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Expert reveals seven insulation tips that could save you up to £1500
Spring might be here, but the cold definitely hasn't disappeared. Night-time temperatures are expected to drop into low single digits during the next fortnight.
So why not keep your house warmer and save money on the way? Insulation has been a well-known way to reduce energy costs for a couple of decades now. It works by conducting heat and stopping it from escaping a contained area. You may install it on a house's walls, ceiling, windows, doors, and floor. It also has the opposite effect of keeping out that bitterly cold air we all know Britain can bring.
Our expert from Household Quotes, Joshua Houston has revealed his seven insulation tips that could save you up to £1500.
1. Invest in newer properties
A property's age is an important factor when looking to buy or invest. Government data shows that 100% of new builds since 2012 have had a wall insulation rating of average and above. If you compare that to properties that date pre-1929, only 10% of those properties’ wall insulation has the same rating.
This could have a huge impact on your energy bills, as 33% of heat in your home is lost via your walls. Investing in a new property results in a home having better insulation, which means less lost heat and a decreased energy bill. Good wall insulation can save you between £280-£380 annually.
2. Add loft insulation
Your loft is another area of your home that loses a lot of heat, 26% is lost here so it’s an important issue to address. Loft insulation is one of the cheaper options to stop your home from losing heat, the cost for an average three-bedroom home in the UK is £930.
This choice offers a good return on investment, you’ll save on average £270 a year, meaning you’ll make your money back in about three and a half years. There are four main types of loft insulation:
Loose-fill insulation: Loose-fill insulation is popular due to its ability to insulate those awkward, uneven parts of your roof or loft. Shredded fibreglass and wool mineral variants are some of the materials behind the most popular cellulose. Favoured due to its affordability, loose-fill insulation is made up of recycled paper and costs around £10 - £12 per square metre.
Brown fibre insulation: Brown fibre insulation tends to be the most expensive option when looking to insulate. It works well at getting to hard-to-reach areas and is sprayed using specialist equipment. This option has a reputation as being one of the most effective and durable insulators out there.
Sheet insulation: Sheet insulation is used for the underside of rooftops. This insulation has one of the widest ranges of costs, with the lower end costing just below £11 and the higher end around £18.
Blanket insulation: This is the easiest to install and the most popular insulation. Its cost-effective price tag attracts casual DIY enthusiasts.
3. Glaze your windows and doors
Windows and glass doors are big reasons why your home could be losing heat, they are typically responsible for 11% of the total lost heat in your home. The potential savings by installing this is around £165 a year, but this can differ depending on the size of your home and whether you have double or triple glazing.
What puts a lot of people off glazing is the cost, for an average three-bedroom home the cost to double-glaze the windows is around £15,000. So on paper, it looks like a bad investment with it taking roughly 91 years for the £165 a year saving to make your money back. But double and triple-glazing increases the value of your property, as the next buyer knows they will be buying a home with cheaper running costs.
4. Fit thick curtains
Alternatively, another option to insulate your windows is to install thick curtains. This will trap cold air between the curtain and the window. It works particularly well in rooms with large windows like living rooms.
You can buy thick curtains for as little as £25 per window, making it a much more affordable option than double or triple-glazing. The return on investment isn’t bad either, installing these curtains should save you around £45 annually.
5. Put sleeves on the pipes
Insulation sleeves are a great option to insulate the pipes in and around your home. Pipes can often get exposed to the elements, whether that’s the brutal cold or the gleaming sunlight.
The sleeves look very similar to pool noodles and are available at national DIY stores for less than £2 a metre. This can bring a saving of up to £20 a year.
6. Plug up the fireplace
Fireplaces are a common location for a home to lose heat and bring in cold air. There are devices you can purchase that plug the fireplace space, preventing anything from escaping or entering. This could save a household up to £60 a year, whereas you can buy a plug for under £15.
7. Wrap up your boiler
A hot water cylinder can be bought for as little as £12, and can easily be installed by yourself. It gives your boiler a layer of insulation and protection, which helps keep the heat in and the cold away. It offers a good return on investment saving you around £40 per year from your energy bill.
Joshua Houston, insulation expert at Household Quotes:
''The weather doesn't look to be getting warmer anytime soon. It's important to keep your home warm, particularly at night when temperatures sit in the low single digits.
Reducing your energy bills is another incentive, every penny you save allows you to invest in other parts of your life. Some of my insulation tips offer a great return on investment, with you making your money back in just a few years.
Choose what is right for you, but always remember that having a more energy-efficent home increases its value''.
Joshua Houston, Insulation Expert
