There is nothing new about getting home insulation, nor about the importance of acquiring the ideal type of insulation for your property. However, in recent months and years there has been an increased drive by the UK government to help homeowners and leaseholders get access in the form of vouchers, to property insulation and various schemes to assist with doing so (source: Homesun).
There are many well-established reasons as to why you should consider getting both insulation for your home as well as additional features which will assist in the insulation of your property altogether. Common reasons for insulating one’s home include:
- Better energy efficiency
- Better heat retention through the colder months
- Sound proofing
- Reduced bills
- Increasing your property’s resale value
The type of insulation and precisely how you go about getting and fitting it will depend on a number of factors including the type of property in question, where your property is located (for example near the sea or in an urban city centre) and the resources at your disposal.
If you are a tenant in a property that you do not own, you will be less able to implement measures to improve the insulation of your property. You may however, be able to speak to your landlord or leaseholder to point them in the direction of government schemes and other ways in which to insulate the property.
Common Ways to Insulate Properties
Although there is no ‘perfect’ way in which to insulate a property, there are various well-established ways in which you can go about insulating and improving the status of a property which include:
- Double Glazing – Many properties in the UK have double glazing which is a tried and tested way in which to specifically insulate the doors and windows (which often cause a great deal of leakage) of the property
- Cavity Wall Insulation – Some properties have a cavity wall, which is a wall that has a gap [the ‘cavity’] between the interior and exterior walls of the property. filling this cavity with insulation can make a huge difference to the insulation of the property, stopping cold air entering and warm air leaking out via the cavity
- Loft and Basement Insulation – For those with a basement, it can be a huge source of heat loss, not being properly insulated. For most properties however, the loft, or loft room(s) will often allow a great deal of heat to escape through the roof and as heat rises, this can be one of the largest sources of air leakage for properties
- Use Draft Excluders – A cheaper alternative and one that is certainly one for tenants who cannot make any significant changes to their property. draft excluders, fitted to doors and windows can have a dramatically positive effect on stopping air leakage from properties and will also reduce drafts around your property, making for a more comfortable living environment too
- Check Your EPC – An EPC, or energy performance certificate is a document that in short, will detail the property’s energy efficiency. It may also allow you to understand where and how to improve the property in questions to ensure better insulation
