Though you might not think it, having your loft insulated can have a significant effect on your energy bills. The costs of heating a home continue to rise, and they’re not expected to become cheaper any time soon. If you’re in charge of the bills, that means more and more expense every year. However, many homes across the UK qualify for free insulation, so you could start saving money almost immediately.
Retain Your Home’s Heat
We all know that heat rises. It means that to keep downstairs cosy, you’ll have to have the heating on full whack. What does that mean? You could be losing a lot of that energy through your loft. In fact, around 25per cent of a home’s heat is lost through its roof. That means a quarter of the energy you’re paying for isn’t even keeping you warm!
Luckily, loft insulation is cheap, easy to install and has an almost immediate effect. Many homes could save up to £240 every year, and because it’s relatively inexpensive to install, it should pay for itself in only two years time.
How Much Does Loft Insulation Cost?
Loft insulation is one of the cheapest insulation techniques you can use, not only to improve the energy efficiency of your home but to save some money too. The recommended thickness of insulation is 270mm, so the first step you need to take is to measure any insulation you already have. You can then simply top the levels up or, if your loft is currently bare, lay the full amount.
In general, a 100mm roll capable of covering around 8.3m² costs about £20. That means the average cost of insulating a detached, four-bedroom home is £395. A semi-detached house with three bedrooms will cost approximately £300, whilst a three-bed terrace will be even cheaper, at £285. Of course, if you already have some insulation installed and are simply topping up, costs will be even less.
Take Advantage of Free Roof Insulation
Over the past few years, the British government has been keen to tackle the energy efficiency of housing. As such, there have been several free insulation schemes in place to help people save money. Though the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme finished at the end of 2012, it was replaced with the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) initiative.
Under this scheme, many energy providers will still give you free loft insulation – you don’t even need to be a current client. Nor do you, as you might fear, need to switch providers. For example, if you’re a British Gas customer, you could still have free insulation installed by another provider whilst remaining with British Gas (though it should be mentioned British Gas do offer the insulation too).
As a general rule, before you consider paying for any property insulation, find out whether you qualify for a government grant. Paying out needlessly would be extremely frustrating when you could have had it for free!
Increase Your Home’s Energy-Efficiency
Getting your loft insulated isn’t only a good idea to save money, but it makes your home more energy efficient too. This is crucial for ongoing sustainability and it helps to reduce the levels of carbon emissions from the energy production industry. It’s also important if you want to get the best price for your home when it comes to selling it.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are now required when homes are sold, and many modern buyers want to buy property that’s energy efficient so they don’t have to deal with expensive utility bills. Having loft insulation is an easy way to increase your home’s property rating with very little disruption or expense.
Act Now, and Save More
Though free loft insulation is still widely available, it’s important to realise this may not last forever, particularly because the government’s previous pledges have mostly finished. Acting now also means you can begin benefiting from energy savings as soon as possible.
If you’re unsure whether you qualify for free insulation, you can check with energy providers. Alternatively, you can use websites like Quotatis to find local tradesmen – many of whom may be affiliated with energy companies and will be able to provide advice on the most suitable type of insulation for your home.