Loft insulation, why bother?
because you'd be a fool not to!
With energy costs rising by up to 40% and the availability of loft insulation grants for everyone, there has never been a better time to get your home insulated.
The average sized household could save up to £205 per year, which even with the minimum 50% loft insulation grant would mean that you would save money within approximately 1 year of getting the loft insulation fitted. Find out what level of loft insulation grant you are entitled to.
Plus, by getting your loft adequately insulated, you can help to reduce the irreversible effects that we're having on the environment, because loft insulation helps to reduce your home's carbon footprint.
Over half the homes in the UK are not adequately insulated
The UK has the oldest housing stock in the developed world with 8.5 million properties over 60 years old. Even if you have some insulation in your loft already, unless your property was built after April 2006, it's unlikely that you have got enough (i.e. 270mm) and it may also be damaged or have lost its thermal value.
Loft Lagger provides FREE loft insulation surveys to check the depth and condition of any current loft insulation. There are grants available for full installations as well as 'topping up' any existing insulation.
Loft insulation advantages
The recommended level of loft insulation helps to:
- reduce gas & electricity bills
- reduce your home's carbon footprint
- keep your house warmer in winter
- keep your house cooler in summer
- prevent internal condensation
- improve your home's energy efficiency rating
- reduce noise from outside (e.g. traffic)
- Plus, it's FREE (or at least 50% off)
Less obvious benefits of loft insulation
There are other potential benefits of getting your loft insulation up to the recommended level which you may not have considered.
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) - you may be aware that all properties that are put onto the market for sale or rent now require an EPC, which shows how energy efficient a property is. Having loft insulation installed to the recommended level can vastly improve your property's energy rating, which could make the difference between selling / renting your property and it staying on the market (because with rising energy costs any new occupier will want to know that their money isn't just going straight through the roof).
It is also widely speculated that a property's energy rating will be used to determine future council tax bills - just like how the road tax for a car is partly based on the emissions it produces. So getting your loft properly insulated now could also potentially reduce your council tax bills in the future!
Grants for renewable energy sources - there are a number of grant schemes currently available to help homeowners to install renewable energy sources, such as solar panels or wind turbines. These grants are also likely to be increased in the near future because of the Government's desire to reduce the CO2 emissions that the UK produces.
However, in order to qualify for these grants you must first ensure that your home is adequately insulated (including loft insulation), because there is little point in generating energy that is simply going to escape through the roof!
How loft insulation works
Loft insulation acts as a blanket, trapping heat rising from the house below. Insulation is simply laid over the floor of the loft, between and then over the joists if they are visible.
It's not just a winter thing!
Just like how Thermos Flasks can keep drinks hot or cold, loft insulation can also help to keep your home cooler in the summer, as well as warmer in the winter.
On hot sunny days your loft insulation will act as a barrier preventing the heat from your roof entering into your bedrooms, meaning cooler rooms and a better night's sleep!
How the savings add up
If you currently have no loft insulation and we install the recommended 270mm depth, you could save around £205 per year on your heating bills and around 1 tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year.
Even if you have some insulation in your loft already, topping it up to the recommended 270mm depth will still give you substantial cost and CO2 savings.
The following table gives approximate costs, savings and paybacks for loft insulation
|
Loft insulation (0 - 270mm) | Loft insulation (50 - 270mm) |
| Annual saving per year | £205 | £60 |
| Installed cost | £199 | £199 |
| Installed payback | 1 year | 3 ½ years |
| CO2 savings per year | 1 tonne | 300kg |
| Figures provided by the Energy Saving Trust | ||
If everyone in the UK topped up their loft insulation to 270mm, over £700m would be saved each year. That's enough money to pay the annual fuel bills of around 550,000 families.
So what are you waiting for?
arrange a FREE loft insulation survey today
We offer a free loft insulation survey which checks the depth and condition of any current insulation. If not up to scratch, our specialist team of loft insulation installers can ensure that your loft is properly insulated and advise on available grants. Arrange your FREE loft insulation survey today.
