Home Insulation: A Beginner's Guide

There are numerous ways to insulate your home and help cut your heating costs - as well as cutting the cost to the Earth via extra CO2 emissions that are produced as a result of poorly insulated properties.

Below is a brief look at how you can help reduce these costs:

Loft Insulation
Loft insulation need not be an expensive project. Laying insulation products can be a DIY job for most people.

It has been estimated by the Energy Saving Trust that homes without loft insulation can lose as much as 15% of their heat through the roof alone. This can be a cost to the owner in excess of £100 per year in extra heating bills. In addition, the cost to the Earth cannot be overlooked, with nearly a tonne of extra CO2 being emitted as a result.

Wall Insulation
Most 20th century homes were built with two layers of brick to the outer walls - leaving a cavity between. Filling these cavities with a decent cavity wall insulation can save up to £100 for the average homeowner in reduced heating costs, a possible reduction in condensation, as well as producing 3/4 of a tonne less CO2 that would have been otherwise emitted into the atmosphere.

Floor Insulation
There are a range of products for insulating floors, whether the floor has floorboards, tongue and groove paneling or even concrete. It can be a more complicated procedure than loft insulation, but the subsequent benefits may be paid back over time via reduced heating costs.