If your home is constantly feeling cold, you might be tempted to just turn the thermostat up to compensate. But if the chilliness is actually a symptom of an issue with your loft insulation, then whacking the heating up means you are wasting both energy and money.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, around 25% of an uninsulated home's heat is lost through the roof. And so if your home feels like it's losing heat, your loft space is a good place to start when it comes to investigating the problem. Even if your home isn't losing heat right now, it's still worth making a few tweaks to prevent heat loss in the future.

These are the three simple checks to make when it comes to your loft insulation that can help both resolve any problem or prevent it from occurring in the first place.

1. Inspect your existing insulation

It's a good idea to check your loft insulation and make sure it's in good working order so that it does its job properly. This should be a simple visual inspection to check for any obvious gaps or signs of damage or disturbance. While it's normal that your insulation shouldn't be going right into the eaves, if you spot other gaps or see spots where you don't have enough insulation, it's a good idea to get this sorted asap if you want to stay warm.

If you notice a musty smell or see any discolouration or sagging, this can be a sign of water damage. Listen out for unusual sounds too. Noises that sound like scratching, scurrying, buzzing, or chirping can all be signs that mice, rats, squirrels, bees, wasps or birds have set up home in your loft, which could be damaging your insulation.

Remember that what insulation is made of can be irritating to your skin and respiratory system, so don't touch it without wearing appropriate PPE (or leave it to a pro).

If you do see signs of damage, it's worth calling on a pro to resolve the infestation, remove the old insulation and install new where needed.

2. Insulate (and draught proof) your loft hatch

It's all well and good having a well insulated loft space, but it's all too easy to forget to insulate the loft hatch, which means you could still be losing a significant amount of heat without even realising it. So it's important to make sure you seal any draughts and make sure it's well insulated. If not, this could be a key spot for heat loss.

Fortunately, you can buy specifically designed loft hatch draughtproof strips, like these loft hatch seals from Amazon (£9.49), that are easily cut to size with scissors and fixed with nails.

3. Raise what you store in the loft

Unless you've done a loft conversion and use your attic as additional living space, then it's likely that you'll be using it for storage instead.

But did you know that incorrectly storing items in your loft could impact the integrity of your insulation, making it less effective and shortening it's lifespan.

‘Loft mineral wool does its job by trapping still air, and the moment you compress it with boxes or boards you cut its thermal resistance sharply,’ says Alex Morrisey, Founder of Best Roofers. ‘That extra heat loss also drives more warm, moist indoor air into the cold loft where it can condense on timbers and sarking, especially through winter. Over time that moisture can rot rafters and ceiling joists, rust nails and brackets, encourage mould, and leave brown stains on ceilings.’

The solution is to raise your storage above the insulation. Doing this means you not only prevent the insulation being compressed, and ensure adequate airflow, but you also maintain the energy performance of your home.

FAQs

• Your home feels colder than it used to
• Your energy bills are inexplicably higher than they used to be
• You've heard strange noises coming from the loft that you think may be pests
• Your loft boards have compressed the insulation
• A visual inspection shows gaps, disturbance or damage to the loft insulation.

Make sure you follow these loft insulation dos and don'ts for the best results when it comes to your homes comfort and energy bills.

It's a truth universally acknowledged that the importance of insulating our homes is not to be underestimated, but when you have two-foot thick stone walls instead of cavities that can be filled with insulation what do you do?

My partner and I live in a 1700s Somerset cottage, and we knew when we bought it that the house had been completely covered in a cement render, leaving it uninsulated and damp. As a result, it's been very chilly throughout the few autumns and winters we've had in the house, and after braving sub-zero temperatures, we decided it was time to resolve the issue once and for all.

As our home is old, we looked to traditional ways to remedy this issue and found an insulated lime render that we thought would not only be in-keeping with the age of the property, but also effective. In addition to the temporary methods of keeping the house warm and draught-free, this will make a significant difference to the house and it's future.

Insulated lime render can be used externally, but we’re using it on the internal walls of our cottage to improve its energy performance, make it warmer and restore the proper mechanisms of stone walls to prevent damp. Not only that, but we’re doing the work ourselves…

What is insulating lime?

Without going into too much of the nitty gritty of hydraulic and non-hydraulic limes and their benefits, lime plaster is made from sand, water and lime (from limestone, not the citrus fruit) and is a traditional method of protecting and decorating older homes. In short, it’s what gives historic homes that wibbly wobbly look.

Lime is also breathable so, when applied to the walls of stone buildings, it allows moisture to wick in and out, keeping the house healthy and preventing the build up of water that can lead to damp.

In the not-too-distant past, there was a bit of a trend to rip out or cover up the original lime render with cement, thinking it was the best way forward to prevent damp and give a cleaner, more polished finish. Unfortunately, this usually lead to houses not ‘breathing’, thus trapping moisture inside and making them even colder and more damp. This is the case with our house.

Insulated lime is a product that utilises fibres, such as cork, wood or recycled glass alongside the lime to improve the energy efficiency of the lime plaster. In my opinion, it’s best applied during a renovation project, like the one my partner and I are undertaking, as it is a notoriously messy job.

There are quite a few different lime render products on the market and we’ve chosen Cornerstone’s insulating render, which claims that that with a 50mm two-coat application, it can improve the U-value (a measure heat transmittance) of a solid wall by 50%. It offers better insulation than standard lime render, which makes it particularly appealing. There is a SuperTherm version that claims a 75% improvement in U-values, but that was out of our price range.

‘There are various different types of insulative plaster, ours work by using lightweight aggregates that trap air within the plaster,’ explains Justine Stephens from Cornish Lime. ‘These aggregates are significantly lighter than standard plasters. The air slows the rate at which heat moves through the wall surface and reduces heat loss.’

Our choice was primarily because we’re not too far away from suppliers Cornish Lime and we attended an excellent one-day rendering and plastering course, which gave us the knowledge to be able to tackle this job ourselves.

Will insulated lime save us money?

Applying insulated lime to our cottage will almost certainly save us money in the long-run, even if it feels like an expensive investment right now.

The cottage section of our house currently only has roof insulation, so any additionally insulating measures will be positive in our eyes! We know from a heat loss assessment done on our home we lose around 45% of our heat through the uninsulated walls, and we've worked out that to insulate with the lime will cost us around £1,600.

In theory then, insulating by 50mm on the external walls will save us approximately 20-22% in heat loss per year, which adds up to roughly £200-220 annually. In just over 5 years, we will break even.

‘There are multiple options for insulation, but when looking at solid stone walls, lime is a much better option for a number of reasons; reduced heat loss, internal surface temperature increases helping reduce condensation, but most importantly you have high vapour permeability and moisture buffering,’ says Justine Stevens. 'Because lime plasters are vapour-open, moisture can move through the plaster rather than becoming trapped (solid walls will always have some level of moisture present). The plaster can absorb and release moisture in response to internal humidity, helping to manage damp rather than exacerbate it.’

How we're applying the insulating lime render

Most insulating limes can be applied directly to existing lime plaster if it's in a sound and good enough condition, but that wasn’t an option for us.

The first satisfying, but exhausting, task for us then was to remove the plaster. This stage took us far longer than we expected as the cement layer was incredibly thick (up to 10cm) in some places. We also uncovered a cast-concrete and breeze block layer which took a ridiculous amount of time to remove. Finally we were left with a bare shell of a room.

If you didn't want to attempt this yourself, then any conservation or lime-specific plasterer would definitely be able to apply the insulating lime render. But if you know a plasterer that tends to work with gypsum, you may need to have a chat first as the insulated lime process can take much longer and needs some know-how regarding application and safety. If you’re aiming for a pristine finish that you would see from gypsum plaster with neat corners and smooth edges, then getting a professional in is most certainly the way you should go. Without a careful hand of experience, the end result might be far from what you’re after.

However, our farmers’ cottage is extremely rough-and-ready — the walls aren’t straight either vertically or horizontally and my partner and I both love the look of our wobbly walls. Also, we’re at the tail-end of our renovation project with still a lot to do, so taking on this job ourselves will save us thousands.

But we also wanted to make sure that we knew what we were doing. To understand what we would need and to get to grips with lime rendering, we attended a course with Cornish Lime that took us through everything from the history and science of lime to the proper application and health and safety. Lime is an alkaline and when it touches your skin or gets in your eye it can cause serious damage. If you’re tempted to DIY like us, I would really recommend a similar course and always wear proper PPE.

Between removing the plaster and applying it, we had the cottage rewired and replumbed to accommodate the new bathroom upstairs and better positions of radiators.

Unlike regular lime renders, where you need a scratch coat, float coat and skim coat with drying times in-between each step to ensure longevity, this insulating plaster can be applied in two stages with just a day between. It can then be finished with a fine plaster ‘skim’ coat to create a more polished-looking wall.

We’ve only rendered one room so far, which will act as my home office and a spare room when guests come. Applying the render was super easy, but it took a bit of practice to get a nice smoothness to each wall. Neither of us had plastered before so it was all a bit of an experiment that I’m sure will get better as we progress room by room. It took us around five hours per wall, so about two days to do the entire spare room. I have really weak wrists from a long-standing injury so I had to take frequent breaks as we went along and it was definitely easier having two people as one could be mixing up the next batch while the other applied the coat, swapping buckets as we went.

We can already feel the difference, even without the radiators installed, which is so gratifying and I’m so pleased with the finish we’ve been able to achieve. Only time will tell the actual difference it's made to our bills but, regardless, it’s all better than when we found it, which is something I often need to remind myself when renovating.

This will be a significant upgrade the efficiency of our home, but there's plenty of other less labour-intensive and expensive ways to save energy at home that we're also incorporating into our daily life.

I'm currently renovating my home, which is part 1700s cottage, part 1970s extension. While much of our renovation plan involves substantial upgrades to improve its energy efficiency, there are some things that can't wait until we have the funds available or until another significant job is complete.

Take the front door, for example. I love the character and appearance of our timber front door, but it is incredibly ill-fitting. On some days you can see the daylight like a halo around it, and on a cold day, feel the draughts. Definitely not what we want at the coldest time of the year. I've used other budget-friendly measures to eliminate draughts around our house, but the front door was definitely becoming a priority.

In our old house, we'd had a similar problem before we replaced the door and used draught excluder strips that worked wonders. I'd also seen that Ideal Home's Managing Editor Thea had used draught excluder strips to help banish draughts from her single-glazed windows, I decided to try them around the front door. And boy do they make a difference.

Choosing the right draught excluder tape

Draught exclusion tape is usually made from rubber and foam with a strip of sticky tape to fix it to the frames of windows and doors. It works by creating a snug seal around the opening so when the door or window is closed, air can’t move in or out very easily.

When I was shopping for the tape for my front door, the main thing that tripped me up was the width differences. I didn’t even think to measure the gap itself so when I got to the shop and found there were different sizes depending on the gap between door and frame I had to wing it. Of course, I bought the wrong one and had to traipse back again.

There are also different shapes of tape, some with a P shape and some with a D. The P shape is best for gaps of 2-5 mm and D is better for gaps of 5-6mm. The P-shape draught exclusion tape I bought cost £7 for 5m and the D-shape was £7 for 6m, which I thought was fairly good value.

The gap on our front door was 6mm on one side and 4mm on another, so I ended up using both.

Prep and installation

Something I'd learned from applying this tape from our last go around was that the door frame itself needed to be really clean of grease, grime and debris for a firm adhesion. So, I grabbed some soapy water and a cloth to give the area a good wipe down, before thoroughly drying with a microfibre towel.

Installing the tape was super easy and took about three minutes to draughtproof the front door. I just needed a pair of scissors and some patience so that you get it in a straight line. It arrives in a coil with two connected strips of draught excluder tape that you can quickly separate. The once you're ready to install it, you just peel off a section of the protective paper to reveal the sticky strip. The thicker D-shaped coil for wider gaps needed scissors to separate the two strips but it didn't take long to cut down the middle.

I started from the top corner of the door frame and pressed the tape into place. I worked about 30cm at a time peeling and sticking to make sure it was straight. When I reached the bottom I just cut with the scissors and moved on to the other edges.

Has it made a difference?

The tape has definitely made a difference. I can no longer see the daylight halo around the door, or feel a chilly draught when I walk by. For something that cost less that £15 total and took less than five minutes to install, I absolutely cannot knock it.

Once thing I have noticed is that we have to put in a little bit more effort to close the door and make sure it's closed properly. This is down to the additional resistance created by the tape, as you would expect.

I'm interested to see how long the tape lasts. Where I'd used it in my old house, we ended up replacing the front door before the tape failed, so I'm curious how long we have until we need to replace it.

While I don't think this will be the permanent draught solver for this door, it's a very effective temporary solution that will keep the draughts out and warmth in when we need it too. And I can't ask more than that!

After eliminating draughts around the front door, I also installed secondary glazing film on the windows in the 1970s extension, and it's made it so much warmer. That'll definitely see us through the winter.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

If your home is feeling chilly and you have inexplicably high energy bills, it might be time to check your insulation is still up to scratch.

If your loft insulation has been compromised, then you'll be losing heat through your roof space, and paying for the privilege. It's worth getting a professional out to assess your existing insulation — they'll quickly spot signs your insulation needs replacing, or know exactly how to top up your existing material so that it's performing well and meeting building regulation requirements.

To help you figure out how much to budget, I asked the experts.

How much does loft insulation cost?

The cost of your loft insulation will depend on a few different factors, but it is money well spent, especially when you consider the positive impact improving your loft insulation can have on your energy bills.

'Professional installations can range between £600-£1,000 for an average three-bedroom home,' says Tom Garrigan, Technical Director at the Building Services Research and Intelligence Association (BSRIA), 'though this is subject to loft size, accessibility, insulation type, and location.'

Figures provided by Lee Millington, Installations Director at British Lofts

'Adding raised boarding for storage can add another £400–£1,000 depending on the system,'adds Lee. 'But most households recover the cost through energy savings within four to six years.'

If you are on a low income or receive certain benefits, you may be eligible for help with the cost of improving your home's loft insulation, under the government's ECO scheme.

What affects the cost of your loft insulation?

While it's useful to have a guide as to how much your loft insulation might cost, you need to understand the factors that will affect the price too.

• The type of insulation. There are different types of loft insulation available, with varying levels of installation complexity. This can affect the price.
• The size, layout and accessibility of the roof space. If your loft is more of a crawl space, it can be more challenging to install the installation, which can impact the cost.
• The existing condition of your roof. If your loft space is showing any signs of water damage or rot, then this will need to be resolved before adding the insulation.
• Any existing insulation you have. If you already have some insulation that is in good condition, but just isn't enough to achieve the necessary U-value (a measure of heat transfer) you can just add to it, which can help reduce costs.
• Where you live. As with any tradespeople, your location can impact the price you pay.

'First and foremost, it's essential for a homeowner to have their loft inspected by a competent person to determine what, if any insulation already exists and whether it meets the minimum current energy standards,' explains Tom. 'If there is a need for improvement, the installer should then design and implement a system that not only achieves the required U-value but also ensures proper ventilation and access.'

What's the best loft insulation if you are on a budget?

Fibreglass or mineral wool rolls, also known as blanket insulation, is the ideal option if you are on a budget as it's inexpensive to buy and quick to install. But while it's an affordable option, it may not be suitable for every loft space, so it's always worth getting an expert involved as they can advise on the best material for your home.

Rigid loft insulation boards sit at the more expensive end of the scale, while loose fill insulation sits somewhere in the middle.

FAQs

When temperatures plummet, it can highlight areas of your home that need a helping hand when it comes to keeping warm air in and cold air out.

And if you want to save energy at home, lower your bills, and ensure a comfortable, warm environment all winter, it's a good idea to resolve these issues as soon as you spot them.

Recently I was having dinner at my mum's house, and while I was chatting to her in the kitchen, I noticed a really cold draught coming through the door that leads to the attached garage — and if you have a similar set up in your home, you may understand exactly what I'm talking about.

So we decided to try an insulated door curtain from Amazon (currently £20.23 in the Black Friday sale) to see if that would keep the cold draughts at bay.

Why use an insulated door curtain?

There are lots of methods you can try to insulate a draughty door, and the right one will depend on the specifics of your home and your budget. If you're on a tight budget, these affordable draught proofing options are well worth considering.

In my mum's case, the door from the kitchen to the garage is an old timber door, with a single glazed glass panel. There's obviously no heating in the garage and so it feels like it leaks heat through every single particle of it's construction, and so my mum was keen to try a curtain option that covers the whole door, rather that just draught excluder strips that would only resolve part of the problem.

As a longer term, more permanent solution, she has plans to replace the door entirely.

How easy was the insulated door curtain to install?

The door curtain was really easy to install. You simply lay the door curtain flat on the floor, attach the Velcro strips, peel off the backing and then stick it to your door.

If you are fitting it solo, you might find it easier to stick the Velcro to the clean door frame first, and then attach the curtain.

The door curtain was available in a couple of different widths and lengths, so make sure you measure your door carefully before you buy. If the dimensions don't exactly match your door, opt for a curtain with the larger dimensions rather than smaller (the material is flexible so can be folded around corners if needed). My mum's doorway was 87cm wide, so we opted for the 90cm width door curtain, which fits well.

Before you install it, it's worth thinking about how you use the door, which way it opens and any door furniture that needs to be taken in to account.

The insulated curtain opens in the middle, and is held closed with magnets, so you don't have to worry about your door being out of commission while the curtain is in place. Before committing to sticking the Velcro down, we determined that the door curtain wouldn't practically work on the interior side of the door — the door opens inwards, and there are two bolts and a lock that need to be accessed if the door was to be used. Plus the insulating door curtain might be effective, but it doesn't look pretty.

So we installed it on the garage side of the door.

Did it work?

Yes the door curtain definitely works. Before installing the insulating door curtain, you could stand by the door in my mum's kitchen and feel it was colder than the rest of the room. When I'd run my fingers around the edge of the door, I could literally feel a cold draught coming through from the top, bottom and sides.

Now the curtain is in place, you cannot feel those draughts. And for around £20, that's not bad going.

It feels securely attached with the Velcro, and it's easy to move through the curtain, even if you are carrying things in your hands - the magnets simply pull apart when you move through and secure themselves again afterwards.

From an aesthetic point of view, it's not the prettiest thing to look at, so I'd say it's more of a temporary measure rather than a permanent one. Fortunately, installing it on the garage side of the door means it's relatively invisible. This is also attached on a door that is only used occasionally rather than a front door that sees a lot more traffic. I think if you were looking to draught proof a front door, this insulating door curtain would feel in the way and cumbersome. But for a door leading to a garage, it's very effective.

Whenever you don't want it, you can simply peel the door curtain away from the Velcro. Whether you can remove the Velcro from the frame without causing damage or leaving any residue may depend on what your frame is made of. My mum has a painted timber door frame, and I do think some of the paint may come off, but fortunately that is a relatively easy fix.

If you are trying to save energy at home, blocking any draughty spots is a good place to start. But for the best results, this works best when combined with other upgrades to make your home warmer too.

As the owner of an old house, I have got used to wrapping up warm as winter draws near. The draughty original windows and floors are the main culprits when it comes to the decidedly frosty feel of my home – but on the first floor, so too is the loft insulation.

The ceilings on the first floor of my house are vaulted, which is a lovely feature, but means that there is little in the way of attic space. What I basically have is a little crawl area above my son's bedroom, accessed by a small hatch high up on the wall. It is big enough for storing Christmas decorations and toys that haven't seen the light of day since the kids grew out of them many years ago.

While we made a small effort to insulate this tiny loft, we definitely didn't carry out the job properly and I am well aware that this is one of the main reasons that the upstairs rooms feel freezing in the winter and boiling hot in the summer. I'm sharing the main mistakes we made – as well as the bits we got right – to help you when it comes to the success of your own project.

Mistake 1. We didn't look into recommended insulation thickness levels

Rather than look into the required insulation levels for our loft, we just popped in a random amount and hoped for the best. However, having spoken to insulation expert Samuel Hitch, MD of Buy Insulation Online about how to insulate a home, I now wonder if it is worth adding to our existing levels.

