Insulation Key to Home Energy Efficiency

Cavity wall insulation is a key measure to improve a home's energy efficiency, helping to cut carbon emissions from the property.

The walls of a property lose more heat than anywhere else which is why this type of insulation is seen as a critical energy saving measure.

However, not all properties are amenable to cavity wall insulation. For a start, there must be at least 50mm air present between two blocks of bricks on the external wall, namely the existence of a cavity, as opposed to solid walls.

It is relatively simple to find out if you possess cavity walls by looking at areas, such as doorways, where you can see the wall's thickness. Solid walls will be less thick than cavity walls, with cavity walls often being about 30cm compared to an average of 23 for solid walls. However, there are plenty of builders locally who will be able to provide this information if you are uncertain.

Because of the intrinsic merits of cavity wall insulation in conserving energy use, the UK government offers their home owners grants to cover part or all of the cost of having their walls insulated.

And, the same country will soon be launching a Green Deal initiative in a bid to cut domestic carbon emissions, which will offer finance plans offset against future energy savings to encourage home owners to update their homes with energy saving measures – cavity wall insulations being central to these updates.

The process of the insulations itself involves filling the space between the walls with a material that will help to stop the air passing through the external outer wall.

The technique for filling the spaces is usually drilling holes in the outer wool, then blowing the materials used to fill the space, glass wool for example,into the space.

The benefits are clear, with less energy being lost through the walls, home owners energy bills will be cheaper, while the individual home owner will also be doing their bid to reduce their carbon footprint by cutting their carbon emissions.

In many countries in the west, residential dwellings collectively often contribute to above 20% of carbon emissions for that country, illustrating the importance of home energy efficiencies and not just focusing on carbon emitters such as airlines.

The key to take up of cavity wall insulationis its affordability, hence the aforementioned grants offered by some governments. And, it needs to be factored in the long term savings it provides with incremental savings being made on every subsequent energy bill.