The benefits of Loft/Cavity Wall Insulation
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Save money. Save Carbon.
Loft Insulation
Did you know that sufficient loft insulation can help save home owners between £180 - £220 on their annual energy bills?
Well it's true! Statistics show that homeowners with insufficient loft insulation could be losing as much as 15% of their fuel costs through their roof (Energy Savings trust - 2009).
The recommended depth for insulation in all new UK builds is currently 270mm. All homeowners with less than the recommended depth should consider topping up their loft and can do so either by contacting a professional installer or by doing so themselves.
In particular, homeowners of older properties (with less than 60mm) could be eligible to receive funding to help reduce the cost of topping up to the required 270mm depth. Some schemes are currently operating that enable those aged 70 or over and those on selected benefits and income support to receive loft insulation fitted for free.
By installing the recommended depth of loft insulation, potential savings on energy bills can go a long way towards paying for loft insulation to be fitted! It can stay effective for up to 40 years which means that it will not only pay for itself once, but over and over again resulting in a fantastic return on investment.
In addition to saving money, loft insulation can also be a great way to help reduce Carbon Emissions in the UK because using less energy helps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions (CO2): which is one of the biggest causes of climate change. With the effects of climate change becoming increasingly apparent, recognising ways to limit its effects have become a priority on the government's agenda.
Back in September 2008, Gordon Brown announced a £910 million package of measures aimed at driving a ‘lasting change' in energy efficiency and consumption in the UK. An integral part of the initiative is to ensure all homes are sufficiently insulated by 2020 and will be fully funded through the UK's major energy suppliers. The government will carefully monitor energy providers to ensure that no costs are passed onto the consumer in the form of future price rises.
Cavity Wall Insulation
The walls of all homes built after 1920 are likely to be made up of two layers, with a gap in between. This gap means that these are ‘Cavity Walls'.
The more ways home owners can make their homes more energy efficient, the greater the potential energy savings! ‘Insulating cavity walls reduces heat loss and can save homeowners around £160 a year on your fuel bills' (Energy Savings trust - 2009). Like loft insulation, it's quick and easy to install. It also pays back relatively quickly due to the energy savings it can provide homeowners.
Making a house more marketable
Ultimately, improving the energy efficiency rating of a house through the use of Loft Insulation or Cavity Wall insulation can help to make the house more marketable. Since April 2009, Home Information Packs (HIP) are a compulsory document for most homes on the market within England and Wales. The HIP is a set of both compulsory and optional documents that provides the buyer with important information about the property they are interested in purchasing.
One of the compulsory documents contained within the HIP pack is an ‘Energy Performance Certificate' (EPC) which gives a building an A to G rating. A is the most efficient - D is generally the average fro properties in the UK. The higher the rating, the more fuel efficient the property will be which will help to make the property more attractive to buyers.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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