'Many people fail to install insulation to the recommended 270mm depth for mineral wool, which compromises performance,' explains Samuel. 'Another key error is laying the insulation in a single layer over the joists.

'The correct method involves two layers: a 100mm layer fitted snugly between the joists, and a second, 170mm layer, laid at right angles over the joists,' continues Samuel. 'This cross-layering method prevents heat from escaping through the timber joists themselves.'

We actually used rigid insulation boards in order to save space given the limited proportions of our loft meaning we should have been aiming for a depth of around 120mm to achieve the same u-value as with mineral wool.

Mistake 2. Compromising the insulation with our storage methods

As I mentioned, our loft is on the small side and you can't stand up in it, meaning that getting all the stuff we want to store up there is awkward – there are definitely boxes and bags up there pushing against the insulation.

'Squashing insulation, typically by placing storage boards or boxes directly on top of it, is perhaps the most common mistake I see,' said Samuel. 'Insulation works by trapping air in its fibres and compressing it removes these air pockets and destroys its thermal performance. Research from the National Physical Laboratory found this can reduce its effectiveness by 50%.

'The correct method for maximising loft storage is to use raised loft legs, which create a platform for boards well above the full, uncompressed 270mm depth of insulation.'

Mistake 3. Failing to take ventilation into account

Proper home ventilation is key to the success of any loft space yet it can get overlooked when adding in insulation – certainly this is something we were guilty of, not only in the way the insulation has been installed but also when it comes to the sheer amount of 'stuff' we have squeezed into the area as a whole.

'A critical and dangerous error is blocking the ventilation path at the eaves (the edges of the loft),' explains Samuel Hitch. 'Pushing insulation right into the corners stops the airflow needed to remove moist air that rises from the house.

'In a newly cold loft, this trapped moisture will condense, leading to damp, mould, and the decay of roof timbers,' continues Samuel. 'Ventilation baffles should be used to keep an air gap open.'

Make sure you know the other areas you should never insulate to avoid damp and mould too.

Mistake 4. Taking a haphazard approach to cables and wires

The only wiring in our loft space belongs to the television ariel, however when rummaging around up there at the beginning of the festive season, we commonly manage to interfere with it meaning terrestrial channels get knocked out. According to Samuel, many homeowners make the mistake of ignoring pipes and cables when it comes to insulating their loft space.

'Insulating the loft floor makes the space above it much colder, creating new risks,' says Samuel. 'A common oversight is failing to lag water pipes and tanks, leaving them vulnerable to freezing and bursting in winter.

'Another dangerous mistake is burying electrical cables under the insulation, which can cause them to overheat and create a fire hazard. Cables should always be lifted to lie loosely on top of the final layer.'

The things we got right when insulating our loft

While we made some mistakes with our loft insulation, we definitely got a few things right that have made a big difference to both how our home feels and our energy bills.

We purchased an insulated loft hatch

Our loft is accessed via a small side-hinged hatch at the top of the wall. It features chunky polystyrene backing which really helps with insulation – insulating a loft hatch and ensuring it is a good fit will be key to the success of your own project.

'Leaving the loft hatch uninsulated is a frequent oversight that creates a significant weak spot in the thermal barrier, allowing heat to pour out,' says Samuel Hitch. 'The hatch should be insulated to the same 270mm depth as the floor and fitted with draught-excluding strips.

'Similarly, leaving any gaps in the insulation coverage, no matter how small, will create cold spots and undermine the effectiveness of the entire installation.'

We chose the right type of loft insulation for our space

We were a little limited on the types of loft insulation we could have due to the compact nature of the space, but we ended up going for rigid boards, which actually work very well and have left us with maximum storage space.

'While there are many suitable materials for insulating a loft, a serious mistake is opting for spray foam insulation on the underside of the roof without understanding the risks,' warns Samuel Hitch. 'It can trap moisture and, more importantly, it covers the roof timbers, making them impossible for a surveyor to inspect.

'As a result, many UK mortgage lenders will refuse to lend on a property with spray foam, making it extremely difficult to sell or remortgage.'

FAQs

How do you prepare a loft for insulation?

Our loft space was newly constructed, built in above the new first floor bedroom we created through a two storey extension. This meant that we knew the rafters and joists were in sound condition when we insulated the space. However, if you are insulating an existing loft space, it is crucial to assess what kind of state it is in first.

'A frequent error is rushing to lay insulation without first checking the loft's condition,' says Samuel Hitch. 'It is essential to fix any existing damp, roof leaks, or pest infestations before starting. Insulating over a damp area will trap moisture, creating a perfect environment for mould and timber rot, which can severely damage the roof structure. The soundness of the roof timbers should also be confirmed before adding any extra weight especially in older properties.

Remember, insulation is key to keeping a house feeling warm and your household bills low. Whatever your loft conversion ideas entail, be sure to address this key area early on.

When my partner and I moved into our home, I knew it needed a lot of work. While we had significant renovation plans for it, I knew we needed to introduce some measures quickly to eliminate draughts and see us through the winter as comfortably as possible.

After researching how to keep a home warm in winter, I knew that there were some simple and inexpensive solutions we could try that would make a big difference.

These are the tried and tested methods and products that really worked.

1. Draught-proofing tape around the doors

Our first port of call was attempting to reduce draughts from coming in the many entryways to our house. The design of the property made absolutely no sense and we had a total of 5 exterior doors plus a garage door, most of which were ill-fitted and had single glazing panels. It. Was. Freezing.

We had found success in our previous project with self-adhesive tape that sticks to the frame and creates a seal between the exterior surface and the movable door. Installation is incredibly easy but I would recommend making sure your door and frame is completely clean in order for your tape to stick properly. We first used a micro fibre cloth to remove cobwebs and dust before using a sugar soap solution, which you can get from Amazon for £2.68 (normal washing up liquid would also work) to remove any embedded grime. Finally we used a new microfibre cloth to dry.

The tape can come in different sizes so measure the gap around your door before buying for a tight seal. Some of the more heavy-duty products can also be used for sound-proofing. We used this style in the last house because it was on a busy main road, but our current home is in a quiet village so less necessary.

Although most of the glazed entryway doors have been replaced with efficient timber framed versions — with double glazing — our front door and side door are solid timber and won’t be changing out for a while. While the door is closed you can’t see anything at all, but we notice a real difference. Unfortunately, I don't think this tape isn’t a permanent solution so will need to be replaced every year. Fortunately, it's not expensive.

Cost: Less than £10 per door.

2. Secondary glazing film on the windows

Living with single-glazed windows wasn’t actually as cold as I thought, but we did find we had quite bad condensation due to the damp and chilly house suddenly being used again for cooking and showers. We were living in the stone cottage section of the house while renovations on the rest were underway so we looked into secondary glazing. Our long-term plan is to install good-quality designs, but we’re not there yet, so we looked into what temporary measures we could add.

Secondary glazing film is pretty rudimentary, but we were genuinely shocked at how well it worked for both heat retention and condensation management. As the warm air wasn’t coming into contact with the cold glass and turning to water, our frames were protected and the draughts were slowed by an extra layer. The downside, however, is that we couldn’t open the windows. Our bedroom was above the kitchen and this made for issues with cooking smells permeating but we have one of the best dehumidifiers and and air purifiers which have helped somewhat.

Installation is super easy, all you need is a pair of scissors and a hairdryer. Again, I would recommend cleaning the frames thoroughly before application for best adhesion. The double-sided tape surrounds the frame and you simply stretch the plastic film into place. This was definitely easier with two people, but with a little more time one person could do it, for sure. We then used the hairdryer on a low but warm setting on the film and it tightened up to remove the wrinkles almost instantly.

The secondary glazing film lasted a full year, but then started to sag. However, we just got out the old hairdryer again and we’re hoping it takes us through another winter!

Cost: Around £10 per window

3. Chimney draught-excluder balloon

Moving into the stone cottage was lovely in some ways as we were able to enjoy the character and features before making any substantial changes. However, the fireplace in the primary bedroom was open to the elements without a chimney cap on top, so every single breeze was felt through the room. Plus, that room didn’t have a radiator so any heat we could trap in, the better.

While we mulled over whether to block up the chimney entirely (a decision that still hasn’t been resolved), we bought an inflatable draught-excluder. This hilarious-looking bit of kit literally works like a balloon that gets wedged slightly up the opening. Again measure before you buy as chimneys can be differently sized.

The uninflated plastic bag is placed at the opening of the fireplace and can be either blown up through a plastic pipe manually or by using a pump. You want the plastic to fit snugly but not be overinflated. Most chimney balloons can be reinflated if needed, but we never found it necessary. Unfortunately, the chimney draught-excluder didn’t survive the builders reroofing over the summer so we’re going to reinvest this year.

Cost: £17 per chimney

What impact did these changes have?

The biggest impact these changes had was on how it feels to be in our home. We're warmer for longer, which was the primary objective while we plan our more significant and permanent renovation work.

In terms of money saving, it’s really difficult to measure how much money these draught-proofing methods actually saved us because we hadn’t had a winter in the house before using them so no exact bills to compare. But the changes we made can only have had a positive impact.

We know that draught-proofing your home is good for your health, wallet and house structure. The Energy Saving Trust estimates savings could be around £85 per year in Great Britain just from your windows, floor and doors while another £60 could be saved by draught-proofing a chimney.

If you are having similar problems to me but you live in a rental, try these inexpensive and non-permanent methods to insulate a draughty window instead.

Unless you live in a well-insulated home, wet and windy autumn weather can leave us feeling chilly and uncomfortable, and facing higher energy bills than necessary. You might also find yourself tackling condensation every morning in a bid to ward off damp and mould.

If your windows are feeling particularly draughty, that won't be helping matters, and any heat you are generating to keep yourself warm will be escaping straight through those gaps. So it's important to seal them up.

When it comes to how to draughtproof a window, the best and most permanent solution might be to replace the window, but if you are renting, on a tight budget, or need a quicker fix, this might not be feasible.

Fortunately, there are multiple inexpensive, and temporary, solutions that will solve the problem and keep your home warm and draught-free. And by keeping the cold air out, you can limit the excess moisture in your home that is contributing to your condensation problems.

1. Use draught excluder tape

The most simple solution is to use draught excluder tape around your windows to keep draughts at bay. It's inexpensive, easily installed, and removable. Ideal Home's Managing Editor Thea swears by it in her single-glazed Victorian flat.

'Weather sealing strips are foam, rubber or silicone strips that stick to the edge of windows to prevent cold air from entering,' explains Liam Spencer, owner of Northallerton Glass. 'Ensure that the window is clean before applying weather sealing strips, as dirt or debris can weaken the adhesive. The strips will need to be replaced eventually, as they can become less effective over time.'

There are different variations of this type of product that you can choose depending on your budget and the look you want to achieve.

2. Upgrade to thermal curtains

I am a huge advocate of thermal curtains. I have them in my own home and have felt their benefits in both winter and summer. And they're perfectly renter-friendly too.

If your budget will stretch, it's a good idea to combine thermal curtains with other methods on this list for maximum draught protection and energy efficiency this winter.

'As the colder months set in, many renters know all too well the discomfort and cost that come with draughty, inefficient window,' says Jo Trotman, Marketing Manager at The Residence Collection. 'Our latest research shows that, on average, British homes lose around 18% of their heat through their windows alone - a huge contributor to rising energy bills.

'Even thick, lined curtains - which start from around £40 a pair - can act as an extra thermal barrier, helping to keep rooms warmer for longer.'

For maximum impact, make sure you close the curtains as soon as it gets dark and temperatures really plummet.

Don't want curtains? Thermal blinds can work just as well. 'Blinds are a great way to insulate your windows, keeping your home warm and cosy to help ease your energy usage over the cooler months,' says Helen O’Connor, Product and Trend Manager at 247 Blinds. 'For those renting, it may seem like an inaccessible upgrade, but there are actually several no-drill options perfect for those wanting to protect their deposit.'

3. Try a transparent window insulation kit

Adding an insulating film to your windows can be a great way to keep your home warm in the winter, without committing to anything permanent.

'A window insulation film kit will usually contain a plastic shrink film that is applied to the inside of the window using double sided tape,' explains Liam. 'Once applied to the window, use a hair dryer to shrink to film to the window's shape and remove any wrinkles. Once the weather becomes warm again, the film can easily be removed.'

4. Use a silicone sealant

Technically a more permanent solution, it is possible to remove silicone sealant down the line, which is why it's included on this list.

Some traditional caulks may shrink over time, which will lead to more gaps for the draughts to find their way through, whereas silicone alternatives tend to offer more flexibility which can prevent this.

FAQs

Other places you should check for draughts to keep your home warm this winter

If your home is draughty and struggles to retain heat, then while windows can be a key culprit, it's important to investigate the other spots where draughts can enter, and tackle them at the same time.

• Around your front door and patio doors. Check things like letterboxes and keyholes too. You can buy specialist keyhole draught excluders or letterbox draught excluders in a variety of colours and finishes.
• Around a door to an attached garage. As garages don't have heating, doors to an attached or integral garage can be notoriously draughty. Investing in an insulated door curtain, like this one from Amazon (£23.99), is a wise move.
• Around electrical sockets and pipework. It's worth checking for draughts around socket and where any pipes enter your home, if you want your home to be warm as possible.
• Between floorboards and around skirting boards. If you live in an older home, you might find you feel draughts around your feet. While a permanent solution can be complicated, adding a thick rug to the floor can help to minimise the impact and keep heat in.
• Chimneys and fireplaces. Ensuring any fireplace smoke is safely removed from your home is essential, but when your fire isn't in use, this can mean draughts easily find there way into your home. This is where a draught excluder, like the Chimney Balloon draught excluder, £19 from Amazon, can be a real gamechanger.
• Loft hatches. The loft hatch is one of those areas that people don't insulate but should. It could make a big difference to how warm your home feels.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

If your home is feeling a chilly despite having your heating on, or you have inexplicably high energy bills, then it might be that you need to address your home's insulation. But while improving what you have or replacing it altogether can help, getting it wrong can lead to condensation, damp and mould — and nobody wants that!

When it comes to how to insulate your home, correct installation is key. This not only means you need to choose the right type of insulation, but it also needs to be laid or applied in the right way, and only installed in the right place.

While there are areas you should never insulate for a variety of reasons, there are some that you should specifically avoid due to the risk of causing damp or mould.

1. Areas with existing damp issues

This might seem obvious, but if you want to avoid damp and mould, it's vital you address any existing moisture issues before you even think about upgrading your insulation situation.

The ingress of moisture can cause your insulation to fail, meaning it doesn't last as long as it should.

Tackling this should also be a key concern if you are trying to insulate a basement, as the subterranean nature of the space poses its own set of unique moisture challenges.

'Installing insulation directly over damp ground without first applying a moisture or vapour barrier can trap moisture, leading to mould growth, and even structural damage,' explains Michael Chichester, Head of Lender Technical at e.surv.

'This is especially true in unventilated or poorly ventilated spaces such as basements. To mitigate these risks, it is generally more effective to install a vapour barrier over the ground surface first, followed by insulation applied to the underside of the floor above. This approach helps maintain airflow in the void, prevents moisture ingress, and supports long-term thermal performance.'

2. On solid walls (without a damp proof course)

If you live in an older house that has solid rather than cavity walls, or a timber frame structure, you need to be very careful before applying insulation to the walls.

'Breathability is key, particularly in solid-walled or timber-framed buildings,' explains Michael. 'Many modern insulation materials (e.g. PIR boards, EPS) are non-breathable and therefore trap moisture, causing interstitial condensation, rotting timbers, and damaged finishes. Within older properties with brick or stone walls, breathable materials like wood fibre or lime plaster are far safer and more effective.'

3. Under suspended floorboards

If you live in an older property with suspended floors, you might be dealing with draughts that are making your home feel cold. But stuffing the gap with insulation isn't the answer, as this can block essential ventilation, leading to issues of damp and mould.

4. Over non-IC recessed lights

Spotlights that are recessed into the ceiling are hugely popular, but combining these with insulation can pose a serious fire hazard. But not having adequate insulation can also mean that you run the risk of condensation forming, which can lead to damp if not resolved. So what can you do?

The best way is to make sure your spotlights are IC (Insulation Contact) rated - which means they can come into direct contact with insulation without posing a fire hazard.

Alternatively (or additionally), using a fire retardant downlight cover, like the Loft Lid from Loft Leg (£48.99 for a pack of 8 at B&Q), acts as a protective barrier between the light and the insulation.

5. In an unventilated loft

Lofts and attics should be well ventilated to prevent moisture from building up, which can cause problems of condensation, damp and mould as well as structural issues. You also need adequate ventilation in order for your insulation to work most effectively.

Inadvertently blocking any vents, or taking insulation to the edge of the roof space can interrupt the flow of air across the space, can cause condensation and ultimately, damp.

6. Around flues and chimneys

'Chimneys are another common pitfall,' reveals Michael. 'Even disused flues often help manage moisture levels in a property. Blocking them up without ventilation can cause damp patches, mould, and even structural damage through freeze-thaw cycles. For active chimneys, getting insulation too close to the flue can pose a fire risk so clearances and fire-safe materials are essential.'

If you're concerned about draughts coming from the fireplace, a specialist draught excluder, like a Chimney Sheep, from £21 on Amazon, for when it's not in use can help.

7. Where you already have adequate insulation

When it comes to insulation, it's definitely not a case of more is more. In fact, too much insulation can hamper ventilation and trap moisture in your insulation, which is a big no-no.

This is another reason it's important to use a professional to address your insulation needs. They will not only be able to identify any areas where your insulation is lacking, and be able to safely remove old insulation, but also make sure that insulation isn't added where it isn't needed.

They will also be able to give you ideas of other solutions you can try to keep your home warm, like window film kits or thermal curtains.

FAQs

What should you do before updating your insulation?

'Before installing insulation, it’s essential to understand how the building performs, where the risks are, and what materials are most compatible,' says Michael. 'Ultimately, what works for a modern cavity-walled property could be entirely wrong for a 19th-century terrace. depends on the age, construction and condition of your home there’s no one-size-fits-all solution.'

What happens if you over-insulate a house?

Adding too much insulation to your home is not a sure-fire way to lower your heating bills as much as possible. In fact, rather than making your home even more comfortably warm, it can cause moisture to become trapped which can lead to condensation, damp and mould. Unresolved, these can wreak havoc with the structural elements of your home — something which is very costly to fix.

This moisture can also degrade your insulation, meaning it stops being effective and needs replacing way earlier than planned.

When assessing your insulation, make sure there aren't any areas you should have insulated but didn't.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

If you want your home to feel warm and cosy all winter, then you'll need your insulation to be in good nick. But how long does insulation last, and how often should it be replaced in order to do its job effectively?

The good news is that, if installed properly, your insulation should last for decades. However, regardless of what's in your insulation, there are factors that can affect its longevity.

I asked the experts all about the typical lifespan of insulation as well as whether it's worth replacing old materials in favour of something newer.

How long does insulation last?

The good news is that insulation can last for decades, so it's fortunately not something that you are going to have to replace often.

‘Insulation that is properly installed can last for around 40 years, provided it remains in decent condition,’ says Checkatrade cost guide expert, Alex Peters. ‘Any external factors, such as moisture build-up or pests, can reduce the lifespan, so it’s recommended to regularly check it.’

Loose fill insulation may have a shorter lifespan, compared to mineral wool or fibreglass, according to Eric Hargreaves, owner of Your Choice Builders: 'Cellulose can start to settle or compress sooner, which reduces its effectiveness, so check it every decade or so.'

What affects the lifespan of insulation?

