How to insulate yourself from energy bills that are going through the roof
Britain’s old homes are leaking – and costing us a lot of money. As gas and electricity prices go up this weekend, there’s a renewed focus oninsulating our homes to prevent heat loss and avoid spending needlessly on energy. But where can most consumers start in order to take control of spiralling bills?
The UK’s housing stock is the oldest and least energy-efficient in Europe – more than half of it was built before 1965. And 20% before 1919. As a result, many homes are poorly insulated, and owners are paying a premium for their energy that could be avoided if measures were taken to stop heat escaping.
Will Hodson, who founded the Look After My Bills switching site, last week launched a campaign to highlight the need for insulation at a time when switching provider is not enough to save consumers from rising prices. Almost 15 million homes in the UK need loft or cavity wall insulation, he says.
“Our old homes are part of our cultural heritage. But retrofitting them, and upgrading them, should be a part of our future,” he says. “We should all look at insulating our homes as being as natural a process as feathering one’s nest. Energy prices have never been higher, and it’s a fact that the savings associated with energy efficiency investments have never been higher, either.”
Hodson advises homeowners to first look at the EPC (energy performance certificate) rating of their home, which gives a guide as to how energy efficient a property is when it comes to things such as flooring, lighting, the roof, walls and piping. It recommends what measures could be taken to make the property more efficient, from draughtproofing to external wall insulation.
However, the EPC applies to typical households and may not be tailored to how you use
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