how energy efficient is your home?
- Insulating your house is a great way of cutting down heat loss
- For example, filling in the cavity in your walls is probably the single best thing you can do to save you hundreds of pounds in fuel bills, the average saving is £70-100 a year
- This will also help to reduce energy wastage and the production of climate changing gases like carbon dioxide
It is now possible to build a perfectly good and affordable house which uses 90% less energy for heating than the average house.
Tips for a good indoor climate include:
- Insulate well,
- Avoid thermal bridges,
- Keep the materials dry, prevent leaks and keep the moisture membranes intact. Moisture contents below 15% in building materials prevent growth for many moulds and fungi.
- Noise is best absorbed by materials with open structure surfaces, such as textile curtains
- Ensure good light and light reflection
Because around half of heat loss in a typical home is through the walls and loft, it's worth checking whether yours are insulated. Insulating your cavity walls and loft can significantly reduce your utility bills, especially when combined with draught proofing, tank and pipe insulation and double glazing.