For your insulation to last as long as possible, it's important to avoid the conditions that can cause it to fail sooner. These include:

• Poor or incorrect installation. Installing too little or too much insulation, or placing it in the wrong place, can impact both how effective your insulation is and how long it lasts.
• Low quality materials. Poor quality insulation may degrade faster than higher spec alternatives.
• Exposure to water. Moisture damage will drastically shorten your insulation's lifespan and can lead to issues of damp and mould.
• Compaction. If your insulation has become compacted, it won't be as effective at reducing heat loss. It could also lead to gaps which let draughts and moisture through.
• Pest infestation. Rodents, like mice and rats, as well as insects and birds, can cause havoc with your insulation, leading to significant damage.
• Disturbance. Whether you are in and out of your loft space because you use it for storage, or you are undertaking renovation work, inadvertently disturbing insulation can lead to gaps or compaction. This can mean it doesn't remain as effective for as long as it should.

How often should insulation be replaced?

There's not necessarily a set timeframe in which you should replace insulation, as Alex Peters explains: 'If your insulation has been properly installed, you shouldn’t need to replace it too often. But if you’ve moved into a new home, particularly if it’s older, it might be worth getting an insulation assessment to check how effective it is.'

However, if you've lived in your home for a while, it's more about spotting signs you should replace your insulation.

These signs include:

• Cold spots or uneven temperatures throughout your home
• Condensation (especially if this is leading to damp or mould)
• Unexplained increase in heating bills
• Draughts
• Increased noise levels.

FAQs

While you're assessing your current insulation, it's worth checking whether there are any areas you should have insulated but didn't. Tackling those at the same time will ensure your home is as cosy as can be this winter.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

If the temperatures dropping has signaled that your home's insulation is in need of an upgrade, then you might be wondering how to remove old insulation to make way for something newer and better.

In some cases, you won't actually need to remove the existing insulation and you can simply add to it to achieve the required result. However, if you're seeing signs that your insulation needs replacing because it's failing — maybe it's been damaged by pests or water — then you'll definitely need to get rid of it and start fresh with new insulation.

But is this a job you can tackle on a DIY basis, or should it be left to the professionals? I asked the experts to find out which option is best and why.

What's the best way to remove old insulation?

Removing old insulation might seem simple, but it can be incredibly difficult and potentially dangerous so it's vital that it's done correctly. Regardless of what's in your insulation, disturbing an old insulating material, especially if it is showing signs of a pest infestation, can release a load of nasties into the air which can be harmful to a persons respiratory system and to the skin if contact is made.

If you are looking to remove insulation and you're on a tight budget, you might be tempted to try and get rid of it yourself to save some money. But this is one of those tasks that is a bit of a false economy. In order to remove insulation safely yourself, you will need to have a good quality respirator, gloves, goggles, overalls and have provision to safely dispose of the old insulation (you might need to check with your local council), all of which comes with a cost. Many types of insulation do need professional removal, like spray foam and usually blown insulation like cellulose.

Can I remove old insulation myself or do I need a professional?

While removing insulation might be within your capabilities as a DIYer, for safety's sake, it's best to use a professional.

'I wouldn't recommend DIY removal,' says Eric Hargreaves, owner of Your Choice Builders. 'Disturbing old insulation can release fibres that irritate skin and lungs, and very old homes may even have asbestos-containing materials nearby. A qualified installer can handle removal safely and fit new insulation properly, which makes it more energy-efficient and longer lasting.'

Professional input can also be essential depending on where the insulation is located, for example if you are wanting to replace wall insulation or remove attic insulation before converting your loft into usable living space.

Do I have to remove old insulation before adding new?

Whether you need to remove old insulation before you add new will depend on it's condition.

If the insulation is still in good nick, and you just need more of it, then it's perfectly acceptable to top it up with additional insulation. A professional will be able to determine exactly how much more insulation you need, and it's definitely not a case of the more the better. In fact too much insulation can trap warm, moist air that can lead to issues with damp and mould.

However, if your existing insulation is showing signs of degradation, compaction, moisture ingress or rodent damage, then it should definitely be replaced before you add more so that it works most effectively.

FAQs

If you plan on improving your home's insulation, you need to know the areas you should never insulate so that you don't unwittingly cause more problems to solve.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

As winter rolls around, we all notice the effects of our home's insulation. If it's done right, we'll be warm and comfortable throughout the colder months, but if not, we'll be feeling the chill and probably spotting signs of damp.

If you're starting to think that your insulation needs replacing, it's worthwhile swatting up on what's in insulation and how that affects it's performance and best application to ensure you make the right choice.

When it comes to how to insulate a home to keep it warm in winter, there's no one-size-fits-all option. In fact, our homes likely have multiple types of insulation, made from different materials, in a variety of spots to ensure they are as insulated as they can be.

What's in insulation?

When it comes to what's in insulation and what it's made of, the answer will depend on the type of insulation. Its make up, in turn, will impact where its best used. And so it's important to understand the differences between the material options, as well as their pros and cons.

Blanket insulation

Blanket insulation is a flexible material and is also known as batt or roll insulation. 'This is made from flexible fibres such as fibreglass, mineral wool or foil-backed felt,' explains Checkatrade cost guide expert, Alex Peters. 'It is cost effective and easy to install, but it can irritate your skin and lungs during the insulation process.'

Make sure you know how much loft insulation you need in order for it to be most effective. Too little, and heat will still escape, too much and you could trap moist air, which can lead to damp and mould.

Sheet or board insulation

Sheet insulation is a rigid foam material with excellent thermal properties, which can be easily cut to size. This kind of insulation is particularly suited to large areas such as ceilings and walls.

Boards are usually made from synthetic materials like polyisocyanurate (PIR), phenolic foam or polystyrene, but can also be made using wood fibre or mineral wool.

Similar to board insulation is insulated plasterboard, which combines both the insulation and a layer of plasterboard in a single product which can simplify the installation process. The thickness of insulated plasterboard is also likely to be less than laying separate plasterboard over board insulation. This makes it a suitable choice in loft conversions (or basement conversions for that matter) where you want to maximise how much head height you can achieve.

Loose fill insulation

You might hear loose fill insulation referred to as blown insulation, but they are essentially the same thing. Loose fill refers to the insulation itself, while blown refers to how it is installed.

'This type of insulation is a great eco-friendly option, made of cork granules, mineral wool and even recycled paper,' says Alex. 'It is lightweight, easy to install and can be used on top of existing insulation. It’s also flexible and can be great for hard-to-reach spaces. However, this also means it is not always as secure as other options and it can be tricky to install.'

You might also come across perlite and vermiculite insulation when researching loose fill insulation. These are made from volcanic glass (perlite) and hydrated minerals (vermiculite) and are eco-friendly, lightweight and non-combustible. Both can be used in loft spaces.

Spray foam insulation

'This is made by polyurethane foam being sprayed directly into loft spaces,' explains Alex. 'It is great for creating air-tight seals, it can help with structural integrity and is great for irregular shaped rooms.'

While it has it's advantages, spray foam insulation can have some serious cons if not installed correctly. 'On the downside, it is expensive and requires proper insulation or it can lead to ventilation issues,' concludes Alex.

Multi foil insulation

Multifoil insulation is another type of insulation you might come across. It's made of multiple layers of reflective material foam and wadding and is designed to reflect heating back into a property rather than escaping through the building envelope.

What type of insulation is best?

The best type of insulation will depend on where you want to install it and what levels of insulation you are looking to achieve.

When it comes to specific types, Eric Hargreaves, owner of Your Choice Builders, says: 'Fibreglass batts and mineral wool rolls are the classics, affordable, reliable, and great for lofts or cavity walls. Mineral wool is particularly good for fire resistance and soundproofing. Cellulose loose-fill works well when you’re topping up existing insulation, especially in older lofts where space is irregular.

'Rigid foam boards suit walls and floors where every inch matters, giving high thermal performance without adding bulk. Spray foam can seal tricky gaps, but it’s harder to remove later, so it needs professional application.'

FAQs

How do I know what insulation I need?

The best way to know what insulation you need is to engage the help of a reputable professional. They'll be able to assess the effectiveness of your existing insulation, and advise if it needs adding to or replacing.

They will also be able to confirm the type of insulation you have already, and be clued up when it comes to other materials that may be a better fit to suit your home, insulation needs or budget.

If you want to improve your home's insulation, make sure you know the areas you should never insulate if you want to keep your home as comfortable and damp-free as possible.

As the owner of an old house, one of the things I love the most about it is the original architectural elements – timber casement windows, original front door and the fireplaces being amongst my favourites. However, over the years, I have come to realise that living in this kind of property, with these kinds of features also means enduring cold winters and high heating bills.

It is no secret that home insulation is key to the comfort levels within a house, be that a new build or a period property, but very often, while wall insulation is properly addressed, other areas get missed completely – yet it can be these spots that will make all the difference.

I know that there are areas within our home that we should have insulated but didn't. In some cases we have now revisited the task and added in insulation, whereas others remain on our to-do list. If, like me, you crave a toasty house when temperatures fall, it will be well worth taking note of my oversights as well as the expert-advice I sought out on the other most commonly overlooked areas.

1. Around windows and doors

I'm definitely guilty of this one – in fact, it has only been in the last year or two that I've tackled the task of upgrading the insulation of our single-glazed bay window, as well as the draughty front door.

'Small, often invisible, gaps around window frames, doors, and letterboxes are a primary source of cold draughts that make rooms feel uncomfortable,' reveals Samuel Hitch, MD of Buy Insulation Online. 'Applying draught-proofing strips is one of the most cost-effective improvements you can make. Self-adhesive foam strips are easy to apply, while more durable brush strips offer a longer-lasting seal.'

As well as draught proofing windows and doors with self-adhesive strips, we also invested in a few weighted draught excluders for beneath both the front and internal doors and are considering trying out a window film insulation kit too.

Shop draught proofing measures

2. Water pipes (inside and out)

All too often, once the cold really sets it, water pipes take a hit. Perhaps rather obviously, it is our outside water pipes and tap that are the most commonly affected spots, but there are pipes in other areas within the home that should be addressed too – loft included.

'Insulating your loft makes the loft space itself much colder, putting any water pipes and tanks at high risk of freezing and bursting,' explains Samuel Hitch. 'The same applies to pipes in unheated garages.

'Lagging all hot and cold water pipes with pre-slit foam insulation is essential,' continues Samuel. 'This inexpensive step prevents catastrophic water damage from burst pipes and also makes your hot water system more efficient by reducing heat loss.'

3. Inside the airing cupboard

A controversial one this. Our airing cupboard houses our electric boiler and large water tank – and where pipes leave the cupboard for outside I have to admit the daylight can been seen shining through. I could argue that this means it is well ventilated but, in fact, it just means it is a huge source of heat loss. That said, care really needs to be taken when insulating a boiler cupboard.

'Safety is paramount,' picks up Samuel Hitch. 'While a boiler cupboard can be lined with a non-combustible material such as mineral wool for soundproofing, you must never block the mandatory ventilation gaps and clearances required around the boiler. These spaces are essential for heat dissipation, air supply, and maintenance access. Blocking them can cause the boiler to overheat and create a serious safety risk.

'Hot water pipes within the cupboard should be lagged, but ensure this does not obstruct any vents,' continues Samuel. 'Always consult a Gas Safe registered engineer before making changes.'

4. Beneath the some of the floors

Insulating the floors in our house threw up all kinds of questions and issues to be addressed. While we insulated the floors in the two new extensions – a requirement of the building regulations – when it came to the older areas of the house, we took the easy route.

There were several reasons for this. Firstly, these were solid floors, as opposed to timber suspended floors which are simpler to insulate. The dining room and living room floors were made up of compacted earth and ash and had been covered with quarry tiles and parquet, respectively. We had a couple of options. One would have been to dig out the floors, before laying a 'vapour open' covering such as limecrete. However, we were living in the property and keen to minimise disruption so, instead, we simply used a liquid damp proof membrane, followed by floating marine grade plywood, a vapour shield, underlay and finally our chosen coverings. It is important to note, this is not a route that professionals would ever recommend, and taking the longer route would definitely have made the house feel warmer.

Additionally, we should have thought through our choice of carpet underlay on the first floor more carefully – although a few thick rugs have helped matters.

'When replacing carpets, the underlay is often overlooked. A standard or old, compressed underlay offers minimal thermal benefit,' explains Samuel Hitch. 'This is a perfect opportunity to upgrade. Choosing a high-quality, thick underlay with a high 'tog' rating adds a substantial insulating layer to your floor, making rooms feel warmer and more comfortable underfoot.'

5. Cellars and garages

Sadly we don't have either a cellar or a garage, but it is well worth mentioning how often both these spaces get overlooked when insulating.

'Unheated spaces beneath or attached to your home act as 'cold sinks,' constantly drawing warmth out of your living areas,' explains Samuel Hitch.

'For cellar ceilings, the most effective action is to insulate the underside of your ground floor as this stops heat from escaping downwards and eliminates cold floors,' continues Samuel. 'Breathable, non-combustible materials such as Rockwool slabs are ideal as they provide excellent thermal insulation while helping to manage moisture. If the cellar is used as a living space, insulating the walls is also necessary as part of basement conversion building regs.

'Garages that share walls with your house are a major source of heat loss,' adds Samuel. 'Insulating these shared walls, as well as the garage ceiling (especially if there is a room above), creates a thermal break that prevents cold from seeping into your home.'

6. The loft hatch

Insulating a loft hatch can make a world of difference and I am pleased to say that this is one area that we did get right. We bought a side-hinged insulated loft hatch that stops the cold breezes from whistling into my son's bedroom in which it lies. However, according to Samuel, this is one area that often gets forgotten about by homeowners.

'A thin, unsealed loft hatch is a significant thermal bridge that undermines even the best loft insulation,' he explains. 'It allows warm air to escape into the cold loft and creates noticeable draughts.

'This is a simple two-part DIY fix,' continues Samuel. 'First, attach a piece of rigid foam insulation to the top of the hatch. Second, apply self-adhesive draught-proofing strips around the frame to create an airtight seal when the hatch is closed.'

FAQs

Which areas of the home should you never insulate?

It is important to recognise that, while insulation is important, there are certain areas of a home that you should never insulate. Indeed, insulating them can have serious ramification, as Samuel Hitch explains.

• Over a damp wall, floor, or ceiling: Insulation traps moisture, which will accelerate mould growth and cause the timber or masonry behind it to rot. The source of the damp must be identified and completely fixed before any insulation is installed.
• Around electrical components like recessed lights, junction boxes, and wiring: This is a serious fire hazard. These components generate heat and need space to cool down. Trapping the heat can cause them to overheat and ignite the insulation.
• Near hot flues and chimneys: Combustible insulation materials must never be placed in direct contact with hot surfaces like boiler flues or chimney stacks. Always maintain a safe distance (building regulations typically require at least 50mm) to prevent a fire. It is best practice to use a non-combustible material like mineral wool in these areas.
• Over intentional ventilation: It is vital to distinguish between unwanted draughts and essential ventilation. Never block purpose-built vents like air bricks, soffit vents, or trickle vents in windows. These are crucial for allowing your home's structure to breathe and preventing the build-up of moisture that leads to condensation, damp, and rot.

Whether you have just bought a project, are extending or simply upgrading, researching how to insulate a house properly will ensure it stays feeling comfortable all year round.

As temperatures drop as we head into winter, it's no wonder that attention is turning to how we can keep our homes warm and comfortable. While an adequate heat source is key, your home's loft insulation will also be essential for keeping heat in, instead of letting it escape through the roof. But how much loft insulation do you need for it to be effective?

'Up to a quarter of your home’s heat can escape through the roof,' says Lee Millington, Installations Director at British Lofts. 'That’s a huge loss, especially when energy prices are where they are today. Good insulation makes your home warmer, quieter, and greener, and once it’s in, it can last for 40 years or more.'

For insulation to work as it should, you need to ensure you are installing the right amount, among other loft insulation dos and don'ts. To help, I asked multiple loft insulation experts how much loft insulation you need and how thick it should be, as well as how you can choose the right type.

How much loft insulation do I need?

It can be tricky to know how much loft insulation you need, but the answer will depend on the size of your home, how much insulation you have already, and your home's current energy performance.

'The amount required depends on what insulation, if any, is already in place and whether the existing loft insulation meets Building Regulations requirements,' explains Tom Garrigan, Technical Director at the Building Services Research and Intelligence Association (BSRIA). 'The loft should achieve a minimum U-value of around 0.16 W/m²·K, meaning it offers excellent insulation and keeps heat loss to a minimum. A competent assessor can assess the current insulation and determine whether additional material or a full upgrade is needed to reach the standard.'

Tom adds: 'A qualified assessor can safely inspect the loft, confirm the existing insulation's performance, and advise whether improvements are necessary.'

But remember, if you want to keep your home warm in winter, it's not a good idea to look at loft insulation in isolation. You should also look at other areas like your walls, windows and floors, as well as your boiler and any heat emitters, whether radiators or underfloor heating, to ensure they're all working towards the same goal of heating your home efficiently and keeping the heat you do generate in.

How thick should loft insulation be?

When it comes to the specific thickness of loft insulation, experts say there is a depth you should aim for.

'The golden number is 270mm,' explains Lee. 'That’s the recommended depth by the Energy Saving Trust for most UK homes, and it’s where you’ll see the biggest efficiency gains. Anything less and you’re quite literally losing money through your roof.'

If you can, it's worth checking your existing loft insulation to see if it's the recommended thickness. You'll need a rule or tape measure. 'If you can still see the top of your joists or measure less than 200mm, you’re under-insulated,' says Lee. 'It’s worth topping up to the full depth to meet current standards.'

What type of loft insulation can you get?

There are a few different types of loft insulation that you might come across, and it's not necessarily a one-size-fits-all decision. It's worth speaking to an expert to choose the right type of insulation for your loft structure and the level of insulation required.

• Blanket or Roll Insulation (Mineral Wool, Glass Fibre, or Natural Wool). 'Still the most common option, cost-effective, DIY-friendly, and great for most standard lofts,' says Lee
• Blown or Loose-Fill Insulation. 'Ideal for hard-to-reach or uneven spaces,' says Lee. 'It’s fast to install professionally but can settle slightly over time.'
• Rigid Insulation Boards. If you have plans to convert your loft into living space, insulation boards may be helpful in order to maximise headroom.
• Spray Foam. Spray foam insulation can be effective, but it's important that it's professionally installed correctly. Lee explains: 'While it offers airtightness, it can interfere with roof ventilation if misapplied, and some lenders won’t approve mortgages where spray foam’s been used incorrectly.'

For most homes, Lee recommends two layers of mineral wool insulation, one between joists and another laid across them. 'It gives the best balance of warmth, breathability, and cost-effectiveness,' he says.

FAQs

If you are upgrading the insulation at home, make sure you avoid the areas you should never insulate so that you don't inadvertently cause any issues with damp or mould.

Frosty temperatures are the perfect conditions for checking your loft insulation according to experts.

Across the UK this week we’ve been blessed with blankets of snow and crisp conditions. It may feel cold, wet and miserable but you really should treat it as a blessing - because how snow and frost sit on your roof is an important indicator of how your loft insulation is fairing this winter and a sign you need to replace the insulation in your home.

While there are areas of your home you should never insulate, your roof is certainly not one of them and heating escaping your roof is a big problem. While a fresh blanket of snow or frost sitting evenly across your roof is a good sign your insulation is working as it should, patchy snow or frost can show it may be time for an upgrade.

How to use the weather to check your loft insulation

If snow and frost look patchy on your roof, it is a clear indication that heat is escaping and your insulation is not working as it should.

‘This is because when a house is poorly insulated, heat rises and escapes through the roof. The escaping heat warms the roof surface, causing snow or frost to melt either completely or in patches,’ says Oren Kander, senior valuer and director at Gaffsy.

‘This unevenness is more noticeable when compared to neighbouring roofs with uniform snow or frost, so make sure you compare your roof to your neighbours' roof. If they have a good even spread of snow/frost, it's likely that they have sufficient loft insulation.’

Heat escaping can cause increased bills, so having a well-insulated roof is an important way to save energy at home.

‘It doesn't necessarily need to be a very frosty or snowy day, but certain conditions are more favourable for spotting frost or snow on your roof. For the best chance of noticing signs of poor insulation, it's important to check early in the morning, before the sun or warming temperatures have had a chance to melt the frost,’ says Robert Quinton, director of Construction Megastore.

