Cavity Wall Insulation What Is Insulation? Insulation, or more correctly thermal insulation, is a general term used to describe products that reduce heat loss or heat gain by providing a barrier between areas that are significantly different in temperature. There are a number of items in the home that benefit from insulation – such as central heating boilers and hot water pipes – however buildings themselves need some extra help to make them more energy efficient. Home insulation therefore reduces the amount of heat that escapes from a building in the winter and protects it from getting too warm in the summer.
What is Cavity Wall Insulation? In most houses built after 1924, the external walls are made of two layers with a small air gap or ‘cavity’ between them. If your home has unfilled cavity walls, a considerable portion of your heating bills will be spent warming the air outside. Cavity wall insulation is injected into the cavity between the inner and outer leaves of brickwork that make up the external wall. An installer will do this from the outside of your home. There is a variety of different insulating materials, but they all work in the same way. By combining with the captive air within the cavity, the insulation acts as a barrier to heat loss.
Why Insulate? The Government strongly recommends cavity wall insulation for all suitable existing houses. ‘Up to half of all heat lost in an average house goes straight through the walls. Proper wall insulation can stop up to two thirds of this heat loss’, says the Government energy efficiency division. Cavity wall insulation is the most successful way of reducing your heat loss. You will not only benefit from it in the winter but also in the summer. A technician will visit your home and “inject” the insulating material into your walls from the outside. It will take between two and three hours for a three-bedroom semi-detached, and leaves no mess or damage to your house or garden. The better insulated your home, the less energy you need to keep it warm – and the more money you’ll save. By insulating your cavity walls your household will produce less CO2, so insulating your cavity walls is also a great way to help fight climate change.
Is Your Property Suitable? The main point to consider is whether your walls actually have a cavity. In general, if your home was built after 1924 using traditional brick construction, then a cavity should be present. From 1982 onwards, building regulations changed so that most homes had cavity wall insulation installed from new. If you are unsure if your property is suitable the please apply online(link) or telephone 08455 194 355 to arrange a free home energy survey.
This will confirm:
Whether your home has cavity walls. Whether or not your cavities have already been insulated. That your walls are in good condition, and suitable for insulation.
