Home energy savings - cavity wall insulation
31 October 2008
The cost of heating our houses is on the climb but luckily you may be aware that the government has made it cheaper and in some cases free to improve the energy efficiency of our homes. In fact the only thing likely to stop you from getting it is the large queue of people already waiting to make big savings on their household heating bills.
One of the first things that meets the eye when visiting the government grants website is a message rather bemusedly informing you that installers are struggling to meet the huge public demand for their services. All in all this is a very positive sign even if the reasons for this demand originate from something more negative like the economic slump. Eco-friendly services are likely to continue rising in popularity if there are significant saving to be made. I have just had cavity wall insulation installed in my house and without sounding like a salesman, already have I begun to notice the difference in temperature, and the central heating switch hasn’t been flicked on once.
Ok so energy efficiency is big at the moment so let us have a look at what’s on offer. Home insulation comes in many forms covering floors, walls, roofs, windows and pipes. The ones which the government announced new subsidies for recently was cavity wall and loft insulation. This is insulation designed for houses which were built in the 1920s and have a gap between the two layers of exterior wall. This gap can be filled with composite foam that can reduce heating bills by around £160 a year.
New government grants which came into effect this year entitle those homeowners and those renting privately who are on state benefit or tax credits a 100% discount on cavity wall insulation. This 100% discount also applies to those over the age of 70 or those with primary pension income. For everybody else, grants can be obtained from 45-70% regardless of income. In the future we will probably see the government encouraging and rewarding us for eco-friendly behaviour so keep your ear to the ground because there savings to be made!
For information on home insulation services and eligibility for grants
Ring the Energy Saving Trust for free on 0800 512 012
visit the website at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Or contact WEEAC (Warwickshire Energy Efficiency Advice Centre)
0800 988 2881, www.weeac.org