Insist on insulation for your home

A WELL-insulated home is without question the most important thing to remember when it comes to ensuring your home is protected from the elements and if you haven’t already insulated in time to face the harsh weather – autumn is the time to do so. Many high-tech options are now available when it comes to insulating homes that range from a simple DIY approach like internal insulation, to more complex methods of external insulation. If your home suffers from heat loss, then you need to seriously consider your options.

First off, the cost of heating a home has increased in recent years with the price of oil and solid fuel, it seems, only going upwards. If you have an open fire or range you’ ll most probably be familiar with the saying ‘only smoke and not heat should exit your home’.

What can I do? There are many factors that come into play regarding insulation. For example, windows can be a prime culprit when it comes to escaping heat and you will need to check that they close properly and are not allowing cold air into your home. You might also need to re-seal older windows with silicone to prevent this.

Other options include blanket insulation which is easy as fiberglass or wool comes in convenient rolls that you simply insert between floorboards. A tip here is to cut the fiberglass correctly so as it fits snugly around pipes and wires remembering not to leave any gaps that only allow heat to escape. Many older homes will already have had blanket fiberglass installed but more and more people are now re-insulating their homes. An option in your attic is to use foam boards that fit concertina-like between roof timbers. This not only prevent heat escaping outward, but also reduces the impact of cold penetrating the outer roof into your home.

External insulation has become very popular in recent years but you will need a professional installer to do this job. Options here include filling the cavity wall space with foam that helps reduce external cold. Also a slightly more expensive option is to completely re-surface the outer walls of your home and this works particularly well if your home is semi-detached. So remember, it’s never too late to start insulating your home. You won’t just retain heat, you’ll also save money.