Cavity Walls
Most homes built after the 1920s are constructed using cavity walls, which are two layers of bricks, or in some cases concrete blocks, with a small area or cavity gap between. The reason for having a cavity gap is to minimise damp issues in the home by preventing rain water passing from the outer wall into the inner wall. However, if your home has unfilled cavities, it can let up to 35% of heat escape from your home. Cavity wall insulation is one of the most popular and effective energy saving home improvements presently available in the UK.
Cavity Wall Insulation
If your house was built in the last 10 years, it is likely to have had insulation fitted in the cavity area as standard. However, there are approximately 40% of homes in the UK with cavity walls which do not have cavity wall insulation. If your property does not have cavity wall insulation, it is possible to have it installed. Cavity wall insulation works by drilling holes in the outer wall and injecting insulation through these holes so that the space between the two layers of concrete or brick are filled. The insulation used can be made of mineral wool, foam or polystyrene beads. Cavity wall insulation is a highly effective way of improving energy efficiency in your home, and it is proposed to be included under the terms of the Green Deal.
What is the Green Deal?
The Green Deal is a new Government initiative which aims to help homeowners make energy efficient improvements to their homes without having to use money from their own savings, or paying upfront. The Green Deal aims to give homeowners access to finance to make these improvements. The scheme is planned to be launched in October 2012, and will be accessible to the majority of households. The golden rule of the Green Deal is that any energy efficient measure should provide savings equal or greater than the cost of the energy device. On average, cavity wall insulation costs between £100 and £350 to install, and can provide savings of £135 per year, so will meet these requirements.
How is this Paid Back?
If you have your insulation fitted through the Green Deal scheme, your payments will be made through your utility bill. The repayments will never be more than the savings made on your heating bill. So, if the cavity wall insulation saves £11 per month on your bills, your repayments will be less than this amount.
How can I Apply for the Green Deal?
The Green Deal will be launched later this year. If you are interested in having cavity wall insulation, it is worth waiting for the Green Deal to be launched so that you can benefit from this scheme. Your home will need to be examined by an accredited assessor, and if they feel that cavity wall insulation is appropriate for your property and will help minimise your heating bills, they will be able to recommend this for your home improvement measure.