Why Insulate?
To keep your home warm, all the heat which escapes from it has to be replaced by heat being put in. Therefore the the harder it is for heat to escape, the less heating a house will require.
Insulation is the term used to describe the installation of some form of barrier to reduce the rate at which heat can escape through walls, windows and roof, and also the rate at which heat escapes through the gaps and holes around doors, windows and plumbing work.
Heat loss from your home| Area | % loss |
|---|
| Walls | 35 |
| Roof | 25 |
| Floor | 15 |
| Draughts | 15 |
| Windows | 10 |
Cavity wall insulation
The above table shows that 35% of an uninsulated home's heat is lost through its walls. Installing cavity wall insulation will reduce the need for heating, thus saving energy and money and reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
The most convenient way of installing cavity wall insulation is to drill a series of holes in the outside wall and inject insulation material into the cavity between the inner and outer walls.
Loft insulation
The above table shows that 25% of an uninsulated home's heat is lost through the roof. Pitched roofs are easier and cheaper to insulate than flat roofs because they usually have a space between the ceiling and the roof, the loft, where insulation can be placed. The most common material used is mineral fibre quilt, which is sold in rolls and should be laid to a standard thickness of 250mm.
Installing Insulation
If would like to find out if you can have cavity wall and/or loft insulation installed, please contact Newcastle Warm Zone on phone: 0191 2777373. Newcastle Warm Zone offers free or discounted insulation to Newcastle's residents and is the only scheme endorsed by Newcastle City Council.
Solid wall insulation
Properties built before 1920 will generally have solid walls, which can be installed either externally or internally. Further information on solid wall insulation can be found on the Energy Saving Trust website.