One great thing about going green is that it can often save you green too! This helpful guide to cavity wall insulation will give you a few ideas about how to save money on heating. There are two ways you can do this; turn down the heating or insulate the house. Turning down the heat is a great idea but usually this only helps with a few degrees before we lose comfort. Insulating the house is an important option either way because you don’t want to be wasting heat and money. Many energy companies even install cavity wall insulation for less than you’d pay a builder. Insulation is all about sealing the air flow between the outside and inside. This will actually save you money year round! It will also help keep your thermostat from working so hard to maintain the temperature you have set.
Some are put off by the as the high initial cost of cavity wall insulation. However the savings received on your energy bills can actually allow you to make back this money within 4 years. Furthermore, insulation adds the property’s value, so you can get the money back on selling the house.
What is cavity wall insulation?
Modern house walls are built with a space in between the inside and outside layers of brick and drywall. This is known as the cavity. This cavity is made to trap warm air as it tries to escape the house; however this space alone is not enough to sufficiently keep the place warm. Cavity wall insulation is the name given to the foam or glass fibre wool that is fitted into the cavity. This insulation helps to more effectively trap air and prevent it from escaping. This helps keep the house warmer or cooler by insulating the inside temperature from the outside temperature.
Do I have cavity wall insulation?
Most homes in the last 100 years have been built with cavity walls; however older build houses have solid brick walls with no space between for added insulation. Check the brick pattern on the outside of your house using the below images as a guide to determine whether you have cavity walls.
Image taken from the npower blog.
You may have to get in touch with the builders of your house (or your landlord if you are renting) to learn if you have insulation within the wall cavity.
If you have dry wall, there is a cavity the question is just whether or not there is good insulation in the cavity. Most exterior walls are built with it but many interior walls may not have it and attic and basements spaces may be lacking insulation as well.
How does cavity wall insulation work?
Walls can be fitted with glass fibre wool when the house is built. The other method is a foam substitute which can be pumped into the cavity retrospectively. Both materials offer good insulation that helps trap heat and prevents it from escaping outside the house.
How can cavity wall insulation reduce your energy bill?
Considering that around a third of heating lost from a home is through the walls, the benefit of getting cavity wall insulation is huge and can save you a ton of money over the winter. Your house will be warmer than ever and your energy bills will be cut down as a result of the reduced level of heating you’ll need to use. The environment will also be better off as a result of the reduction in CO2 production.
Combine these savings with the energy savings you can receive from other methods, such as having an energy efficient boiler, thicker curtains, double-glazing or even draught excluders. You may also enjoy reading about other ways to make your home more energy efficient.
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Christy Garrett @ Uplifting Families says
I know that our builder did a great job at insulating our house. I am thankful and our energy bill is decent for the size of house that we own. Our house is almost 6 years old.
Jennifer Sullivan says
I could witness a reduction in the utility bill ever since I got the drywall insulation done at my home. We had a severe issue with the pests too, and surprisingly, they vanished after I got this done.
Sarah says
Very informative blog, I am soon to be moving into a new house and one thing they keep on telling me is about cavity wall insulation and I have no idea what it is. Thanks!