A brief guide to home insulation

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Home insulation is something that you should never skimp on. Whether you are restoring, building or extending a house, this is the area that in the long run, if you do it properly now, will save you the most cash.

Obviously it is easier to install effective home insulation during the building process. However it is also possible to effectively retrofit existing houses with insulation materials in attic and ceiling spaces and suspending floor.

The more effective the insulation is, the less heat will be lost from heaters around the home, this will reduce the energy you need thus saving you money and reducing the associated greenhouse gas emissions.

Two different types of standard insulation exist although there are lots of variations and options to choose from. Most of the time though, types either fall into the reflecting heat category or the absorbing heat category.

The type of insulation that stops heat escaping can be made from a large variety of different products, some of which materials are recycled or recyclable. This is a good way to be even more eco friendly! This type of insulation traps air and prevent the flow of heat through the outside walls of the house and between floors.

Reflective insulation works by reflecting some of the heat radiation that falls onto it, as the name suggests.

It is also worth making a note of the fact that many houses that were built after the 1920�s were built with two layers of outside walls with a small gap or cavity in the middle. If this gap is not filled with insulation materials then your home will be less energy efficient. A much larger amount of heat will escape through the walls and your house will be much more prone to indoor condensation on the walls and ceilings. Also in summer, your house will heat up significantly in accordance with the amount of heat it receives from the sun causing it to build up inside your home. Cavity wall insulation can pay for itself in only 4 years and financial help may be available if you want to make energy saving improvements to your home.

The Government, local authorities and energy suppliers all offer grants to help you put into practice energy saving measures in your home. If you can�t make improvements for free then you may at least receive help with any costs.

It is thought that if all of the houses in the United Kingdom with unfilled cavity walls had them filled with insulation, the energy saved as a result would be the equivalent of the heating for one million homes each year.

These are not the only measures you can take to ensure you have an energy saving, money saving and eco-friendly home. Installing large windows on the Northern side of the house encourages warmth when the sun shines but make sure that they are double glazed. Ensure all the other windows in your house, including your roof or loft, are also double glazed. Under floor heating and heat sink materials such as brick and concrete are also excellent ways to ensure that your home is more energy efficient and makes use of effective insulation.