How Much Can Insulation Save You on Energy Bills?

Insulation is a great method for improving a property’s energy efficiency. But as important as this is…people still want to know how much they will save by introducing it to their homes…

This article explains how each type of insulation can help you to save money on your energy bill every year. 

What Types of Insulation are Available?…and How Much Money Can They Save You?

Different types of insulation can have varying effects on how much you can save. The less heat escaping from your home – the less you pay overall to generate that heat!

Cavity Wall 

For cavity walls – specialist installers will inject insulation from the outside wall to fill the gap between the inside and outside of your home. 

The amount of money you can save will vary depending on the type of home you live in. For example, if you own a detached house, it can cost approximately £4600 to install cavity wall insulation. However, you could eventually see a yearly saving of £455 on your energy bill. A mid-terraced home could cost £1500 to insulate yet make £155 of annual savings. Both of these examples show that having cavity wall insulation is a worthwhile investment that can recoup over 10% in savings every year!

The graph below shows annual estimates of the amount in pounds that you could save on a variety of different housing types: 

Solid Wall

Most older homes built before 1990 have solid walls. You can also usually see this  from the exterior bricks being laid out in an alternating pattern. 

Solid wall insulation is far more expensive than its cheaper cavity counterpart. With this method, installation can be carried out internally for an estimated £8,500 (semi-detached) or externally for £12,000. If you opt for the external insulation, you may have to acquire permission. This is because there will be a change to the outside appearance of your property.

Though it costs considerably more to install, it’s estimated that a semi detached house could save £360 on energy bills with solid wall insulation.

Loft Insulation 

A considerable amount of heat escapes through the roof. Insulating a loft can be an easy process but this also depends on the type of roof and the room you are insulating. Whether it be a flat roof, a room inside the roof, or just standard loft insulation – the correct steps should be taken to ensure the process is carried out correctly. 

A detached home with an uninsulated loft will cost just over £1000 to install the correct depth of 270mm of roll insulation. This will save at least £400 annually on energy bills. 

You could install this type of insulation yourself. However, variables such as pre-existing dampness and poor ventilation could create further problems. If you’re unsure if any of these conditions could affect your property, its always a good idea to call on a professional to do the work for you. 

What Help Is Available?

You can see which energy-saving grants may be available to you through the Energy Advice Helpline website. Here it lists all the recent government grants such as the ECO4 scheme; what they include and the help that you could receive. You can also quickly check which grant may be available to you by answering a series of questions tailored to your personal situation.