There are many ways in which you can insulate your own home. Some of these can be done yourself, whilst others may require a professional depending on your DIY skills. If you want to reduce the amount of money you spend on bills as well as limiting the energy that you use as a home, then here is a mini guide to insulating your home.
Eliminating Draughts
The more you can eliminate draughts from your home the less cold air can blow in and cause you to remain cold despite the heating being on. Draughts can come from anywhere and so it is best to draught-proof everything that you can. Windows can easily be made draught-proof with strips that can be put around the window. You should also invest in double glazing if you haven’t already. Doors can be made draught-proof with letterbox flaps and a draught excluder. The same stripping for your windows can be used on doors too. If you have a chimney these can also be fitted with a draught excluder. Any gaps within your floor boards can be filled in with a flexible filler, if you have an old home this may require a little more work.
Hot Water and Pipes
You can insulate your hot water pipes to make sure that your hot water gets to you as hot as possible, meaning less money can be spent on water each year. You can also purchase a special jacket for your hot water tank to prevent heat loss through this. You can purchase foam insulation from most DIY stores and this is relatively cheap and easy to fit.
Loft, Wall and Floor Insulation
Your loft is one of the worst places to lose energy as heat rises. The more insulated your loft, the more heat will stay in your home and so the less money you will need to spend on heating bills. When insulating your loft, you need to make sure that you cover everywhere; this includes between the floor boards and beneath them. If you use your loft for storing items, you can also use a more rigid form of insulation. Expanding foams offer great insulating qualities too, whether you use this to insulate your loft, walls or floors. If you own an old house it may be that your wall insulation isn’t the best. Modern houses should have good insulation so there is no need to insulate them. There are guides on how to insulate each kind of wall, whether this be a cavity wall or a solid wall, so it is worth finding out what type of walls you have in your home. When insulating you also need to ensure you follow any building regulations. If you are unsure of these check out the government website for guidance.
Insulating your home may cost more to begin with but over time it could save you a lot of money and increase the value of your home.