‘If the day is too warm or the sun has already risen, you may miss the frost, even if your roof's insulation is underperforming. A roof covered with a consistent layer of snow or frost usually means that the insulation is doing its job by keeping heat inside.’

If you do miss the early morning frost, there are still effective ways to check your loft’s insulation.

‘Look out for signs like moisture, drafts, and cold spots. If you notice condensation on windows or walls or mould growing in living spaces, it could mean your insulation isn't working as it should,’ says Robert.

‘Feeling drafts or cold spots on your walls is another sign that your insulation may have gaps or be too thin, leading to heat loss. It's also important to check the depth of your attic insulation, as it should be at least 270mm for the best performance.’

It may not be the nicest weather to wake up to this January, but utilising it to check on your loft insulation is an easy and inexpensive way to keep your energy bills down.

Living in a period property comes with all sorts of quirks, some good and some, well, less than ideal. I live in an early Victorian flat which is blessed with lots of windows that reach near the top of the high ceilings. However, while the light they let in is great, they're single-glazed and uneven, so you can feel draughts coming in on all but the most calm of days.

As I'm renting, I don't have the option of replacing the windows, so I've had to be a bit creative when thinking of ways to try and keep the place warm this particularly stormy winter. One day, after scouring the internet for new ideas and hacks to try, I stumbled across insulation tape and ordered it without a second thought.

Now that it's been in place a couple of months, while I still wouldn't say I have the warmest home around, I can say that it was a very good use of £12. Here's how it helped me...

What is insulation tape?

First things first – what actually is insulation tape, and how can it help draught-proof a home?

'Insulation tape is often made from foam, rubber, or other insulating materials, and will seal the gaps and cracks that are causing the draughts,' explains heating expert Nicholas Auckland from Trade Radiators. 'It's especially effective in older homes that have a lot of cracks and draughty spots, and its major benefit is that it's relatively cheap to buy and easy to install.'

As a result of cutting down on draughts, the space should feel warmer and, as a result, energy bills should be lower. 'By creating a tighter seal, it reduces the strain on heating systems, leading to lower energy consumption and, ultimately, reduced energy bills,' points out Stephen Hankinson, energy efficiency expert at Electric Radiators Direct.

'While exact savings depend on factors like the size of the gaps and the overall insulation quality of the home, draught-proofing windows and doors could save you around £40 a year in Great Britain and £50 in Northern Ireland.'

Of course, this wouldn't all be down to insulation tape, but every little helps.

When choosing which tape to buy, I chose the one I did thanks to its glowing reviews and 4.3 star rating.

'Great and easy to use, went around all the windows and doors no problem, took maybe an hour to do the whole house. Ever since the house has been so much warmer and the heating bill came down,' read one review.

'Used for windows that don't quite align any more, letting drafts in. Fixed the problem in a flash - highly recommended,' added another customer.

If you're debating which tape to pick up, 'it’s important to opt for high-quality, weather-resistant brands with strong adhesive properties,' advises John Davis, owner of Springfield Steel Buildings. John particularly recommends the Frost King brand.

Most of the insulation tapes available can be cut to different lengths to accommodate your window size, but do pay attention to the size of the tape. 'It’s important that you choose the correct width,' explains Ryan Calvert, product expert at Hiatt Hardware.

'If the width of the insulation strip is too wide, it can prevent your window from shutting correctly, only causing the problem to worsen. Similarly, if the strip is too thin, it won’t keep draughts out and therefore won’t improve your energy efficiency.

The installation

Installing the tape is incredibly easy. First, as John says, you do have to 'make sure surfaces are thoroughly cleaned for maximum adhesion and coverage'. Next, you cut the tape to the length required.

Once this is done you simply peel off the cover covering the adhesive side of the tape and stick to to your door or window frames, covering up any gaps.

While I only applied the insulation tape to my windows, now that I've spoken to the experts I'm planning on adding more throughout the house.

'External doors are one of the most common areas where cold air can enter your home,' pointed out Ryan. 'To tackle this, start by applying self-adhesive draught-proofing strips around the edges of the door, just as you would with windows.'

As a temporary measure I may add some into the gaps in my floorboards, too. If I wasn't renting, I would follow Ryan's advice to insulate and save on energy.

'Skirting boards and floorboards can expand and contract with temperature changes, leading to gaps that let in cold air. To keep the cold air out, we recommend applying hard-setting fillers that are also flexible enough to tolerate movement such as mastic sealant or decorator’s caulk.'

Since I am renting, I did need the tape to be removable. After having the tape in place for a couple of months, I decided to take off a portion (to test another method – I'll let you know how big a success or a fail that one turns out to be soon!), and was delighted that it left no visual residue and also didn't remove any paint.

The verdict

As soon as I had the insulation tape in place I was able to feel the difference it was making. A great deal less cold air was blowing into the flat right from the off, and it's neither fallen off or become noticeably less effective over time.

I don't think this is a perfect measure. Ideally, I would have double glazed windows without gaps, and a well insulated home. However, for a low-cost, low-effort way to make things warmer, I would definitely recommend giving insulation tape a go.

'While it’s no substitute for professional insulation, it’s an effective supplementary measure that can lead to substantial energy savings,' agrees John from Springfield Steel Buildings.

Other ways to draught proof

If you don't think insulation tape is for you, or you're looking to add even more DIY insulation to your home, there are additional things you can try.

'Another affordable DIY tip is to install window insulation film which is a cheaper alternative to getting double glazed windows fitted,' suggests Jess Steele, heating expert from BestHeating. 'You can buy kits for less than £10 in most hardware stores, and they are easy to fit yourself to boost your homes insulation.'

Draught excluders, door brushes and even a new letter plate for your letterbox will all help, too. Reconsider your window treatments as well. 'Heavy, insulated curtains will help retain heat inside by adding a layer of protection around windows that obviously have a cold surface that can expel cold into the room,' says heating expert Nicholas. 'They could save up to 15% on heating costs.'

So while insulation tape definitely worked for me, my home still isn't as warm as it could be, I'll be sure to try some other products and methods to let you know which work and which aren't worth your time or money.

Every year, there’s much debate about Christmas decorations—how early is too early to put them up? But earlier might be better this year, as getting your decorations out of the loft gives you a good opportunity to check your insulation—which, according to experts, could save you £590.

Roof and loft insulation are guaranteed ways to make your home warmer, but that doesn’t mean your insulation doesn’t require upkeep.

Ensuring your insulation is up to scratch whilst retrieving your decorations is an easy way to save money at home and experts say now is the right time to do it as winter gets into full swing.

Why you need to check your insulation

Over 25% of heat loss in homes is down to poorly insulated homes, ranging from zero insulation to damaged insulation, according to experts at National Insulation Supplies. This means poor insulation can cause higher energy bills as you need more heat to keep your home warm in winter.

As the weather is about to get colder, now is the time to check your insulation and look out for signs of damp, mould and condensation which can cause structural damage.

‘When you’re rummaging around in the loft for those baubles and fairy lights, it’s the perfect time to assess how well-insulated your loft is,’ says Lexi Burgess, a money-saving expert at CredAbility.

‘Loft insulation might sound like a hassle, but it’s one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways to cut your energy bills. Topping up your loft insulation to the recommended 270mm thickness could save you up to £355 a year, depending on your home’s size and energy efficiency.

Getting the decorations out of the loft now is also a good opportunity for assessing any damage.

‘It is a simple job we should add into our Christmas traditions - have a good look around the loft space, and check for insulation, its condition, and the state of your roof, inspecting where light gets in or if you can feel the wind when entering your attic space,’ advises Michael Wray, insulation expert at National Insulation Supplies.

‘Beyond just checking if you have insulation, it is important to assess it each year, as whilst some homes have the right thickness, incorrectly storing decorations or other loft items, can damage the insulation, squishing it, reducing its impact. Make sure when you return your decorations, they’re placed correctly around your loft - otherwise, you may see your bills rising as insulation deteriorates.’

How to check your insulation

The main things you should look for when checking your roof insulation are light leaks and mould.

But first, Michael recommends checking the quality of your insulation, stating you should: ‘look for insulation material between the floor joists. It should cover the entire area with no gaps. If you see gaps, exposed pipes, or wiring, you'll need to address those areas first.’

When checking light leaks, Michael says: ‘shine a torch around the edges of the loft hatch and any gaps in the insulation. If you see light shining through, it's a sign of heat loss.’

‘Look for signs of water damage, damp patches, or mould growth. These can indicate poor ventilation or leaks in the roof.’

If you notice damage or that your insulation is insufficient, get in contact with a registered tradesperson for advice on replacing your insulation.

This year's trending Christmas decorations

We all have our favourite decorations that come out of the loft every year. But if you're looking to give your decor an update - these are 2024's biggest festive trends.

‘From our experience in insulated loft spaces, when up to scratch, saves up to £590 every single year - more than covering the Christmas bill and the turkey too!’ Michael concludes.

Getting your decorations out of the loft can add a feel-good factor to your mood as you get into the festive spirit - and won’t that feel even better knowing you have a warm roof over your head this winter?

Homeowners with spray foam insulation could struggle to remortgage or sell their homes as lenders worry this type of insulation can interfere with your property's structure.

Installing insulation is an effective way of keeping your home warm in winter, but have you considered the type of insulation you use? A recent report by the BBC found a quarter of the UK's biggest mortgage providers would not lend against homes with spray foam insulation in the roof.

Spray foam insulation has been used for the past 30 years and in 2022, the Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA) reported that as many as 250,000 homes have spray insulation in the UK. What’s more much of this insulation was installed under the previous government's Green Homes Grant scheme, which provided grants to homeowners and landlords to make their homes more energy efficient.

Now, The Homeowners Alliance (HOA) has recommended that homeowners avoid installing spray home insulation until the dispute with lenders has been resolved. But where did this conflict come from?

What is spray foam insulation?

There are two types of foam insulation called open cell and closed cell. Both are formed from polyurethane and filled with air bubbles but have different properties once the foam has been set.

Spray foam insulation is applied in liquid form which quickly sets and forms an insulating layer. It’s a popular method because of its ability to get into tight nooks and crannies.

Closed-cell spray foam insulation sets to form a rigid layer that doesn't allow air or moisture to pass through. Meanwhile, open-cell spray insulation is much softer and breathable, allowing moisture and air to pass through. This type of insulation needs to be installed by a manufacturer-approved installer.

The problem with spray foam insulation

Spray insulation is often applied to roofs and attics, but lenders have become increasingly concerned about the damage caused by spray foam insulation, with reports of some estate agents even refusing to list properties with spray foam insulation installed.

Lenders worry about how spray insulation will interact with your property’s structure. If it's applied incorrectly, it can trap moisture, which could lead to timber decay or mould in your roof space,’ says Fiona Peake mortgage expert at Ocean Finance.

‘Over time, this could weaken the structure of your home. Some types of spray insulation make it harder for surveyors to properly inspect roof timbers, leaving lenders unsure about the property’s condition. These unknowns make them hesitant to approve mortgages on homes with spray insulation.

‘Another issue is resale. Homes with spray insulation can take longer to sell because buyers are cautious. There’s a perception that removing it is expensive and potentially damaging, which could reduce your home’s market value.’

What you should do if you have spray foam insulation

If you have spray foam insulation installed, the important thing is not to panic, according to Fiona.

‘It’s worth having it inspected by a qualified surveyor to assess its condition. You could also get a professional contractor to confirm it was installed properly and hasn’t caused any structural issues,’ she says.

‘Having this documentation can go a long way in reassuring lenders and buyers. If you're planning to sell, be prepared to answer questions about it or even negotiate on price if a buyer sees it as a risk.’

According to the HOA, if you’ve had spray foam installation installed in your home for several years and have experienced any issues and you’re not planning on selling your home, you do not have to worry about getting the insulation removed.

Some lenders will lend if you have spray foam insulation provided you have the correct paperwork, your foam has been sprayed correctly and your roof is in good condition.

What insulation is better to use?

There are plenty of types of insulation that won’t impact the opinion of lenders and save energy at home over winter.

‘If you're considering insulation, alternatives like mineral wool or rigid foam boards are often better options. They’re effective, easier to install, and don’t carry the same risks. Plus, they’re more likely to tick the box for mortgage lenders and potential buyers,’ says Fiona.

If you have any concerns about the type of insulation you have, you can speak to a fee-free mortgage broker about your options and which lenders are comfortable with spray foam insulation. And if you plan on installing insulation, ensure you get it professionally fitted.

Do thermal blinds keep the heat in? It’s a thought that may have popped into your head as temperatures have plummeted across the UK this week.

With frosty temperatures here for the foreseeable future, the urge to find ways to keep your house warm has never been stronger. Especially as the rising energy prices mean we all want to use our central heating less.

Your windows are a major source of home heat loss, especially if you don’t have double or triple glazing. Luckily, experts have revealed that thermal blinds and curtains can help insulate these draughty areas, trapping the much-needed heat inside your home.

Here’s everything you need to know about thermal blinds and curtains and why you should consider them for your next window treatment ideas.

Why you should invest in thermal blinds

Windows can account for 20% of heat loss according to blind specialist Hillarys. This is where thermal blinds and curtains can be a lifesaver.

Thermal blinds work by: ‘creating a more effective barrier between the room and the glass of your windows, helping to insulate the room and keep it cosy,’ says Chloe Dacosta, Design Manager at Blinds 2go.

Chloe uses Energy Saving Blackout Pleated Blinds as an example which are: ‘made from aluminium-lined honeycomb pockets that sit within an integrated frame, helping to reduce heat loss by up to 33%.’

Blinds with a honeycomb structure are known as Duette-style blinds and work by trapping the hot air in pockets, creating an insulating barrier and preventing heat from escaping.

They reduce heat loss: ‘through your windows by up to 55%,’ according to Yvonne Keal, senior product manager, at Hillarys.

With reduced heat loss, comes reduced energy usage - and therefore bills - as your central heating system doesn’t need to work as hard to heat your home. This is good news for anyone looking to save energy at home.

Thermal blinds and curtains are also affordable with some at Blinds 2go retailing for less than £10 per blind. Of course, if you are looking to fit your whole house with thermal blinds and curtains this can drive the price up, however considering you can reduce heat loss by up to 55%, this is a worthy investment.

What thermal blinds should you get?

There are plenty of different blinds, curtains and shutters available on the market which can reduce heat escaping from your windows.

As mentioned, Honeycomb blinds are excellent for trapping heat but you can also use:

‘Well-fitted shutters also help seal gaps and prevent draughts, which is especially beneficial in period or homes with single-glazed windows, reducing heat loss by up to 36%,’ says Yvonne.

‘Interlined Roman blinds are another option, cutting heat loss by up to 21%, perfect for rooms with radiators under windows, as they won’t block the heat like curtains would.

‘Curtains with a thermal lining can also make a huge difference. This is especially effective when hanging curtains over external doors, which is becoming a popular trend as people look for easy ways to improve energy efficiency.

‘Smart electric blinds can be controlled remotely or integrated with your home’s smart hub system. This means you can sync your blinds with your heating schedule, closing them to come down at nightfall and opening them when the sun rises.’

You can also combine your thermal curtain and blind for extra warmth.

‘Teaming Roman Blinds and Curtains that both have a thermal lining will also help with warmth and is perhaps a better option for older windows,’ says Chloe. ‘This way, you’re trapping heat at the window directly, but also with another layer of thick fabric through the curtains. Not only is this practical but it gives a lovely complete look.’

Shop thermal blinds

Blinds2go is one of our favourite places to pick up thermal blinds as they are available in a range of patterns including some from our very own Ideal Home range. Here are a couple of our favourite patterns that are all available with a free thermal interlining.

If you’re still wondering if thermal blinds are worth it, Chloe says: ‘As they keep heat out during the summer and in during the winter, thermal blinds are a great all-rounder and worth the investment. There’s also a misconception that thermal blinds can’t be stylish which is not the case as we have so many different colours and designs.’

Keeping your house warm can help reduce other issues such as dampness, mould and condensation, which is why it is so important to prevent home heat loss where you can.

Knowing the signs you need to replace the insulation in your home is something everyone should have on their radar - especially if you feel as though you’re paying more than you need to for your energy bills or your health is starting to suffer.

After all, with more and more people trying to save energy and maintain an efficient home, knowing how to insulate a home is key. From roof and loft insulation to garage door insulation (yes, that’s important too!), this extra layer of protection can not only keep you and your family warm over the winter months, but it can also reduce your energy bills and increase your property value. However, insulation isn’t invincible.

As Becky Lane, an energy efficiency expert from Furbnow, explains, ‘Like most materials, insulation has a lifespan, and it wears down over time.’ In fact, insulation can last anywhere from 15 to 100 years - but that’s not always the case. That’s why you should still keep an eye out for the signs you need to replace the insulation in your home.

1. Your energy bills are higher

It’s normal for energy bills to fluctuate in line with the energy price cap and for bills to increase in the winter after you’ve turned on your heating for the first time and have started turning lights on earlier. But if you’re noticing your energy bills are much higher than they should be, this is a tell-tale sign that you need to replace the insulation in your home.

Les Roberts, energy expert at Bionic, echoes this, saying, ‘High energy bills are often a sign that your home’s insulation may need upgrading or even fully replacing. When insulation deteriorates, your heating system is forced to work harder to keep temperatures comfortable, significantly driving up energy use and costs.’

So, it’s worth monitoring your energy bills with a smart meter to detect any significant changes. And spotting these changes early can lead to a drastic reduction in your energy bills.

As Les explains, ‘By topping up loft insulation to 270mm you can help prevent up to 25% of your home’s heat from escaping through the roof, which could cut your annual energy bills by up to £380. By fully insulating your home—including the walls, underfloor, and attic— you can further reduce annual energy bills by as much as £700, making insulation a worthwhile investment.'

2. Some rooms are colder than others

It’s long been questioned whether you should heat your whole house or just the room you’re in, and the answer will usually depend on your home and your needs. But if you’re trying to heat your whole house and finding that some rooms are colder than others, you probably have an insulation problem on your hands.

Les says, ‘This can be a telltale sign of weak insulation in certain areas. Poor insulation allows outside air to creep in, disrupting your home’s internal temperature and putting extra strain on heating systems to maintain the desired level of warmth.’

This inconsistent temperature can be troublesome during the winter months, but this extra strain on your heating systems will also affect your heating bills and cause you to pay more every month. Because of this, you’ll need to replace the insulation in your home as soon as possible.

But if you want to get an expert opinion before making any purchases, Becky advises, ‘The easiest way to discover how your insulation is performing is by getting a home efficiency assessment so you can understand your home’s unique needs.’

If you have a cold wall, you may need to insulate it from the inside, but you should always check what kind of wall you have so you follow the correct process.

3. You have a leak or condensation

Whether you have loft insulation, floor insulation, cavity wall insulation, or some of everything, it’s important to understand that water can damage it beyond repair. So, if you’ve had a leak or the condensation seems to be getting worse as the months go by, you’ll probably need to replace it.

But a leak or excess condensation won’t just cause ineffective insulation, as ineffective insulation can also cause further leaks and excess condensation. Because of this, you want to keep your insulation as dry as possible - even if you need to replace the old stuff with new.

The experts at Confused.com energy explain, ‘There are some more unpleasant signs that your insulation is suffering. You may find that mould is becoming a problem in your home due to higher levels of moisture. This can also make leaks more likely, as warm air can meet the colder surface of your walls and condense into water.’

4. Your home is draughty

Draught-proofing is one of the best ways to keep your home warm in winter, but most people don’t realise that the presence of draughts is also a key indicator that your insulation isn’t working as it should.

‘Draughts around doors, windows, or in the attic can also indicate gaps or worn-out insulation. Even small draughts let in cold air, reducing energy efficiency and increasing bills. These drafts become especially noticeable in winter when the contrast between indoor and outdoor temperatures is greatest,’ explains Les.

If you notice this in your home, replacing your insulation is your best course of action. But if you want a temporary fix while you save up for some new insulation, you can draught-proof your windows in the meantime.

