Insulating your home can save you money on your energy bills by lowering the amount of energy it takes to heat or cool your home. One question we’re often asked is how soon you are likely to see a financial benefit after installing insulation (e.g. loft or cavity wall insulation).
Below is a breakdown of the different types of insulation you can get for your home and how much you can expect to save each year on your energy bill. Although we’ve listed savings as annual figures, you can expect an immediate saving on your energy bill after installation if you are using a pay-as-you-go or smart meter. This is because you will be using less energy, and it’s worth noting that savings are cumulative each time energy prices increase.
Note: all costs and savings are estimates and are based upon a semi-detached home in the UK.
1) Loft Insulation
Loft insulation involves placing sheets of insulation in your loft to stop heat from rising and escaping. It’s usually installed to a thickness of 270mm and can be one of the cheapest forms of insulation if you have a typical loft that hasn’t been converted into an extra room.
In addition to being one of the cheapest forms of insulation, it can also offer one of the quickest returns. For example, a semi-detached home that requires £300-worth of 270mm insulation can expect to save £130 a year on their energy bill.
2) Cavity Wall Insulation
The vast majority of homes built since the 1920s in the UK have had space, or cavity, between external walls. Cavity wall insulation fills this space to reflect heat back into your home in the winter and reflect heat from outside in the summer to keep your house cool.
There are many different forms of cavity wall insulation, as you can see below. But the most important information you can know is how much it typically costs and the expected saving on your energy bill:
- The average cost for a semi-detached house: £475
- Expected saving: £145
Types of cavity wall insulation:
- Blown Mineral Fibre: strands of fibreglass or mineral wool that is blown in with compressed air
- Polystyrene Beads/Granules: small beads that are blown into the cavity of walls
- Urea Formaldehyde Foam: foam that expands after being injected into cavities
Regardless of the above methods mentioned, all of them are approved for use on UK homes and a competent installer will make sure the correct solution is applied.
3) Draught Proofing
Small draughts coming into your home from unwanted gaps or holes will not save you an eye-watering amount of money, but every little helps. If you were to spend around £200 on draught-proofing, you could expect an approximate saving of £20 per year on your energy bill. Furthermore, if you have open chimneys that are unused, closing each one could save you an extra £15 per year.
4) Solid Wall Insulation
More often referred to as external or internal wall insulation, it is for homes that do not have walls with cavities. It is the most expensive form of insulation on this list as it involves adding an extra layer to your wall. Costs can vary from £7,500 to £13,000 on a standard semi-detached home, but it has other benefits too.
If you were to opt for external wall insulation, the process involves cladding your home. This can give an old house a refreshing new look as tired paintwork or brickwork is covered up. The average saving energy bills is typically around £245 as a result of this work.
Undocumented Savings
In addition to saving on your energy bill, you can often expect the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of your home to increase. We’ve written an article on how much more your house could be worth if you improve your EPC rating.