Building Insulation

However well designed your heating system may be, a high standard of comfort and lower running costs may not be achieved unless some basic home insulation is carried out.

Insulation Measures

Fully insulating a house can be expensive, so it is worth carrying out basic measures first as these can give the biggest reductions in fuel bills in relation to the cost of the improvement. When having a heating system installed it is worth looking at insulation at the same time and useful to have a payback calculation quoted for the project. The following simple measures to reduce heat loss from a home are listed in order of cost effectiveness, with the cheapest and easiest first.

Draught Excluders

Put draught strip around windows and external doors and fit a flap across the letter box. It is important that ventilator and air bricks are not blocked.

Roof Insulation

Where possible, the roof space should be insulated with a minimum of 150mm of glass fibre or mineral wool. Specialist advice will be needed for flat roofs and loft conversions. Remember not to insulate underneath any storage tanks located in the roof space.

Wall Insulation

Wall insulation can be carried out for cavity and solid walls. A specialist contractor should be used.

Double Glazing

In terms of reduction of heat loss, double glazing is expensive to install, but it can help cut down street noise and may be worthwhile if windows need replacing.