5. There are critters in your home

It’s incredibly important to pest-proof your home for winter, but little critters can be sneaky. And if you find yourself constantly struggling to get rid of mice or you have squirrels in your loft, this could be a sign that you need to make some changes to your home.

The experts at Confused.com explain, ‘Poorly sealed insulation can create an ideal nesting spot for rodents. So, if you find you’re fighting off unwanted guests, it may be time to replace your insulation.’

In fact, many rodents and insects often feed off old insulation and rip it apart to set up a cosy home for themselves in your house. These holes and rips will end up affecting the heat distribution in your home and lead to further heat loss.

Not only that, but proper insulation (specifically foam) should actually stop these unwanted animals from entering your home in the first place. So, you’ll be tackling two problems at once.

6. Your allergies are getting worse

Another sign you need to replace the insulation in your home will be noticeable to those in your home with allergies. After all, old and damaged insulation can actually make your allergies worse and lead to increased sneezing and respiratory problems.

And while we know that an air purifier can help with allergies, the best air purifiers often aren’t equipped to deal with the magnitude of pollutants and allergens coming from your insulation - especially if it’s old, mouldy and full of dust.

Because of this, it may be worth replacing the insulation in your home - not just to upgrade it to newer products but also to upgrade it to a type of insulation that will maintain healthy air quality. Most experts agree that spray foam insulation is the best for allergy sufferers.

7. Your home seems noisier

Noise levels might not be something you associate with home insulation, but they are directly correlated - and it’s something you need to look out for if you think you might need to replace the insulation in your home.

The experts at Confused.com explain, ‘Something else might feel different, too - your home might feel noisier. If you find your walls used to keep out sound from the outside world better than it does now, then that’s very likely due to ineffective insulation.’

So, keep an ear out and make a note of any audible changes to your home over the next few years, and especially during the winter months.

FAQs

What is the life expectancy of house insulation?

As Stuart Middleton, Consumer Energy Expert at So Energy explains, ‘Most modern homes are built with energy efficiency in mind, but if you live in an older building, you might find that your insulation isn't as efficient as it could be.’ This is because different insulation materials have been used in different homes throughout the years. So, you can expect them to last as follows:

• Fibreglass: Has the potential to last 80-100 years, but may start to degrade after 15-25 years.
• Spray foam: Typically lasts around 80 years before needing to be replaced.
• Cavity wall insulation: It should last between 20-100 years but can degrade earlier than that.
• Extruded polystyrene (XPS) - Should last between 20-30 years, but can be impacted by external factors.
• Aluminium foil backed insulation - Has potential to last 50 years if not exposed to moisture or damage.

Is replacing insulation worth it?

Yes, replacing insulation in your home is definitely worth it. Stuart from So Energy says, ‘Quality insulation helps you save money on your bills and ensures you're not needlessly wasting valuable resources, thereby emitting less carbon. Outdated insulation allows more heat to escape, meaning your heating system must work harder, raising energy usage and costs.’

And in a world where everything is getting more expensive - especially energy bills - being able to save on heating costs can make a big impact. Plus, modern and efficient home insulation can make your home a healthier and happier place to live for your family.

Of course, replacing insulation does come at a cost, but you should be able to make up for it in the long run thanks to the reduced energy bills.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Winter always feels like a game of chicken to see how long you can last before switching the heating on full-time. If this sounds like you, then you'll likely already looked into ways to improve the insulation in your home. But in your bid to save on energy bills, it's worth noting that there are some areas of a home you shouldn't insulate.

If insulation is installed incorrectly or in the wrong places it could actually do more harm than good. While there are a number of places that you should certainly consider when it comes to how to insulate your home, there are a few that you should never insulate.

1. Near or around heaters, boilers and radiators

As you might expect, you’ll want to avoid placing insulation too close to the best electric heaters or boilers, as this can cause several issues. ‘Insulating too close to these units risks them overheating, resulting in equipment failure, system inefficiency, or even fire threats. These spaces require adequate ventilation to properly disperse heat,’ says Mike Storey, insulation expert at UK Flat Roofing & Insulation Specialists.

It’s also imperative that you keep space around boiler flues clear, blocking these can interfere with ventilation and create safety risks. Insulating around radiators and other heating methods can also ‘reduce their efficiency in heating rooms because they need good airflow to circulate warmth effectively,’ says Gary Jarman, building expert at Building Shop.

2. Around vents

Vents can often make our homes feel that bit colder, particularly during autumn and winter when the temperatures start to dip. Even if you're worried about draughts, you should never use anything to block them up, as they allow the movement of air. Without that, moisture can build up and cause damp issues.

3. Over electrical cables and wiring

‘Loft insulation over wiring is another tricky one,’ says Mark Glenney, founder of The Stairlift Store. ‘Generally, it’s safe to cover electrical cables lightly, but don’t pack insulation too tightly around them,’ he continues. This is because wiring needs space to release any heat and packing insulation tightly around or over cables or wiring can increase the risk of overheating. So, you’ll want to check ‘the insulation type and make sure it complies with UK standards—there are guidelines about safe distances between the insulation and electrical components for a reason.’ And quite a few experts agree with this sentiment.

‘Covering wiring with loft insulation is generally fine, but you'll want to make sure your wiring is rated correctly and any junction boxes are properly insulated so they don't overheat and cause a fire risk,’ Becky Lane, co-founder and CEO of Furbnow, concurs. ‘If you're in any doubt, getting your wiring checked or upgraded before laying that insulation is always a smart move.’

Not only can it cause wires and cables to overheat but it ‘can reduce the cable's current carrying capacity,’ affirms Paul Spence, Technical Manager at Heatly. Essentially, ‘cables should only be covered with insulation if an electrical expert has confirmed this won’t reduce capacity too significantly,’ he maintains.

4. Cavity walls in older properties

Although most cavity walls can be insulated – and that’s probably one of the most common places for insulation to be added – there are a few instances where it’s better not to, the experts agree. For example, did you know that older homes and properties were built with solid walls that are meant to breathe? And because these walls rely on airflow through them to manage moisture, ‘improper cavity wall insulation can lead to condensation issues,’ informs David Miloshev, electrician and home improvement expert at Fantastic Services.

If you do plan on insulating the cavity walls of an older property, you may need to use breathable insulation materials to retain this ability.

5. Under floor boards in older properties

Again, this also primarily pertains to older homes and Luis Montes, structural engineer, heavy-duty equipment expert and Chief Editor at Fortis HD, proposes that ‘older homes' underfloor voids should not be insulated.’ This is because ‘some older UK homes have suspended timber floors with air bricks around the base.’ And these air bricks help to ventilate the area and prevent any moisture from building up. But as soon as you insulate or block this area, it could cause moisture to be trapped under the floor, leading to wood rot and even structural issues in a worse case scenario.

‘This mistake has cost people expensive repairs,’ Luis reveals.

6. Attic or roof eaves

Blocking these can also cause condensation, moisture and even mould to build up ‘and it's important to keep them free so that the lifespan of the roof isn't compromised,’ Gary warns. The last thing you want is to have to replace your roof because you wrongly insulated your eaves.

7. Any damp areas of your home

There’s nothing more frustrating than finding damp or excess moisture and condensation in your home. But if you’re thinking about insulating an area that is already prone to damp, this isn’t a good idea.

‘If you don’t address the moisture first, the insulation will trap it and lead to mould, mildew or rot. And this will compromise the insulation over time and reduce its effectiveness, possibly even weakening surrounding structures,’ Mike says.

So, it’s important to fix any damp issues before even thinking about insulating these areas of your home, as not only could it make the issue worse but you could essentially be wasting your time and money by installing any type of insulation before it has been remedied. It could be that you have a leak or something as simple as too much condensation – understand why it is occurring before you consider insulating this part of your home.

FAQs

Can too much insulation cause damp?

The wrong type of insulation can cause damp, rather than having too much of it. Anything non-permeable that blocks airflow will cause moisture to build up.

It’s also important that your walls are in good condition before you start insulating them, otherwise you may exacerbate damp issues. For instance, if you apply mineral wool insulation to the inside of your walls before fixing existing damp issues, it’s likely to sag and lose its insulating properties, plus it will start to go mouldy and make your walls wet.

What areas of your home need insulation?

While we’ve outlined some of the places that shouldn’t be insulated, there are some which can make a big difference in a positive way. The most obvious area is your roof or attic and this is because around 25% of the home’s heat is lost through the roof, according to the experts. Getting roof insulation right is essential and won't break the bank, and it will improve your home's energy efficiency, so it's definitely money well spent.

And given the fact that this can save you hundreds of pounds on your energy bills, it’s something to seriously consider. Another area that you might want to pay attention to is your pipes and hot water tanks. By insulating them you are helping the entire heating system to retain its heat, which helps them to work more efficiently and prevent any heat loss, which could save you money on your bills.

So, there are quite a few things that you should consider before you start insulating your home, whether that’s through a spot of DIY or when consulting a professional.

The weather is getting colder, which means inevitably thermostats are going to be turned up - which isn’t great news for our energy bills. Here at Ideal Home, we’re committed to finding ways you can save this winter - and luckily for you, our Renovation Editor has shared how she saved 20% on her bills using a simple hack - radiator reflectors.

Radiator reflectors work by insulating your radiator and reflecting lost heat back into the room, and are available for as cheap as £7.51 - the cheapest I found was at Screwfix - radiator reflectors are a cheap and easy way to save this winter.

But why does this handy trick work so well?

‘Radiator reflectors are like VIP backstage passes for your radiators. They help bounce all that lovely heat back into the room instead of letting it sneak out through the walls,’ says Ian Palmer-Smith, resident appliance expert at Domestic & General.

This essentially helps reduce the amount of energy lost which in turn can help reduce your fuel bill.

'I was quite surprised by how effective I found radiator reflectors - although it's hard to say exactly how much energy they saved when I was also adopting other changes to reduce my energy usage, like not using the tumble dryer as often and making sure I turned off any vampire devices,' says Sarah Handley, Ideal Home Renovation Editor and finance expert.

‘However, after installing them (which was a doddle), they helped contribute to a 20% reduction on my bill, as I found I didn't need to have my thermostat set as high to make my house feel warm.’

‘They really work,’ says Sarah. ‘I very gently put my hand down the back of the radiator when it was on, in-between the reflector and the external wall, and it was noticeably cold - which meant the heat was being reflected back into the room rather than escaping through the external walls.'

While the chance to save is high when it comes to installing reflectors, it’s important to note that other factors are also important when it comes to improving the energy efficiency of your home. Simple changes like bleeding your radiator and cleaning your radiator can all shave money off your bill.

'In terms of energy savings, estimates vary,’ says Rob Nezard, Managing Director of UKRadiators.com.

‘Some online sources suggest savings of up to 25% off heating bills, but this figure is debatable. A peer-reviewed study found negligible savings in homes with significant wall insulation.

‘However, for houses with poor insulation, radiator reflectors can lead to utility savings of around 8%. A BRE report on Radflek radiator reflectors indicated yearly savings per radiator, which varied based on the type of property's wall insulation, ranging from £0.80 to £4.02.

‘For example, a property with uninsulated solid walls could save about £4.02 per radiator annually. If a property has 5 radiators on exposed walls, the savings could amount to approximately £20 a year​​​​.’

Overall, radiator reflectors are a quick and easy way to maintain a warm home and save money at the same time.

Where to buy radiator reflector

If your home constantly feels cold and your walls feel damp, your boiler is probably working overtime to heat your house. But you don’t have to overload yourself with extortionate energy bills to tackle the winter chill. Instead, all you need to do is know how to insulate a home.

Yes, there are so many options to keep your house warm in winter. But insulating your home sets in motion a butterfly effect that quite literally pays off. After all, a well-insulated home will save you money on energy bills, increase your home’s EPC rating, and boost your property value by 15%.

Taking the plunge to understand how to insulate a home can be daunting, though. That’s why we’ve consulted with heating experts to explain the many ways you can draught-proof your home and stop heat escaping during the winter months. So, we hope you’re ready to feel toasty…

1. Check if your home is insulated properly

When working out how you're going to insulate a home, a good starting point is finding out where your house currently stands with its insulation.

'There are some tell-tale signs that your home’s insulation could be improved upon,' advises Stephen Hankinson, Managing Director, Electric Radiators Direct. 'If you feel lots of cold draughts and breezes in your home, this is a sign that your home needs better draught proofing. If your house immediately gets colder after you’d turned the heating off, then this could indicate that heat is escaping too quickly.'

'Insulation may be patchier in some areas of your home than others. If certain rooms are colder, this could help you work out what type of insulation you should invest in. A draughty top floor for example, could indicate you’d benefit from roof insulation. Cold outward facing rooms may benefit from wall insulation.'

Additionally, if you're already trying to work out how to stop dampness coming through walls, note that one of the causes of the damp can be linked to poor insulation. This might lead you to try and insulate a cold wall from the inside.

2. Insulate your floors

Even the best flooring ideas can be ruined by improper insulation. And while your floor may look pretty, it may be negatively affecting the warmth of your home and the price of your energy bills.

However, it’s easy to spot when there’s a problem. Caroline Hansson, Head of Design at Luxury Flooring & Furnishings explains, ‘An uninsulated floor is relatively easy to spot, as you’ll be able to feel a subtle draft when up close allowing cold air in and for warm air to escape, which in the cooler months will become increasingly obvious.’

Since heat rises, investing in floor insulation can make a big difference in your home. This comes in many forms, such as blanket floor insulation and foam spray insulation. Sometimes, though, you can improve the insulation by fixing any damage or cracks.

Caroline says, 'Particularly if you have older solid wood floors, you may find that they have shifted and there are some gaps in between planks. I’d advise filling these in where possible, as they can result in draughts and affect the efficiency of your heating.'

3. Cover up your windows

No window would be complete without some kind of window treatment, but what you might not realise is that certain window treatments can help insulate your home during the winter months.

Sophie Moore, Content Editor at Unbeatable Blinds explains, ‘One of the most affordable and easiest ways to insulate your home is to install thermal blinds. They use a special lining or thermal technology to prevent heat loss, keeping the cold out and the heat in, especially in the winter months.'

If you prefer curtains, thermal curtains exist, too. And according to the experts at Bionic, research has found that ‘thermal curtains could reduce heat loss through windows by up to 27% and save an average home up to £290 a year.’ They can even keep heat out in the summer, too.

As well as window dressings, there are other ways to insulate a home and stop losing heat through windows. 'Draught excluders along windowsills can provide a barrier against draughts coming from windows,' suggests Jenny Turner, Property Manager at Insulation Express.

Additionally, resealing the edges of window frames with self-adhesive foam tape - like this Self-Adhesive Window Insulation Tape from Amazon can also stop cold air from entering the room.

4. Protect your doorways

By design, doors need to open and close. But the problem with that is that they leave cracks and gaps for cold air to enter your house. So, if you want to insulate your home this winter, you need to protect your doors.

You can do this by fitting self-adhesive foam strips around your doors or buying door brushes - like this Stormguard Heavy Duty Bottom Door Brush from Dunelm - to keep any draughts at bay. In fact, gaps at the sides can be dealt with in the same way as windows to stop draughts from doors.

If you want something a bit more aesthetically pleasing, however, you could also use a fabric draiught excluder. The experts from Bionic say, ‘Use fabric draught excluders for the gaps under doors around the house, preventing cold air entering, and heat leaving areas you’re using.’

5. Insulate your loft

While you may already know that warm air rises, what you might not realise is that cold air sinks. So, if your loft is not properly insulated this cold air can fall from your loft space down into your home.

According to Teresa Paul, Category Development Director of Sustainability at Wickes, ‘A quarter of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home, so even with the heating on high, all the money and effort spent doing this is easily undone if it is poorly insulated. When installed correctly, loft insulation should pay for itself many times over in its 40-year lifetime.’

Of course, you should always do your research and decide which insulation is best for your home and how much you realistically need. But Jenny from Insulation Express says, ‘If you are using glass wool, sheep’s wool or loose fill, then the depth should be 300mm, and rock wool should be 250 millimetres.'

Of course, if you have a loft, you also need to be conscious of the draught that can be caused by your loft hatch. Dean Taylor, Founder of The Loft Boys says, ‘If your hatch is just a piece of MDF or similar, then that won’t be enough to keep the cold from entering your home.’

So, he’d suggest using foam strips around the loft hatch (similar to those you’d use around windows and doors) to stop any draughts from escaping.

6. Fill cavity walls

If your home was built between 1920 and 199, it probably has cavity walls, and knowing if you have this or not will affect how you insulate a home.

'Wall insulation is highly advantageous to keep costs low on your energy bills. Cavity wall insulation may already be in place in your property, and you can usually check the brick pattern to ascertain this,' advises Jenny from Insulation Express.

'If you have cavity walls and require polyurethane foam insulation, this will need to be installed by a professional who will drill holes into the external walls and inject the material before sealing with cement. Solid wall insulation, however, can be done by fitting rigid insulation boards to either the internal or external walls before covering them with plaster or cladding.'

So, always make sure you know the ins and outs of your specific property before you officially take steps to insulate your home.

7. Wrap cylinders and pipes

Hot water pipes exposed? While you might not think anything of this, leaving these out in the open can result in you wasting both money and precious energy. Instead, you should give them ‘jackets,’ which are essentially foam tubes that cover the exposed pipes between your hot water cylinder and boiler.

They're an easy and budget-friendly way to help, and in most cases, you won’t even see them if your pipes are concealed in a cupboard.

This idea is echoed by Caroline from Luxury Flooring & Furnishings, who says, ‘'Make sure that you lay ample insulation around any heating pipes. This way, you’ll keep them at their optimal temperature, and they shouldn’t lose any heat.'

Just make sure to find out your pipe diameter before buying, as you don’t want to buy the wrong size.

8. Insulate behind radiators

There’s a high chance that you already have tin foil in your home. But while you may reserve this product for your cooking exploits, have you ever considered using it to insulate your home? Well, this is a hack that has gone wild on TikTok.

After all, if you don't have any underfloor heating, then making your radiators as efficient as possible is key.

Stephen from Electric Radiators Direct explains, 'Traditional central heating radiators work at only about 50-70% efficiency. Placing silver foil behind them will reflect heat back into a room rather than letting it escape through the walls.'

But if you want to use something a little more professional than the tin foil from the supermarket, you can use dedicated radiator reflectors instead.

9. Damp-proof exterior masonry

While the idea of doing exterior insulation work may sound daunting, damp-proofing is extremely common - and it can also make a huge difference. And although you can enlist the help of a professional, you don’t necessarily have to call one.

Expertise by Candice Carmichael, Gas & Heating Engineer at TaskHer explains, ‘If you’ve already carried out most insulation tactics, consider damproofing your exterior masonry. The cream works by keeping solid internal wall insulation dry, therefore increasing the thermal efficiency of walls.’

She adds, ‘This is a very simple, affordable way to improve your home's insulation and the product can be bought from most DIY stores. Simply apply the cream with a roller or brush to the outside of your home and let it dry, making sure there’s no chance of rain when applying it to give the product sufficient time to dry.’

FAQs

Can you insulate a house without removing walls?

Yes, you can. In today’s modern world there are so many ways to insulate a home without removing any walls. In many cases, insulation can simply be drilled into your walls and injected quickly.

You can also build stud walls and fill them with insulation or re-plaster your interior walls with thermal plaster. Just make sure that you understand all of your options and whether they could benefit your specific home before going ahead with this.

Can you over-insulate a house?

Yes, you can over-insulate your house. While you may feel inclined to use various methods to insulate your home, it’s important to note that too much insulation can lead to serious problems.

Although you want to keep draughts out, you also need to allow your house to breathe. If not, you may find that you suffer from a build-up of moisture which can lead to damp and mould problems.

So, insulate your house, but don’t overdo it. If you’re ever in doubt, always contact a professional.

Now you know how to insulate a home to keep heat from escaping this winter, which methods will you be trying out?

In the UK – and in fact, across the globe – anxiety is building over rising energy costs, and how much it's going to cost households to heat our homes as we head rapidly into the winter.

