On the coldest days in Europe, UK households experience three times the heat loss of their German or Scandinavian counterparts (source) because of poor insulation and drafts.
Top 5 things you need to know about insulation
- Fabric first – Insulate your home before changing your heating system in order to increase your options and reduce costs.
- Prioritise investment – Insulate your walls, loft, windows, chimneys, doors, floors in that order. See the graphic above to understand why.
- Use financial incentives – Interest-free loans can be available, even where grants aren’t. Get in touch for help.
- Consider ventilation – Houses need to breathe in order to prevent moisture building up to limit condensation.
- Plan for upgrades – Upgrade your insulation while you’re getting other work (kitchens, extensions, conversions) done to minimise disruption
Top 5 things you can do to improve your home’s insulation
- Letterbox – If your letterbox lets in the draught on a windy day, buy a draught excluder like this: shorturl.at/adrz4
- Check your loft – Check how much insulation you’ve got in the loft then top it up as required: shorturl.at/acCJ9
- Draught strips – Good for older windows and doors: shorturl.at/imEK0
- Chimney sheep – If you have a chimney that you rarely use, try a Chimney Sheep for a noticeably warmer room: shorturl.at/eqvW2
- Curtains – Simple one this, close all of them at sunset to trap the heat inside!