You may have seen our most recent column ‘ultimate advice on installing Cavity wall’. Since then, we’ve been hearing a lot from local residents that wish to understand more on insulation itself. That is why, we will be taking you back to basics and gearing you up with all the insulation knowledge needed for the future!
What is Home Insulation?
If your home isn’t properly insulated, you can lose heat through the roof, the walls and even the floor. Insulation prevents heat from escaping and allows you to keep your home warm in winter, and cool in summer! Depending on the type of insulation you’re having done, the materials used can vary.
What Insulation options do you have?
InstaGroup offer services for Cavity Wall, Solid Wall (also known as External Wall) and Loft Insulation.
Cavity Wall insulation fills the gap or cavity between the two layers of brick that make up the outside walls of a property. If you’re not sure whether your home has cavity walls, the age of the property is a big clue: if your home was built after 1920, it probably has cavity walls!
If your home shares an external wall with another property, do not worry! InstaGroup offer an all-round solution for installing Cavity Wall insulation. Our specialised Party Wall Cavity Insulation reduces any heat loss from shared or dividing walls between properties, making it ideal for semi-detached or linked buildings.
Solid Wall insulation is a system of specially designed insulation panels that are attached to the outside walls with a rail framework and then weather-proofed with your choice of render colour and finish. The walls are insulated from outside temperatures, and the exterior of your home gets a facelift.
Loft Insulation adds a thermal blanket to your loft or attic. We often find existing insulation is not deep enough to be fully effective. The required minimum depth is now 270mm, so if your loft or roof space was insulated before 2003 your home could probably benefit from a top up.
What are the benefits of Insulation?
There are many benefits that come with insulating your home – Reduced energy bills, a reduced carbon footprint and more obviously, a much warmer home. But what are the individual benefits depending on your chosen insulation?
Loft
You can lose up to 25% of heat through the roof of an uninsulated home. Insulating your loft is a great way to save energy. Installing Loft insulation could help save up to £580 a year on energy bills, depending on the size of the property¹
Cavity Wall
Save up to 33% of your home’s heat with Cavity Wall insulation. Once installed it goes to work straight away – it effectively stops as much as a third of a home’s warmth from being lost through the walls². You’ll enjoy lower energy costs and cosier rooms, year after year. It is also a quick and easy insulation with minimum disruption!
Solid Wall
Solid Wall improves a property inside and out. Your home becomes warmer and more welcoming, with the added advantage of increased kerb appeal from a fresh and attractive makeover of the outside walls. You’ll find rooms are noticeably quieter too. As well as keeping in the warmth, InstaGroup’s highly effective system could cut home heating bills by as much as £650 every year³ depending on the size of your property.
Some expert advice
If you have had a loft insulation and you plan to use the loft or attic for storage you will need to lay loft boards over the joists after installation is complete. This ensures maximum longevity. There is generally no maintenance needed with insulation, however we do recommend undertaking normal home and building maintenance.
Interested in a home energy survey? Call us on 0800 526 023 or email customerservice@instagroup.co.uk
¹Savings estimate for installing loft or roof insulation is based on insulating a detached gas-heated home. Fuel prices as of April 2022. See https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/roof-and-loft-insulation
²Heat loss estimates are from https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/energy-at-home/reducing-home-heat-loss
³Savings estimate for installing solid wall insulation is based on insulating a detached gas-heated home. Fuel prices as of April 2022. See https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/solid-wall-insulation
