We all want to keep gas and electricity bills down and insulating your home can help.
It’s going to cost more to heat and light homes this winter after the big six energy firms in the UK hiked gas prices by up to 19 per cent and electricity up to 16 per cent, adding £160 on average to annual household fuel bills.
One way to avoid paying over the odds for gas and electricity is to shop around for a cheaper supplier, but it’s equally important to make sure your home is well insulated.
Why? Well, the figures speak for themselves.
A third of heat is lost through walls and a quarter is lost through the roof, according to the Energy Saving Trust. And poorly insulated homes cost more to run as they require more heat, more frequently, to keep them at comfortable temperatures.
A giant duvet for your home
Think of insulation as a giant duvet interwoven between your house’s walls and loft, acting as a buffer keeping heat in and cold out.
The better insulated your home is, the less money you'll spend heating it. And what’s more, you may be able to get help with the cost of the work.
Grants and discounts
The government, local authorities, and energy suppliers all offer energy-efficiency grants and discounts for homes in the UK. And you can take up grants and discounts from any energy supplier, regardless of whether they supply your gas and electricity.
Why are the government and energy firms offering consumers money to insulate homes? Well, it’s because of government targets to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from homes.
Also, this financial help doesn’t just apply to insulation. Grants and discounts are also available for things like draught proofing, replacement boilers and heating.
How it works
The Energy Saving Trust (EST) has put together a database of the financial help available. Answer some simple questions on its website and you’ll be shown a list of deals available in your local area.
I put my details of my own property into the website and received a discounted quote of just £79 for cavity wall insulation. It would normally cost up to £350 to have this installed, according to the EST.
A cavity wall is where external walls are made of two layers with a gap or cavity between them. Most houses built after 1920 were made in this way. Cavity wall insulation fills that gap, keeping the warmth in to save energy.
Save hundreds
Having cavity wall insulation installed could save as much as £135 on annual energy bills.
Additionally, if you have no loft insulation at all, getting this done will stop heat escaping through the roof and could save you a further £175 on your heating bills according to the EST - a combined saving of more than £310.
Richard Bryson, Energy Saving Trust energy efficiency expert, says: “The savings which can be made by properly insulating your home is no small amount and surely enough to get all homeowners to sit up and take notice.
“Everyone can do their bit to reduce their energy consumption and start saving money on their energy bills and insulation is the ideal place to start given there are so many discounts on offer around the UK.”
Note: All figures estimated by the Energy Saving Trust are based on insulating a gas-heated, three-bedroom semi-detached home.
