback time is longer.
There are various materials that you can use to insulate your loft. Most frequently used is mineral wool, although you can now use real wool if you want a natural alternative.
In the United Kingdom most people prefer to use a professional insulation contractor, who should also help you get government grants to reduce the cost. Because of the grants, using a contractor is normally cheaper than doing it themselves and with a professional you know that the job will be properly done.
Other cheap and easy steps which are well worth home owners considering include insulating their hot water tank, insulating the home's pipe-work and installing draught-proofing. Many homes are leaking heat through gaps in the joins on the panels that make up their windows and doors. In a typical home 20 per cent of all heat loss is through ventilation and draughts. Draught proofing is one of the least expensive and most effective energy efficiency measures for the home - yet it is too often overlooked.
Draught proofing offers a quick return, frequently paying for itself within a year and then saving year after year. There are many types of product - for around windows (sash, metal, timber); external doors (including weatherbars for door bottoms); internal doors - particularly kitchens, bathrooms and main living areas; the loft hatch, and even letter boxes, key holes and cat flaps!
Insulation, although not as headline grabbing as solar panel and wind turbines , is definitely the first place to start to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.
Alex Perry is a founder of DownwithCO2.co.uk, which helps people save energy, save money and reduce CO2 by using insulation
You can add insulation to almost any home. Depending on the structure of your building, the best areas to add insulation are normally the loft, and also the cavity between your home's inner and outer walls. Insulating these saves a lot of energy and based on calculations for a British home, usually covers its cost within 2 years. What's more, if you properly insulate your home you will prevent several tonnes of carbon dioxide being emitted into the atmosphere each year.
Insulating your cavity walls and loft will have the biggest impact on your bills. More heat is lost through walls than any other route - approximately 33% in an un-insulated home. 270 mm (10 inches) of loft insulation can save up to 25% of a home's heating costs.
In most houses in the United Kingdom built after the 1920s, the external walls are made of two layers with a small air gap or 'cavity' between them. If your home has unfilled cavity walls, a considerable slice of your energy bills will be spent heating the air outside. Filling the gap between the two walls of a house with an insulating material massively decreases the amount of heat which escapes through the walls. It will help create a more even temperature in your home, help prevent condensation on the walls and ceilings.
Cavity wall insulation is quick, clean and relatively inexpensive to install. It's injected into the cavity from the outside, taking between two and three hours for a three bedroom semi-detached house. In the United Kingdom it typically costs around £250, and with the savings homeowners then make on their heating bills, it can pay for itself in under 2 years.
Another really important area to consider is that you could be losing up to a third of the heat in your house through your roof and loft insulation can cut this right down. The recommended depth for insulation is at least 270mm. If you currently have insulation that is less thick than this you may consider adding another layer, although the payback time is longer.
There are various materials that you can use to insulate your loft. Most frequently used is mineral wool, although you can now use real wool if you want a natural alternative.
In the United Kingdom most people prefer to use a professional insulation contractor, who should also help you get government grants to reduce the cost. Because of the grants, using a contractor is normally cheaper than doing it themselves and with a professional you know that the job will be properly done.
Other cheap and easy steps which are well worth home owners considering include insulating their hot water tank, insulating the home's pipe-work and installing draught-proofing. Many homes are leaking heat through gaps in the joins on the panels that make up their windows and doors. In a typical home 20 per cent of all heat loss is through ventilation and draughts. Draught proofing is one of the least expensive and most effective energy efficiency measures for the home - yet it is too often overlooked.
Draught proofing offers a quick return, frequently paying for itself within a year and then saving year after year. There are many types of product - for around windows (sash, metal, timber); external doors (including weatherbars for door bottoms); internal doors - particularly kitchens, bathrooms and main living areas; the loft hatch, and even letter boxes, key holes and cat flaps!
Insulation, although not as headline grabbing as solar panel and wind turbines , is definitely the first place to start to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient.
Alex Perry is a founder of DownwithCO2.co.uk, which helps people save energy, save money and reduce CO2 by using insulation
Related Tags: environment, co2, climate, solar, renewable energy, climate change, insulation, wind turbines, solar panels, green energy, solar hot water, solar heating, co2 emi
Alex Perry is a founder of http://www.downwithco2.co.uk, a site dedicated to making it easy for people to save energy and cut their personal contribution to Climate Change by giving them information and putting them in touch with companies that can help Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Important Things to Know About an Assisted Living Residence in Texas
n assisted living residence is a facility designed for senior citizens or persons with disabilities - Understanding How the Probate Process Works
The probate process is required within the U.S. to settle estates of deceased persons. The time requ - Fun Ideas for the Family During the Christmas Holiday
The Yuletide season is one of the most awaited holidays of the year because it is the time for joy a - How To Find The Right Composite Decking Deck Builders
Another rising home improvement project homeowners are starting to do a lot more of is the composite - Every Home Should Have A Radiant Barrier
The most easy and successful home improvement project you can do to your House, would be to install - The Different Types Of Rain Gutters
When purchasing a house or planning to do improvements to a home, there is always one project that s - How To Get The Best Replacement Windows For Your Home
Installing replacement windows can be the single most important home improvement project you can do - Holiday Accommodation Gold Coast: Pointers For Selecting The Best
With a multitude of holiday accommodations in Gold Coast, choosing the one for yourself can be quite - Want Holiday Accommodation In Gold Coast Queensland? Get Online To Find The Best Deal In A Quick, Co
There are several ways to find holiday accommodation in Gold Coast. You may refer to travel guides t - Celebrate The Ten-days Festival Of Navratri.
Dasara known as Dussehra, Navaratri, Vijaya Dashami is a festival of triumph of GOOD over Evil. The
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Adoptees Need Support When Voicing Feelings about Birth Parents
"I feel like a mistake.""I'm not like them.""Where's my family?""Why can't I find a suitable career? - Progressive Cooking: All About 'cuisine'
The French are known for their interest in art and all that is fine. It therefore comes as no surpri - Moroccan Decor - Oh My! Make Your Home Shine With Moroccan Rugs and Tapestries.
It is said in Morocco that he who enters Fez with a rug will leave with a moneybag. This saying o - Online Criminal Background Checks-Importance & Ease
Have you ever thought your new neighbor looks like one of the pictures on the post office bulletin b - Installing A Burglar Alarm
Want to protect your home? Ready to install a burglar alarm? The popularity of the home burglar ala - Lowe's Backyard Playground Sets
Lowe's is an excellent first place to look for anyone who is looking for the best swing sets on the - How Could Short Term Health Insurance Help Me?
Short-term health insurance plans allow people to have health insurance for a limited amount of time - Watch Out For Those Stinky Skunks!
There are various species of skunks found throughout the United States including the striped, spotte - Asthma In Kids: An Increasing Epidemic
Many believe that the majority of asthma cases are confined to adults, but this is definitely an inc - Stairlifts For Riders Of Above Average Weight
A stairlift is an affordable device that is used to give people with limited mobility access to the