As such, many of us are looking for energy saving tips to help us keep our bills down. And for the braver among us, as well as looking out for the best energy saving products, other tactics may include clever tricks and home renovations that will allow us to keep our as much of our home's heat in as possible.

Carpet and flooring specialist Tapi have in fact revealed that one of the best things you can do to cut energy costs and keep your property feeling toasty, is to switch out your flooring.

Of course, this is only a solution if you have the initials funds to carry out the work. But if you do, the savings over the lifetime of your home could be huge.

What type of flooring can help save on energy bills?

Tapi paired up with Sales Director at Interfloor, Gary Cowley, to reveal which type of flooring is best at keeping warmth in, and the answer might not be all that surprising.

He explained that carpet is the ideal choice, sharing that it's a natural source of insulation which will help to keep heat in – therefore reducing how much you'll need to pop the heating on. 'Carpet fibres help trap cold air, which stops your space from cooling so much. The thicker the carpet, and therefore the more fibres it has, the greater the thermal insulation,' says Gary.

But that's not all. Using an underlay if you are laying carpet is the very best flooring option for keeping energy costs down, as it will provide an extra barrier for heat trying to escape, Gary says. 'Quality, thick underlay will provide a protective barrier against draughts.'

Paul Testa, director at HEM architects and a retrofitting expert for the London Homebuilding & Renovating Show, agrees, saying: 'The underlay in particular is also quite good at stopping air movement through the floorboards from below. Also, against the skin, the small amount of trapped air feels warmer than hard floor finishes, so can make a room feel marginally warmer than it is.'

So what type of carpet should you choose exactly, if you're planning to re-do your flooring? 

Gary advises using wool carpet if you can, because they retain their pile height for longer (a key part of insulating your home), and also feel warmer and cosier underfoot. We all know that stepping onto a hard wooden floor feels much chillier than stepping onto a comfy carpet! You can even lay underfloor heating with carpet, too.

When it comes to the saving you can expect to make, Gary says: 'It’s difficult to put a figure on the saving, but we estimate that carpet and underlay could reduce energy costs by as much as 15%.'

So if you can afford the initial outlay, carpeting your home – or at least some key rooms such as your bedroom ideas and living room ideas – could make a real difference to your future energy bills, and the warmth of your home for decades to come.

But, there is another option if you can't afford (or don't want) to totally re-do your floors. Joshua Hammonds, Marketing Manager at Hammonds Furniture says 'a quicker and cheaper fix for your home is incorporating a rug into your décor. They will help keep your room warm, and are a great way to make a space feel cosier in the winter months too.'

It's more important than ever to ensure that your home isn’t losing precious heat via leaky building fabric with energy prices skyrocketing. And spray foam insulation can be a brilliant option. 

One of the best ways to insulate your home, spray foam insulation, also known as spray polyurethane foam (SPF), provides an alternative to more conventional methods, such as rigid boarding or blanket systems. In the right scenario, spray foam solutions can provide an effective barrier to prevent heat from escaping your house. 

'The biggest impact on energy bills is almost always insulation,' says Dr Sarah Price, technical director at QODA Consulting, an efficient building solutions specialist. According to the Energy Saving Trust, incorporating insulation could save you around £250 per year on bills.  

Applied in liquid form, the spray foam self-adheres to any building or structure before expanding to the required thickness. From there, it hardens to establish a seamless, rigid structure. The continuous membrane of the insulation sticks to awkward corners and shapes, providing an unbroken barrier that prevents warmth from escaping. It’s a highly versatile solution that can be used in your walls, and floors as well as for roof and loft insulation. 

Spray foam insulation – everything you need to know

Want to find out more? Here, we take a closer look at the unique benefits of spray foam insulation, installation tips, costs and how to find your supplier.

What are the benefits of spray foam insulation?

When correctly installed, spray foam insulation (SFI) provides a continuous airtight envelope with no joints or cracks that heat can escape through. This, of course, has the potential to dramatically reduce your utility bills. 

'This type of insulation will also help keep your house at a comfortable and consistent temperature, resulting in a reduced carbon footprint due to using less energy to heat the property,' says Jenny Turner from Insulation Express.

As the foam is sprayed, it can be directed into all the awkward nooks and crannies that other solutions may not be able to reach. Plus, installation is speedy when the job is carried out by an experienced professional. In some cases, spray foam insulation can provide additional sound proofing, too, which makes it a popular choice for homes near busy roads.

'Spray foam insulation is also a long-lasting option, with an average lifespan of around 80 years,' says Jenny Turner. 'It can also improve overall air quality by reducing indoor allergens, such as dust and mould. This is because it deters moisture from accumulating by retaining its insulating qualities even when it gets wet.' 

When subjected to wet conditions, some other insulating materials such as mineral wool are more prone to sagging and losing shape, which has the potential to reduce their efficiency.

What types of spray foam insulation are there?

Spray foam insulation can be broken down into two categories: closed cell and open cell. Both are formed from polyurethane and filled with air bubbles but have different properties once the foam has set.

Closed cell: These solutions set to form a rigid layer that doesn't allow air or moisture to pass through. When the foam sets, lots of minuscule air pockets are formed that slow down the movement of heat through the material. 

The solidity of this type of SFI means that it can provide the structure of your property with some additional support – a definite advantage if your home isn’t in the best condition. However, closed-cell insulation products should never be used as a substitute or quick fix for any structural issues that need to be addressed. 

While it can be viewed as an advantage that closed cell SFIs don’t let any moisture pass through, this does mean you’ll need to make sure the area you install it is well-ventilated, or you could risk the build-up of condensation.

Open cell: This provides a more physically flexible solution, which means that it’ll move with the material it’s applied to as it expands and contracts. As well as being less dense than closed-cell solutions, it allows moisture and air to move through it, making it more breathable. 

On the downside, its insulating qualities aren’t as good as closed-cell alternatives, which means you’ll need a thicker layer to achieve the same level of thermal performance.

Who supplies spray foam insulation?

There are many different suppliers, including Foamseal, Icynene and Websters. Many suppliers use different propellants to spray the foam into your property, so research the option that is the most suitable. For instance, Icynene uses water as a propellant, while other suppliers use gas.

It’s worth knowing that different insulation products and systems come with guarantees from different providers. For peace of mind, always check that the solution you’re investigating comes with the right seal of approval. CIGA, SWIGA, GDGC and The Insulation Assurance Authority (IAA) are some of the most notable providers of guarantees in the insulation sector.

'Always ensure you receive an independent guarantee for the work, such as one of the IAA guarantees. IAA installers are subject to additional compliance checks to ensure the work is carried out right first time,' says Nigel Donohue, CEO at the IAA.

As well as researching products thoroughly, it’s important to do your homework when it comes to installers, too. 'Work with the very best installers who use approved products,' says Nigel. 'A compromise in quality can have a detrimental impact on your property and have the adverse effect to what you want, making the house damp and cold.'

Do I need permission to install spray foam insulation?

As spray foam insulation will not cause any fundamental changes to the exterior of your building, planning permission is not required. 

'However, if you have a listed property then you will need listed building consent for any works you do,' says Paul Testa, director at HEM Architects. This is a detail that’s worth checking regardless of the type of insulation you’re installing, as the special status applies to the whole property, which means that any work that alters the fabric of the building will need consent. 

How to install spray foam insulation

'Improving the energy performance of a house involves several key things to be considered: insulation and associated thermal bridging, airtightness and ventilation,' says Camilla Govan, business development manager and Passivhaus consultant at Green Building Store. 'All should be addressed together, with an informed technical understanding of the impact they can have on the existing building.'

In the overwhelming majority of cases, the installation of spray foam insulation is a job that’s best left to the professionals. Even if you do intend to install it yourself (more details on this later), it’s still important to consult an expert to ensure SFI is the right solution, as it’s extremely difficult to remove once it’s been applied.

Make sure your installer carries out a thorough survey before any work is carried out. A full assessment typically includes a U-Value calculation, which indicates the thermal performance of your existing home. Also known as the EPC rating. They should also check to see if there are any risks of condensation occurring and what additional measures might be needed to address the issues. This survey will determine the thickness of the foam layer that’s needed to properly insulate your house.

'It’s essential to ensure that existing building problems are addressed in advance or at the same time as [insulation] energy saving measures, so they are not made worse,' says Camilla. 'For example, water ingress from poor pointing will dry out even less in a colder wall.'

The chemicals given off during the installation process are hazardous, so you shouldn’t re-enter the area that’s been sprayed until at least 24 hours after installation. Consult your installer for more details on health and safety. It’s also for this reason that installation is generally best left to the professionals.

'Ensure the property is effectively ventilated, too,' says Nigel from the IAA. 'The installer you choose should provide an effective ventilation strategy to complement the insulation.'

Check that your installer is trained to apply the foam correctly and that they have the seal of approval from the British Board of Agrement (BBA). The insulation product itself should also be certified by the BBA.

DIY spray kits are available, but the chemicals given off during the installation process mean that it's essential for you to don the right protective gear before attempting the job. You’ll need to invest in PPE equipment, available from Amazon, that includes a boiler suit, gloves, goggles and a respirator. Double check with your supplier that adequate training on how to install the insulation is also provided alongside the kit. 

If you are tackling the job on a DIY basis, one of the trickiest parts will be to get the layer of foam insulation to a correct and to an even thickness before it sets. This is one of the reasons it's quicker and more effective to bring in a specialist for best results.

How much does spray foam insulation cost?

Spray foam insulation costs more than other methods, such as mineral or glass wool. The thickness of the insulating layer, the size of the area you’re installing it and the method of installation will all influence the overall cost. Closed cell systems cost more than open cell alternatives, too. Any additional repair work needed before the insulation can be installed will also drive up costs.

Figures from Which? suggest that depending on the size of your home, the cost of insulating your loft is likely to cost between £600 and £1,100 using traditional materials, such as mineral wool. On the other hand, for a professionally installed setup using spray foam insulation, it’s likely to cost in the region of £2,500. These figures are based on insulating a three-bed semi-detached home. It’s also worth factoring in the fact that solutions such as mineral wool slabs are easier to install on a DIY basis, so taking that route could save you some pennies on installation. 

Before parting with any cash, it’s a good idea to check whether you qualify for financial support from government schemes that encourage improvements in energy efficiency. Loft insulation grants are available. 'Homeowners who qualify can apply for funding under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme and other schemes operated by the devolved administrations or local authorities,' says Nigel from the IAA. 

'Governments are considering other funding mechanisms and it’s hoped that support for those considering home upgrades will be available in the future,' adds Nigel. 'Your local authority website is a good starting point.'

What maintenance is required for spray foam insulation?

This type of insulation requires little upkeep beyond an annual inspection of the areas where it’s installed. Any signs of condensation or mould growth could indicate an issue, in which case, the best move is to consult a professional. 

If installed incorrectly, the spray foam insulation can crack or shrink when it sets, potentially pulling away from the material it’s attached to. Ultimately, this means that your insulation won’t perform as well as it should, so any draughty areas or cold spots could be another sign that something is amiss. 

Spray foam insulation is incredibly difficult and labour intensive to remove once it sets. Rather than facing a tricky and potentially expensive job in correcting the problem, the best course of action is to have an accredited professional install it in the first place for the best possible performance.

Are there any instances where spray foam insulation might not be the best fit?

There are several scenarios in which spray foam insulation might not be the most suitable solution for your home upgrade project. If you’re working with a tight budget, for example, other more conventional forms of insulation will cost less and offer a shorter payback time when offset against your energy bills. 

'Using high-performance non-breathable (vapour impermeable) insulations such as polyurethane foam are a higher risk for internal wall insulation,' says Dr Price from QODA Consulting. 'If any warm air gets behind the system, moisture will likely build up and cause mould growth where you can’t see it, which can impact internal air quality.' That’s why it’s so important for a qualified professional to carry out a thorough assessment of your property before any insulation is fitted.

In some scenarios, spray foam insulation can affect your chances of taking out a mortgage on a property – it may be that an independent specialist report is required to alleviate any concerns about the risk of the system that’s used. If you’re planning to install SFI in your current home, it’s worth checking with your mortgage provider before going full steam ahead.

EDITOR’S NOTE: We are aware that this article includes a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote is in a queue to be removed as soon as possible. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Wondering about pipe lagging? Insulating pipes in your home is an affordable and easy DIY job to undertake if they are easily accessible. When it comes to ways to insulate your home, it is one of the simplest tasks that can help reduce heat loss.

According to Insulation Superstore, pipe insulation (on hot pipes) will prevent heat from being lost to the surrounding area. Pipe lagging will the temperature of the water around 2 degrees higher than it would be without pipe insulation. This means that less energy is required to heat the water. This, in turn, reduces the cost of your utility bills and helps to lower your home’s carbon emissions.

What is pipe lagging?

UK homes have a series of water pipes running through them. Lagging is the common name given to the process of insulating these pipes by covering them in insulative materials on the outside.

What types of pipe lagging are there?

1. Polyethylene foam

This is the most widely used lagging and is popular due to being affordable and easy to install. It typically comes in the form of a pipe with a slit running down one side and can be easily slipped over the outside of a pipe. ‘It can be used for a number of different applications including loft spaces to prevent pipes freezing and also central heating pipework to prevent heat loss,’ says Thomas Goodman, property and construction expert at MyJobQuote.

2. Rubber pipe

This type of lagging is made from elastomeric rubber and is used to prevent condensation and resist the build-up of humid environments. ‘Due to its strength and longevity, it is often used to insulate outdoor pipework, solar pipework, and any pipes that are subject to extreme temperatures,’ says Thomas Goodman.

3. Mineral fibre

Made of rock or mineral wool, it’s suitable for indoor or outdoor use. ‘This type of insulation is used in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems due to its ability to withstand extremely high temperatures,’ explains Thomas Goodman.

4. Pipe wrap and tape

Pipe wrap can be made from a number of different materials, but differs from the other options on the list above as it is wrapped continuously around pipes rather than fitting over the pipe in one solid form. ‘Pipe wrap is generally much thinner than other forms of insulation so works well if space is extremely tight,’ says Thomas Goodman.

How much does pipe lagging cost and is it worth it?

If you’re already taking up flooring and removing walls to install insulation, it is worth pipe lagging at the same time and the cost of materials and labour will be relatively low.

‘It can cost anywhere between 40p and £2.50 to simulate a single pipe, depending on the materials used for the job,’ says Thomas Goodman. ‘On average, this will amount to about £20 to insulate the primary pipework in your home, and it can be done yourself without having to pay for professionals to fit it,’ he adds.

What are the advantages of pipe lagging?

Here are the pros when you are considering how to lag pipes...

• Reduces heat loss: Insulating pipes will stop heat from escaping as quickly in comparison to uninsulated pipes.
• Prevents pipes from freezing in cold weather: You often hear of pipes freezing in winter months when outdoor temperatures drop dramatically. In this scenario, if your pipes aren’t insulated properly they could freeze which could lead to cracked pipes, blockages and flooding. This can all be costly to fix. ‘Pipes in external walls or below ground flooring are particularly prone to freezing. This is due to exposure to considerably lower temperatures than pipes situated within the house,’ says Thomas Goodman.
• Avoids build-up of condensation: When hot water comes into contact with cold air, such as when hot water runs through an uninsulated pipe, humidity and moisture can build up in the surrounding area. This can lead to mould and rot and can affect the integrity of nearby materials, such as timber in suspended flooring.
• Lower energy bills: If water is kept at a warmer temperature within the pipes, less energy will be needed to heat up the water. This in turn means less energy is used, which results in lower bills. Check out how to save energy at home.
• Less emissions: Lower energy consumption, also means fewer emissions for your household. A well-insulated house, including roof and loft insulation, is inevitably a more sustainable property.

What are the disadvantages of pipe lagging?

Consider the downsides before starting...

Lagging can be difficult to fit retrospectively

There are few disadvantages when insulating pipework. However if fitting it retrospectively, this can cause some disturbance and damage to your home. For instance if you need to take up floors and walls to access the pipework.

It can be a disruptive and potentially expensive job

If your home’s pipework is located under your flooring, you’ll have to take it up to be able to install the lagging. The effort of taking up flooring is not only time consuming, but can prove costly. Especially if you’re unable to re-use the existing floor covering again.

‘If you don’t have any issues with condensation or leaks to deal with, sometimes it may not be worth insulating your pipework for the small return you’ll see on your energy bills and emissions savings,’ says Thomas Goodman.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

With household bills always on the rise, we're on the lookpout for ways to keep our homes as toasty as possible. This is why floor insulation is such a hot topic right now. 

It's important to properly insulate a home, and flooring is one of the main areas where heat loss occurs. This is due to gaps in floorboards, skirting, and draughts around pipes.

‘Insulating and improving the airtightness of your floor can be a good first step on the road to a cosier home,’ says Chayley Collis at Green Building Store. ‘Ground floors can be incredibly cold, and are a major contribution to the discomfort of inhabitants.’

Insulating your home won’t just make it toasty and warm. It will also help reduce your property’s carbon emissions and lower utility bills. According to the Energy Saving Trust, installing floor insulation in a typical semi-detached house could save you around £50 per year on energy bills. This is as well as 175kg of carbon dioxide.

For thermal performance, you only need to insulate the ground floor of a home. If you live in a flat or upper floor of a maisonette, you usually don’t need to insulate your floor space. However, you should consider insulating any floors that are above unheated spaces, such as garages, as you could be losing a lot of heat through those.

Some people living in older flats or first-floor maisonettes can upgrade the acoustic performance of their floors by using floor insulation. ‘If you want to improve the acoustic performance of your internal floors, make sure the insulation you choose offers acoustic benefits,’ says Bradley Hirst, technical services manager at Knauf Insulation. ‘Mineral wool insulation works well to reduce noise transfer between living areas, bedrooms and bathrooms.’

What is floor insulation?

Floor insulation is a method of adding materials underneath floorboards if your home has suspended timber flooring. It can also be added on top of a solid floor, such as concrete. The process also involves blocking draughts by properly sealing gaps in flooring and skirting boards.

According to the Energy Saving Trust, a typical installation could cost you between £520 and £1,300, depending on the circumstances. The initial price may seem steep seeing as the saving is only approximately £50 per year. But it should last the lifetime of your house with very little maintenance cost.

What are the best floor insulation options?

We take a look at what's available and pros and cons for each type.

1. Glass or rock mineral wool slabs

A semi-rigid material, glass mineral wool is made from recycled glass, sand, limestone and soda ash. While rock mineral wool is made from volcanic rock, basalt, dolomite and recycled slag from the steel industry.

• Best for Use in suspended timber flooring, as it is light, easy to cut to size. It's more forgiving when packing between unevenly spaced or warped joists.
• The benefits As well as having great thermal performance, it's non-combustible. So it will not add to the development or spread of fire should it occur. It’s also easy to cut, light to manoeuvre, and measurements do not need to be as exact as with rigid foam boards.
• The negatives A less rigid construction means more support is needed to keep this insulation in place. A net or battens crossing joists must first be installed. This makes it a more time-consuming installation compared with rigid boards.
• The cost An average 12 pack of mineral wool slabs will cost approximately £30 and cover around 9m².

2. Blanket floor insulation

Blanket floor insulation is a roll of unfaced mineral glass wool or fibreglass.

• Best for Fibreglass blankets are best used when packing between joists in suspended floors. It's not suitable for solid flooring as its non-uniform consistency will make your chosen floor covering lie unevenly.
• The benefits Easy to pack between joists with minimal measuring. Affordable, and little expertise needed to install.
• The negatives Cumbersome to move around and glass spores are easily dislodged from the roll itself. Suitable PPE clothing, available from Amazon, is required when working with it.
• The cost A roll will cost about £20 and will cover approximately 14m².

3. Rigid foam insulation

Foam boards are made from foam on the inside and then faced with plastic, aluminium, or plasterboard.

