Five excellent ways to keep your home warm

In the winter it’s very important to ensure your home is adequately insulated, in order to save a wealth of money on energy bills. Insulation comes in many shapes and sizes and is available at varying prices depending on your budget.

Preparing your home for the colder months is vital in raising the energy efficiency of your home and there are five key areas you can make savings.

Loft Insulation

Heat naturally rises and as a result, a lot of warmth can be lost through an uninsulated loft. Lofts can lose a whopping 25% of heat in your home and in order to change this, it’s necessary to have 270mm thick lagging in place.

There are different types of loft lagging available to choose from, with wool remaining a firm favourite. It retains heat and absorbs moisture, keeping your bills down and reducing condensation too. It’s also fire resistant whilst being an eco-friendly option.

Cavity Wall Insulation

If your home was built post 1920s then you’re bound to have cavity walls. This means your property is much easier to insulate than older homes and won’t actually set you back too much either.

Cavity walls are insulated with foam which is injected in the space between the inner and outer wall. With this insulation in place you can make savings up to 15% annually on your bills.

Double Glazing

Double glazing is a superb insulator and also provides your home with a number of other benefits too. Rather than just one pane of glass, double glazing instead has two. They’re separated with an energy efficient spacer which works to stop heat escaping your home and locks it inside.

As well as this energy efficient benefit, double glazing also reduces condensation and soundproofs your home too. You can also enjoy much better security with multipoint locking mechanisms.

Floor insulation

Floor insulation is one of those you probably haven’t heard a lot about, but considering it can save you 15% on bills every year, it’s certainly worthwhile. Floor insulation works by installing mineral wall between the joists, which ultimately keeps more heat in the room.

Another option is underfloor heating, which is much more efficient than radiators and storage heaters. Wires or piping are installed under the floor and the heat is allowed to rise naturally into the room.

Pipe Insulation

Last but not least of the insulation options at your disposal is pipe insulation and boiler jackets. You can purchase these from your local DIY store and even install yourself. Invest in a jacket to wrap round your boiler or hot water cylinder and foam piping for the pipes. This prevents heat being lost from your water system and ensures the water is hotter for longer.