Cavity wall insulation and loft insulation
In October 2010 there were 26.5 million homes in the UK of which 23.2 million have lofts and 18.6 million have cavity walls. But only 12.6 million homes had a minimum level of 125mm of loft insulation. And only 10.5 million homes had cavity wall insulation. (insulation)
Approximately half the heat loss from a standard house is through the walls and the loft. Heat naturally rises so the upper floor(s) trap the heat from the ground floor.
Draught proofing is an important and relatively easy way to save heat from being lost from the house.
There are minimum standards for loft insulation which are legally binding.
Cavity wall insulation, again minimum standards apply, will save heat from escaping and keep the energy bills lower. Of course solid walls cannot be insulated in the same way but there are some options that can be considered.
Minimum insulation requirement
The minimum amount of loft insulation required in a UK house is specified within building regulation by law. This is 200mm (8 inches) of an approved insulation material. This can be purchased in rolls of mineral fibre or fibreglass matting. Other materials can be used but this would usually be done by professional people.
Cavity wall insulation can save around 30% per year from heating bills.
Carbon Emissions Reduction Target 2008-2011 initiative
The three year CERT scheme is a government initiative to household energy usage over three years unyil March 2011. A range of energy saving measures, with subsidies to make the scheme more attractive to private householders, encouraged the installation of energy saving measures such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and energy efficient electrical lighting and appliances. (CERT)
(insulation) home insulation levels
(cert) carbon reduction target 2008-2011 initiative