4. Foam spray insulation

• Best for Rigid foam insulation can be used for both suspended flooring and solid flooring. The thickness of the boards will vary greatly depending on which type of floor it is insulating. It's especially easy to lay on solid flooring.
• The benefits Easy to cut, shape, and move from one area to another.
• The negatives A less forgiving material than other less rigid forms of insulation. Accurate measuring and cutting is vital.
• The cost Approximately £10-15 per m², depending on the thickness of the insulation.

Foam spray insulation is a liquid foam that is sprayed in between the joists of a suspended timber floor. The foam expands and sets into a superior, insulating layer.

• Best for Awkward spaces or if you want to insulate your home without having to lift floorboards.
• The benefits Will completely seal between even the most uneven and warped joists without leaving any gaps. It also offers exceptional thermal resistance. There’s even a robotics company called Q-Bot that uses remote-controlled robots to spray insulation into the void under the floor causing minimal disruption.
• The negatives Can only be installed by skilled professionals.
• The cost An average floor will cost around £525. This will naturally vary depending on the size of the floor. Expect to pay more if you use Q-Bot.

5. Multifoil insulation

Multifoil is a type of insulation that’s made up of layers of foil as well as wadding.

• Best for Solid floor constructs, but can be used for suspended timber floors, too.
• The benefits Multifoil insulation has a long lifespan – typically 50 years. It's easy to handle, lightweight, flexible and contains no harmful fibres. This means it can be installed without any specialist tools or PPE. If you’re worried about head height being limited after insulation and floor covering is fitted, SuperFOIL sells a particularly thin multifoil called SFUF. Measuring just 6mm in thickness, it still delivers high thermal performance. Reflective foil prevents heat being lost.
• The negatives Typically costs more than other insulation materials.
• The cost Multifoil insulation starts at around £7.20 per m².

6. Draught-proofing

Draughts happen where there are gaps in the construction of your home, such as floorboards and skirting gaps.

• Best product to use? Flexible fillers, decorators caulk or mastic products can all tolerate movement. That makes them great for blocking cracks in flooring and skirting boards, which tend to contract, expand or move slightly with everyday use.
• The benefits Blocking unwanted gaps that let cold air in and hot air out of your home will save warm air. That means you’ll use less energy to heat your home, and save money on your energy bills. It will help create a warm, snug living environment, too.
• The negatives Take care in rooms that need good ventilation (such as bathrooms, kitchens and utility rooms), where a lot of moisture is produced.
• The cost Budget around around £200 to add professional draught-proofing to a typical semi-detached property, according to the Energy Saving Trust. DIY draught-proofing will be cheaper.

7. Rugs and carpets

A rug on the floor will help you feel warm underfoot and help block up some draughts. But it won’t reduce heat loss through flooring significantly. Carpets can provide a certain level of insulation. To prevent the optimum amount of heat loss you should still install insulation underneath carpets. This ensures your home is protected as much as possible.

• Best for Use in living rooms and bedrooms.
• The benefits Carpeted floors are good insulators, especially when paired with a thick, insulating layer of underlay underneath.
• The negatives Not practical for heavy-traffic spaces or areas prone to getting wet and dirty. These include entrance hallways, kitchens and bathrooms.
• The cost Carpets can cost anywhere between £5 and £30 per m². Carpet underlay costs an additional £3.50-£28 per m².

Is floor insulation on its own enough?

Insulating your floors is a good starting point for reducing your home’s carbon emissions, and lowering your utility bills. It will work better when used in tandem with other types of insulation, such as cavity wall insulation and roof and loft insulation.

What U-value for flooring is required?

How much insulation you need will depend on the current U-value of your floor set up. According to the Energy Saving Trust, if you live in England or Wales, the floor should achieve a U-value of 0.25 W/m²K. Less if possible, to meet Building Regulation standards. The U-value is a measure of how quickly heat will travel through the floor.

 To achieve this standard, the Energy Saving Trust advises installing at least 70mm of high-performance foam insulation, or 150mm of mineral wool. This will vary depending on insulation material and brand chosen, as well as floor type, shape and size.

It's worth understanding the types of garage door insulation that can help maintain a warm zone and protect the contents of your garage. Choose correctly, and it will help to reduce heating bills, as well as buffer outside noise too.

But, is insulating a garage door worth it? If your garage is attached to your property, then definitely. When it comes to insulating a home, it's important to be aware that a garage door could be causing draughts into living spaces. Not only will an uninsulated weak spot make your property feel colder (or hotter in the summer), but it will also allow precious heating to leak out. Something you want to avoid with energy costs increasing.

If you’re using the garage for storage or for hobbies, an uninsulated zone will be unpleasant to work in and might even allow damp to affect tools and materials. Is there a room above your garage? If so, that’s likely to get colder than the rest of the house if the space below it is constantly cold.

‘It is vital to not forget the garage,’ says David O’Mara, Marketing Manager at garage door specialist Hörmann UK. ‘More homeowners are using garages as a store or for additional living space, so an insulated garage door helps reduce home heat loss and keeps the temperature at a comfortable level.’

Read this guide to discover the ways to insulate your garage door, whether it’s difficult to do it yourself and how much it’s likely to cost.

Types of garage door insulation

There are several material options for adding garage door insulation. Remember, draught proofing around the edges is another crucial part of the job.

1. Use a reflective foil insulation

Rolls of reflective foil insulation are a good option for standard metal garage doors. They are readily available to buy in local DIY stores and easy to install yourself. Some are even specifically sold as garage door insulation rolls.

‘Reflective foil insulation allows for heat to remain in during colder months while blocking it out during warmer months,’ says Jo Behari, DIY expert and TV presenter. ‘Rolls or sheets of 5mm-thick insulation are the best. These can be cut easily with scissors, are lightweight and easy to fit using tape or glue.’ Some come with a self-adhesive backing for easy install.

• Do look for garage door insulation kits that include everything you need to do the job, you can pick these up from just £30 at Wickes.
• Do seal any overlapping edges to maintain thermal efficiency.
• Don't forget to thoroughly clean and dust your garage door, waiting for it to dry before fitting the insulation.

2. Apply rigid foam insulation

If a reflective foil insulation kit isn’t for you, then you can measure and cut rigid foam to fit to the inside of your garage door. There are various types of rigid foam available in different sizes and thicknesses. This type of material offers good thermal performance, so you can get the job done with relatively thin sheets.

• Do pay careful attention to the measurements when cutting the insulation for garage doors. Be exact to minimise cold spots and keep the door opening as it should.
• Do use foam boards that are thinner than the channels on the inside of your garage door, to make fitting the insulation easier. Try using a foam-safe adhesive or heavy-duty double-sided tape to attach the boards.
• Don't leave your garage or home exposed to fire risk by using an unsuitable foam board. Make sure the product you use is not flammable and is appropriately fire rated.

3. Try batt insulation

These rolls of insulation are soft and usually made from fibreglass or wool. Standard versions might not be the best option for your garage door. Some products, such as the type that you would wrap around ventilation ducts, are thinner and foil-faced. These could work for garage doors. They’re generally cheap to buy, too.

• Do look at how deep the batt is, as most are too thick to make them suitable for the average garage door.
• Don't put mineral wool straight onto a cold metal door and hope for the best. The wool could get damp and could cause condensation and mould.
• Don't use any old tape to secure the insulation – make sure it’s the right adhesive for the product. The manufacturer’s instructions should point you in the right direction.

4. Apply insulating tape to keep out draughts

It’s all very well having a well-insulated garage door, but if the edges of the door allow heat to escape and cold air to leak in, then you’re missing a trick.

‘You can get insulation tape that will allow you to cover over the edges of the garage door so draughts don't come in there,’ says Jo Behari. ‘If you have a large gap under the door you might want to invest in door brush strips that you can nail to the bottom.’

Weatherstrip seals may also be suitable for your garage door. Just be sure to choose versions that are suitable for the door type. For instance, brush excluders, from £6.99, Amazon or wraparound strip seals would work where a roller door meets the floor.

• Do draught proof along the sides, top and the bottom of the garage door to cut out air leakage.
• Don't buy the wrong product; check it’s appropriate for your garage door type, as otherwise you could affect the door’s operation.

5. Buy a replacement door

The best way to ensure your garage door has great thermal performance is to buy a new insulated unit that comes with a guarantee. There are no specific thermal standards that new garage doors need to meet, so look for products with impressive U-values (a measure of heat loss where lower numbers mean better efficiency).

‘Hörmann’s insulated sectional garage door is manufactured from a galvanised sheet steel double skin with a PU foam inset,’ says David from Hörmann UK. ‘The LPU67 design can achieve a U-value of 1.0 W/m²K and a sectional door also provides sealing on all four sides.’

• Do check that the garage door you are thinking of buying offers the level of thermal performance you want.
• Do understand what is included in the price. For instance, does the quote include the fitting cost?
• Don't be tempted to buy a cheap new door and insulate it yourself – for best results, invest in a new unit that offers good performance out of the box.

How much does garage door insulation cost?

If you’re going down the DIY route for installing garage door insulation, then the materials are affordable and readily available from DIY shops and online. ‘Depending on the size of the door, you can probably insulate a standard garage door for between £50-£100,’ says Jo Behari. ‘Insulating draught proof tape is normally around £10 for a 20m roll and brush strips cost around £10 for a pack.’

The price of new garage doors will vary hugely depending on style, material, size and details. ‘Insulated doors can range from £1,500-£9,000 (excluding VAT),’ says Ian Chubb from Deuren. It’s not cheap to buy a new insulated door, but it could be worth it as part of a wider renovation project, or if you want to get maximum efficiency from your garage door.

A key benefit of insulating a garage door in an attached garage is that you’re taking away a weak spot in your home’s thermal efficiency. So, factor in the savings this job could make on your utility bills.

Should I insulate my garage walls, floors and roof?

If you’re investing in upgrading your garage door then consider also insulating other parts of your garage. The level of comfort you want to achieve in your garage will come down to how you use the space.

Most homeowners use their garage for storage – and not necessarily for a car. Exposing the contents of your garage to extreme temperatures could damage them. More people are seeing the benefits of utilising the extra room a garage can offer – whether transforming into a home gym, workshop or other use.

An attached garage’s walls, floors and roof – as well as the through-door between home and garage – are unlikely to be insulated to the same level as those inside your house. So, these elements will also be impacting on your home’s thermal efficiency. Consider external wall insulation as an option.

If you’re thinking about turning your integral garage into a living space, then the thermal efficiency of the whole structure will certainly need looking at. Garage conversions don’t usually require planning permission, but always check with your local authority. Sometimes the local planners will stipulate that a garage door needs to stay in place even if you’re converting the space into a living area. In these cases, garage door insulation is a must.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

If you’re renovating or self-building, it's likely you'll be asking the question, 'what is the R Value for insulation?'. The answer is incredibly important.

When choosing what materials to insulate your home with, you need to consider the R Value. The R Value of each individual material is used to calculate the total U Value of a section of your home. By knowing the Values, you can then begin to understand how effective your home will be. This means being effective at preventing heat loss during the winter and keeping cool during the summer.

It's an essential factor to consider when you are thinking about ways to insulate your home and it ensures that the materials you are installing achieve the correct U Value required by Building Regulations.

What is the R Value for insulation and why is it important?

So, what is the R Value for insulation? Well, an R Value is a rating given to a material on its thermal conductivity (how well it resists the flow of heat) and its thickness. ‘When insulating a building, the higher the R Value, the better,' confirms Bradley Hirst, technical services manager at Knauf Insulation. 'This is because less heat will escape, which ultimately reduces utility bills.’

Fundamentally, the most important thing when it comes to renovating a home or self-building, is that you want it to be warm and comfortable. You therefore need to choose building materials that are going to enhance your experience in your property to ensure its structurally safe and strong, as well as can withstand all weather conditions.

‘Improving your home’s energy efficiency means it will maintain a steady indoor air temperature because the heat won’t be escaping through the roof and walls,' says Bradley. 'This has become even more important than ever before with the current energy bill crisis.'

‘Then there’s the bigger picture to think about, too. ‘By upgrading the insulation in your home, you will be doing your bit to reduce the UK’s carbon footprint (all while keeping your energy bills down).’

How do you know what R Value to choose?

To understand what R Value to choose, you first need to know what U Value is required for your home. A U Value is the theoretical performance of a wall, floor or ceiling, taking into account all the materials used in it.

‘Minimum standards are listed in Approved Document L of the Building Regulations,’ says Bradley from Knauf. ‘If you are building a new home or upgrading your existing home through an extension or refurbishment project, the build-ups must meet these minimum standards. If they don’t, you may find that Building Control will not sign off the project until it’s been put right,’ he says.

Once you know what U Value is required, you can then select insulation materials with the correct R Value. When added to the area of the home you’re calculating (for example, a brick wall), these will meet the required U Value.

How is the R Value measured?

It's not just about what is the R Value for insulation - you also need to know how it's measured. R Values are calculated by dividing the thickness of a material (in metres) by its thermal conductivity (k-value or lambda value (λ)). The R Value is measured in metres squared Kelvin per Watt (m2K/W).

For example, the thermal resistance of 220mm of solid brick wall (with thermal conductivity 1.2W/mK) is 0.18 m2K/W. If you were to insulate the 220mm solid brick wall, you simply find the R Value of the insulation and then add the two together.

If you insulated it with 80mm thick foil-faced polyisocyanurate (with thermal conductivity 0.022W/mK), the R Value for the insulation would be 0.08/0.022 = 3.64 m2K/W. You would have a total R Value for the insulated wall of 0.18 + 3.64 = 3.82 m2K/W.

What is the best R Value for the UK?

The R Value needed for a building area can vary depending on its location in the UK and the climate in those areas. Making a one-size-fits-all guide near impossible.

What’s more, it’s not simply a case of going out and buying the best insulation. There are many factors to consider when choosing the right product to insulate your home with including budget, the area that needs insulating and the space involved.

What are the best R Values for different parts of a building?

• External walls: Between R-13 and R-21. External wall insulation can vary with older builds, with solid stone exterior walls unable to contain any additional insulation unless it is added externally.
• Lofts & attics: Between R-30 and R-39. When it comes to roof and loft insulation, it stands to reason that the highest levels of insulation should be at the top of your build, where heat will rise and try to escape.
• Basement walls: Between R-11 and R-15. Basements are often cold and damp so insulation can combat the potential drop in temperature. However, heat loss is less significant in the lowest level of a house so less insulation is required.
• Floors: Between R-13 and R-30. This will help retain heat and keep the chill from underfoot.
• Ceilings: Between R-19 and R-38. Insulating your ceiling is vital to help maintain a stable inner temperature inside your home.

If in doubt, you should always seek advice from the architect designing your house project. Alternatively, a specialist installer can take all the different factors into consideration to work out what the appropriate insulation is for your home. Visit the National Insulation Association for a list of accredited installers and manufacturers in your area.

Getting your roof and loft insulation is right is a key part of keeping your home warm in winter.

Moreover, it's essential if you want to save energy at home. After all, the Energy Saving Trust reveals that without it, your home will lose 25% of its heat through the roof.

But what kind of loft insulation do you need, how much, and what's the best way to install it? I roped in the experts to answer all your burning loft insulation questions.

What kinds of loft and roof insulation can you get?

There are a variety of roof and loft insulation options you can choose from, all made from different materials, and the right choice for your home will depend on several different factors.

'Selecting the right type of insulation is critical, not only to ensure that the benefits of insulation are realised, but also to ensure that damage isn’t caused to the loft structure,' explains Tom Garrigan, Technical Director at the Building Services Research and Intelligence Association (BSRIA). 'The choice depends on how the loft is used, accessibility, and roof type. A competent, accredited installer should evaluate the property and recommend a material and method that meet the U-value requirement (a measure of thermal efficiency).'

Common types of roof and loft insulation include:

• Mineral wool or fibreglass rolls. This type of loft insulation is typically fitted between and across ceiling joints, and is quick to install.
• Blown insulation. Also known as loose or cellulose insulation, this is most suitable for for inaccessible lofts and should be installed by a professional rather than on a DIY basis.
• Rigid insulation boards. These are typically used for loft conversions or rafter-level insulation.
• Natural minerals. Materials such as sheep's wool or recycled fibre can be especially suitable for homes where sustainability is paramount.
• Spray foam insulation. 'Spray foam insulation must be installed by a certified professional and usually comes with a 25-year warranty and lasts the lifetime of the building,' says Thomas McQuoid, Operations Director at CosyInsulation.

'When choosing an insulation contractor, opt for one who offers a range of insulation types, not just one product, adds Thomas. 'This ensures you receive honest, tailored advice based on your property’s needs — not just the installer’s specialism.'

How much does loft insulation cost?

How much your loft insulation costs will depend on the size of your attic space, and the type of insulation you choose, plus whether you have to rectify any damage, such as water ingress, before it's installed.

But improving the insulation in your roof can do wonders for your home's energy efficiency, so it's definitely money well spent.

Thomas McQuoid says: 'For an average three-bedroom semi-detached home, typical costs are:

• Fibreglass (DIY): around £700
• Fibreglass (Professional): around £1,000
• Cellulose: around £1,100
• Spray Foam: around £1,400

Before you go ahead and budget to replace all of your existing insulation, get an assessment from an expert. It's possible that, if your existing loft insulation is in good condition, and you just don't have enough of it, you could lay new insulation on top of your old material to get the required result.

How much loft insulation do you need?

When it comes to how much loft insulation you need, it depends on how much you have already and whether it meets the requirements laid out in the building regulations.

'The amount of insulation needed depends on the U-value you’re aiming to achieve - this measures how well your home retains heat.,' explains Thomas from CosyInsulation.

'At ceiling level, UK Building Regulations typically recommend a U-value of 0.14 W/m²K. At rafter level, the target is usually 0.18 W/m²K.

'A professional insulation contractor can calculate the exact depth and material requirements for your property to ensure compliance and optimum performance.'

Having too much or too little insulation is a big loft insulation mistake so it's important to get it right.

Can you lay loft insulation yourself?

Technically it is possible to lay some types of roof and loft insulation yourself, but it is much more complex to do than it may seem, and you'll need suitable PPE gear to ensure you can do it safely, so it's usually a better idea to get a professional to do it for you.

After all, it can not only be hazardous to your health if you don't have adequate PPE, but it could cause more problems than it solves if you don't lay it correctly.

However, in the case of loose fill and spray foam insulation, you will always need a professional to install it on your behalf.

'Insulation should always be installed by a competent professional to ensure safety and performance,' explains Tom Garrigan. 'It is essential that the installation is continuous and maintains proper ventilation in the roof space to prevent any issues. Compression should be avoided to ensure the insulation remains effective, and it’s crucial that mechanical ventilation systems are not obstructed. Additionally, electrical and lighting systems need to be appropriately managed during installation. The specific method and layering depend on the type of insulation material and the structure of the loft.'

When it comes to where the insulation is installed, there are two options and the right one will depend on how you plan to use the space. 'You can insulate at ceiling level (on the attic floor above your ceilings) or at rafter level (in line with the roof pitch),' says Thomas McQuoid. 'Both have their advantages, depending on how you use your attic and the performance you want to achieve. Insulation at ceiling level is typically cheaper and easier to install, and is ideally used where attics are not used as living space. However, a major drawback with ceiling level insulation is that it does not protect the attic space from cold temperatures.

'Insulation along the rafters of the attic can turn the space into a perfect setting for a home office or hobby room. By creating an airtight building envelope, rafter level insulation dramatically improves energy efficiency and reduces draughts and condensation risks.'

How long will loft insulation last?

When it comes to how long your insulation will last, if installed correctly, using quality materials, it should have a lifespan of decades. Many forms come with a 25 years guarantee, but some can last much longer, even as long as your house is still standing!

But there are factors that can drastically shorten its lifespan, including pest infestation, exposure to water and compression.

What kind of maintenance does loft insulation need?

The good news is that once installed, you shouldn't have to do any maintenance on your insulation, and in fact, it's best if it's left alone. Messing with it could cause gaps which can let heat escape quickly or moisture to get in, which is definitely not what you want.

However, if you start to notice that your home is getting colder, you have inexplicably higher heating bills or you are worried you might have mice or birds in your loft, then it's worthwhile getting a professional to assess your loft insulation to make sure it's still in good order.

FAQs

Can I lay loft boards over insulation?

If you don't plan on using your loft as additional living space, then the loft makes prime storage space. But it's important you don't lay your belongings directly on the insulation. Not only could this cover your belongings in hazardous particles that can irritate your skin and respiratory system when you come into contact with them again, but it could also compact your insulation, which makes it less effective and shortens its lifespan.

If you want to board your loft so that you can safely store items in your loft, then you'll need to ensure the boards are raised off the insulation so as not to disturb or compress it. Loft legs or loft storage stilts can be picked up from B&Q, from £17.70 for a pack of 12.

As with any energy saving measure, it works best in tandem with other measures too. Take a look at some of the upgrades you can do to make your home warmer.

EDITOR’S NOTE: An earlier version of this article included a quote from a purported expert whose credentials we have not been able to verify. The quote has been removed. We regret this lapse in our verification process and have updated our internal protocols to reduce the risk of recurrence.

Insulating your loft, attic or flat roof is an effective way to reduce heat loss and reduce your heating bills. If the cost is prohibitive for you, there are loft insulation grants and freebies available. These are for households that qualify, to help cover the outlay. Around £3m measures were delivered through The Energy Company Obligations (ECO) grant by the end of December 2020.

Energy Savings Trust states that when installed correctly, loft insulation should pay for itself many times over in its 40-year lifetime. Unfortunately for some, the cost of insulating your home can prove too expensive, which is why the government created loft insulation grants to help those in need.

With ever increasing energy bills, now is a good time to look for ways to reduce your home’s energy consumption. One of the easiest and most cost-effective solutions is to install loft insulation.

According to Energy Saving Trust, installing 270mm loft insulation will cost around £395 for a detached house. However the benefits far outweigh the initial outlay, with a potential yearly saving of £380 off your energy bill.

What loft insulation grants are available in the UK?

Read on to find out what loft insulation grants are on offer and if you’re eligible.

1. The Energy Company Obligations (ECO scheme)

This was put in place by the government to help reduce England’s carbon emissions and tackle fuel poverty. It’s funded by individual energy suppliers who, if they have more than 150,000 customers, are required by the government to promote the installation of measures that lead to financial savings on energy bills. This includes the installation of insulation and/or a boiler replacement.

Bear in mind that the number and type of measures each supplier will install is down to each individual supplier. To find out which energy companies are currently part of the scheme, visit the Ofgem website.

It’s likely that you will qualify for these loft insulation grants if you own your own home (or have permission from your landlord) AND you currently claim the Warm Home Discount and are in the ‘core group’. You also qualify if you or someone living at the property receives benefits such as child benefit, universal credit or pension credit.

For a full list of qualifying benefits visit Ofgem. Alternatively, if you are living in social housing with an EPC rating of E, F or G, you may also be eligible for the scheme.

• How to apply You have to apply for the ECO loft insulation grants via your home energy supplier and each company’s process is different. But as an example, British Gas customers can register their interest on the company’s website. One of its trusted partners (who is TrustMark registered) will contact you to assess your criteria and whether your home is suitable. They will also advise on any financial contribution you may have to make, as you may not be offered the full 100 per cent of the cost of installation. If you decide to go ahead, all arrangements are made directly with the installer. Any financial contribution is paid direct to your installer.

2. The NEST scheme

The Welsh government provides free advice and support to help people improve the energy efficiency of their home, which can include a package of free home improvements such as a replacing a boiler, central heating or insulation.

You could be eligible for free energy efficiency improvements if you meet all three conditions below:

• Ownership or privately renting (not from a local authority or housing association)
• Your home is energy inefficient and expensive to heat
• You or someone you live with receives a means tested benefit. OR has a chronic respiratory, circulatory or mental health condition and an income below the defined thresholds.

• How to apply To find out what means tested benefits qualify and what the health eligibility criteria is, visit NEST. To apply, call 0808 808 2244 or request a call back via an online form. A Nest advisor will ask you some questions to see if you and your property qualify for free home energy efficiency improvements. If you qualify, they will arrange for a Nest assessor to visit to see what energy efficiency improvements they can offer.

3. Warmer Homes Scotland scheme

Much like England’s ECO, this loft insulation grant is designed to help people make their homes warmer and more comfortable by installing a range of energy-saving improvements that save money on your utility bills. In most cases all costs will be met by the Scottish Government, although sometimes a customer contribution is required.

• How to apply There’s a plethora of criteria that you need to meet to qualify. These include being the homeowner or the tenants of a private-sector landlord. You need to have lived there for at least 12 months and the house can’t be bigger than 230m2. You also need to receive certain benefits. For a full list of requirements, visit Home Energy Scotland. You can apply for the grant by calling 0808 808 2282 or using the online contact form. You’ll be offered a survey of your property and a referral to the managing agent Warmworks Scotland.

Are there any specialist loft insulation grants for pensioners?

The ECO, Nest and Warmer Homes Scotland schemes all offer loft insulation grants to those who receive a pension credit. But you still need to check with your energy supplier for the ECO, and Nest and Warmer Homes Scotland direct, as each will have its own set of criteria you have to meet.

There are many benefits to having cavity wall insulation (CWI) in your home. According to the Energy Saving Trust, uninsulated walls account for almost a third of the heat lost from a home. That means fitting cavity wall insulation is a great chance to slash your energy bills and save energy at home. It’s also one of the most cost-effective and long-lasting upgrades you can make.

Modern masonry homes are built using cavity walls, which typically feature an inner blockwork wall, a cavity and an outer wall of brick or rendered blockwork. The gap in between the layers is filled with energy-saving insulation to Building Regulations standards.

Older houses might have cavity walls but no insulation, resulting in a colder property and not as energy efficient as it could be. Thankfully, existing cavity walls can be filled with insulation without needing to be rebuilt.

'Most of a home’s energy is used in space heating and if you don’t have good structural fabric all you do is lose heat through walls,' says Simon Storer, Chief Executive at the Insulation Manufacturers Association.

'Most properties built after 1920 have a cavity wall – and most after 1990 will have insulation in it. Houses built before 1920 usually have a single skin brick wall, meaning there’s no cavity to be filled, so these types of homes can only be treated with external or internal wall insulation.'

What are the benefits of cavity wall insulation?

Well-insulated external walls help to create an efficient building envelope. This means less heat escapes from inside your home. Your central heating system won’t have to work as hard to achieve comfortable temperatures, saving energy and money on utility bills, and reducing your carbon footprint.

With fuel costs on the rise, now is a good time to invest in cavity wall insulation. You might not see the same pound-for-pound reduction in energy bills as you once would have, but you will be using less energy – so you’ll be protecting yourself against upcoming energy price hikes.

Upgrading insulation is the foundation for creating a more energy efficient house. This is known as a fabric first approach. 'It’s very important to make the insulation in your home as good as it can be,' says Simon from The Insulation Manufacturers Association. 'Invest in making the building fabric efficient before spending lots of money on high tech solutions like solar panels and heat pumps.'

Consider engaging an independent energy assessor to help you develop a short and long-term plan for improving your whole property’s energy efficiency. 'You’ll get the best benefits if cavity wall insulation is part of a wider plan for the whole property to reach the best energy efficiency possible,' says Nigel Donohue, CEO at the Insulation Assurance Authority.

What types of cavity wall insulation are there?

These are the best materials for insulating your home...

1. Blown mineral wool insulation

Mineral wool can be blown into a property’s cavity walls to form an energy efficient insulating layer. On the cavity wall insulation cost front it's on the lower end and offers good performance. The cavities need to be clean and free from obstruction, otherwise the insulation may get caught and prevent a full fill.

2. Polystyrene bead insulation

This method involves blowing small balls of expanding polystyrene insulation (EPS) into existing cavity walls through small holes. Beads are quick to install, high performing and don’t absorb moisture. 'One advantage of beads is that a long nozzle can be used that shoots the insulation into hard-to-reach areas,' says Ed Andrews, Commercial Director at cavity wall insulation supplier InstaGroup.

3. Injected foam insulation

Polyurethane (PU) foam can be pumped into a cavity wall, where it will solidify and form a thick, water-repellent insulating barrier with impressive thermal performance. This option isn’t as commonplace, and the Insulation Assurance Authority (IAA) doesn’t cover it under its guarantee scheme. There are situations where it makes sense, however, for instance if a property is in a flood risk area or has uneven cavities

4. Cavity insulation for new walls

Sheets of insulation are fitted straight into the cavity as new brick and block walls are built. Semi-rigid batts or slabs of mineral wool or rigid PIR boards are the most popular options, available in different thicknesses to achieve the desired performance level. Partial fill solutions leave a 25mm-50mm gap between the cavity and external wall to reduce the chance of moisture tracking into the home.

Who supplies cavity wall insulation?

Retrofitting cavity wall insulation is not a DIY job; and badly fitted CWI by a cowboy builder could cost you a serious amount of money to fix. It’s important to employ a qualified installer using an approved insulating system to prevent cavity wall problems from emerging.

Look for a company that’s a member of the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) or National Insulation Association (NIA). Check out their websites for lists of registered installers in your region.

Going through a professional body means you’ll benefit from someone else checking that the installer meets the membership standards. Make sure your installation is covered with a 25-year CIGA guarantee, which will protect you if you experience problems with your insulation.

For new homes and extensions, your contractor will typically source insulation for you through their preferred builder’s merchant.

Tips for installing cavity wall insulation

1. Work out your wall type

It can be tricky to tell if your home has cavity walls, but there are clues to look for. Cavity wall bricks tend to be laid in an even pattern with only the long edge exposed, whereas solid walls often have a mixed pattern of long and short brick ends. The thickness of the wall is another indicator – cavity walls are normally over 260mm thick, whereas single skin walls are narrower. More modern homes may already be insulated. Having a professional look inside the wall (see point 4) may be the only way to confirm what you’re working with.

2. Ensure the walls are in good repair

Walls need to be in a good condition to have insulation fitted, otherwise all the benefits will be lost. Defects like cracked render, missing pointing, leaky gutters or damp patches inside can all impact on efficiency and may lead to damage if left unresolved. Get these fixed first before upgrading the insulation – some CWI installers will do this work for you.

3. Are you in a flood risk or coastal area?

If you’re in a flood risk zone or somewhere exposed to driving rain, such as by the sea, then your home might not be suitable for cavity wall insulation. A reputable professional will be able to let you know what insulation method is best for your home.

4. Check inside the cavity

A good installer should survey your walls before any work is done. They will assess the overall condition and look inside the cavity using a borescope to check for issues. For instance, any rubble or existing material would need to be cleaned out before new insulation is fitted. This process will establish which type of insulation is going to be best for your home.

5. Fit the insulation

Your specialist installer will drill holes into the outside of the wall and feed the insulation into the cavity, taking care to ensure every nook and cranny is filled. Once complete, the holes are filled up. The installation should only take a couple of hours, so there’s minimal disruption to your daily life. If required, any extra ventilation should now be installed.

What maintenance is required for cavity wall insulation?

CWI is a fit-and-forget option, so you won’t need to maintain the insulation itself. Improving ventilation and staying on top of general property upkeep will ensure your energy efficient home continues to perform as expected.

Installing cavity wall insulation will help keep heat inside your home and reduce energy usage. But warm air carries more moisture, which can lead to damp and mould, so extra ventilation might need to be fitted as part of the upgrade. Some installers offer this as part of their service. Simple lifestyle changes can help manage humidity, too, such as opening windows when cooking, drying clothes outside where possible etc.

'With this level of insulation, you need appropriate ventilation,' says Nigel from the Insulation Assurance Authority. 'And having cavity wall insulation doesn’t mean that you can just turn your heating off. Problems with condensation and mould can happen when a home isn’t heated.'

Faults in your home’s structural fabric could expose your cavity walls to excess moisture and lead to problems with dampness coming through walls. So, keep on top of regular home maintenance. Your checklist will be similar to the pre-installation assessment: look for wall cracks, broken window seals, leaking gutters etc, and make sure vents aren’t blocked.

If your property shows symptoms of damp that you think are caused by cavity wall insulation, this is where that professional-backed guarantee becomes important. Contact the company that did the job, arrange for them to assess your home and complete any remedial work needed. If they don’t help or they’ve gone bust, you’ll have your CIGA guarantee to fall back on. Install dehumidifiers where needed.

How does cavity wall insulation affect my EPC rating?

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provides information about a property’s energy use. EPC ratings show how much heating, hot water and lighting is likely to cost per year, as well as probable carbon dioxide emissions. Every home built, sold or rented must have an EPC, which rates the house from band A (most efficient) through to G (inefficient).

The certificate also indicates potential improvements that could be done to your home, including how much the work might cost and the estimated future savings on energy bills. Adding insulation is a common EPC-recommended solution, as a more energy efficient envelope equals lower heating demand.

Upgrading your cavity walls with insulation will have a positive impact on your EPC rating, and could even raise an uninsulated house up by an entire band. But the government’s stated target is for existing homes to achieve a C rating by 2035; and CWI isn’t likely to achieve this on its own. A whole house approach to improving a property’s energy performance – also taking in elements such as floor and roof insulation, windows, heating systems etc – is the best way to maximise its potential efficiency.

Do new builds come with cavity wall insulation as standard?

Every newly built house – whether it’s constructed with cavity walls or another method – must meet or exceed the Building Regulations for energy efficiency under Approved Document L.

'The Regulations are all being updated in 2022, making them more demanding. In addition, they will set targets for expected carbon emissions and overall energy demand from homes,' says Matthew Evans, Head of Technical GB at Kingspan Insulation. 'To achieve these, the external walls on most new properties will need to be insulated to a higher standard than the minimum U-value targets.'

Because cavity walling is a site-based trade, the efficiency of the finished home relies on good practice during construction. So it’s crucial to find experienced, trustworthy builders and trades with proven track records of delivering what they’ve promised.

There are two main approaches to insulating a new cavity wall: partial fill and full fill. Both offer a choice of rigid foam and mineral wool-based insulations. The key difference is that partial fill cavity wall insulation retains an air gap (usually 50mm) between the insulation and the outer brick or block leaf. The gap provides better protection against water ingress, but it’s not suitable for every project and some builders prefer full fill because there’s less chance of things falling into the space.

Should I add cavity wall insulation to my extension? And which is best?

Most extensions are built with cavity walling. Under the Building Regulations, they must be insulated to modern standards. Rigid foam boards and mineral wool batts are your main options, and the best choice will depend on your project goals. If you want best performance in the thinnest wall profile, for instance, rigid foam can deliver that – albeit at a slightly higher price.

You could technically build a new, thermally efficient extension onto an existing house and leave it at that. You’ll be missing a trick, though, especially if you’re creating a lovely new open-plan space that flows into the old house, like a kitchen-diner. This would leave you with a mostly leaky house that doesn’t maximise the performance benefits of the new addition.

So, minimise disruption and take the opportunity to upgrade thermal efficiency elsewhere in the house while you’ve got the builders on site – whether that’s with retrofit cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, floor insulation or a combination of all three.

What if you could save more than £100 every year with very little effort? The Energy Saving Trust has worked out that insulating your loft could save you at least £140 if you live in a mid-terrace house and up to £250 if you live in a detached house - as well as significantly reducing your carbon footprint.

In an uninsulated home, about 25% of the heat is lost through the roof, so installing loft insulation could change your life and reduce your bills dramatically. And it's not just a matter of staying warm in winter. In summer, more heat comes in through an uninsulated roof, making your home uncomfortably hot - or adding to your air conditioning bills.

You can add insulation in different ways:

Insulation blankets
Loft insulation blankets, often referred to as 'quilts', can be straightforward to fit. Lay the quilts over the entire area, but make sure there are no gaps or holes in the layering.

Blown insulation
Blown insulation must be installed by a professional. It will typically take just a few hours and may use specialist equipment that blows loose, fire-retardant insulation material into the loft.

Roof insulation
If you want to use your loft for living space, you could look at insulating the roof instead. This is usually done by insulating between the roof rafters using rigid insulation boards.

Flat roof insulation
Flat roofs must be insulated from above, to avoid condensation problems. The job involves laying boarding backed with insulation material either on top of or under the waterproof layer, so it's best done when you are renewing your roof 's waterproof covering.

Click here to see if you are eligible for free loft or cavity wall insulation

For more energy saving ideas visit British Gas

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If you could get a crack team together to work on a project to build your own home, surely Kevin McCloud would be right at the top of the list. As the face of Channel 4's flagship homes programme Grand Designs he has seen the very best and worst home builds, witnessing the financial struggles and personal sacrifice that goes into creating these incredible feats of architecture. We caught up with the presenter and property developer to get his dos and don'ts for big building projects.

Do you have any advice for someone about to start a house renovation?

The same rules apply whether you’re building a house from scratch or putting in a bathroom. PLAN! Draw, design, sketch, create samples and do your research! The more effort you put into the planning stages, the better the outcome. Preparing and researching costs almost nothing and you can arrange a rough-and-ready model of the real thing very quickly. This stage is invaluable, because, if you don’t do it properly, you’ll decide you want to repaint the bathroom or realise that you can’t open the shower door because the loo’s in the way.

When is the best time of year to start building?

Late spring. If you’re building from scratch, you need to get into the ground to build the foundations. The ground is where it can all go wrong, so early May is perfect and just pray it won’t be too wet.

What is the most common mistake that people make?

Not getting the ratio right between planning and building. Most people want to jump straight in with the building and therefore, rush the planning.

The other great mistake that we all make is that we are not very good at asking for help. We are all far too optimistic and think that we are capable of doing things ourselves, without the help of designers or architects. It takes someone strong to admit that they’re not very good at something or aren’t an expert in a field.

Would you ever project manage your own home?

Nope. There are no pros. People do it because they haven’t got enough money. Management of a project is not satisfying; it actually removes you from the hands-on aspect, because you end up managing other people. Buildings are complicated machines, made out of thousands of parts from numerous of suppliers, fitted together in hundreds of different ways. It’s a really tough job. I would always advise somebody to spend a large chunk of their budget, no matter how small, on a project manager.

You have a strong environmental trend running through your work, do you have any simple tips for people who want to live a more sustainable life?

It’s been scientifically proven that men love to spend money on gadgets. Most people think, “I’m going to go green! I’ll buy myself some solar panels.” It’s all good stuff, but if we’re not careful we’ll end up using more resources by buying new equipment, which won’t help the consumption problem. Rather than buying a flash new heat pump, it’s more efficient to spend a tenth of the cost on good quality insulation or double-glazing. Putting money into the bones of the building is probably the most valuable difference we can make.

I remember when Obama was trying to promote the use of insulation in buildings, someone said to him, "It’s not very sexy is it?" and he said: "No, it’s extremely sexy! Would you rather go to bed with a hot water bottle and 15 blankets or in a beautiful negligee between satin sheets?" I couldn’t agree more.

You love craftsmanship and authenticity in a home – can this be achieved on a budget?

Of course it can. For a lot of my career, I haven’t had much money so I’ve had to make do with odds and ends and learn how to rebuild, plumb, do my own carpentry etc. These making and doing skills are invaluable; if I had it my way, children at school would be taught how to darn a sock. It’s much cheaper to buy a bit of old junk that needs repairing than commissioning or buying an expensive designer product. You won’t spend much, but you’ll get something that lasts a lifetime.

You are often focused on the exterior of houses, is this more important than the interior for you?

Really! I reckon I spend more time inside buildings than I do outside. I think we tend to judge iconic buildings, such as The Shard, with our eyes, so we approach buildings with a skewed perception because we rarely go inside them. Actually, it’s the experience of buildings and their surroundings that is the really powerful thing. I keep trying to bang on about that in Grand Designs – to appreciate the whole ‘experience’ of a place, taking into account the exterior and interior. That’s what it’s about and where the energy of a building lies.

Visit www.GrandDesignsLive.co.uk for tickets & more information about Grand Designs Live.

Catch Kevin at Grand Designs Live 29th April – 7th May 2017 at London ExCel.