Myths about Home Insulation You Probably Believe
Most of us have electric boilers in our homes. Naturally, we are worried about how much we are spending on our energy bills. Home insulation is a big topic at the moment because the government has been trying to convince UK households to insulate their wall and loft spaces. In some cases, they have even subsidised home insulation. There are many myths surrounding home insulation, though. In this article, we are going to look at some of these myths. You can also click here to find out more.
Wall Insulation Causes Damp : For the vast majority of homes, this is false. Cavity wall insulation is more likely to solve the problem of damp, especially damp caused as a direct result of condensation. If the walls become warmer due to insulation, it is less likely you will have to deal with condensation, and subsequently damp. There are exceptions to this. The big exception is homes on the coast. Homes that are exposed to constant rainfall will benefit from having an empty cavity. If there are cracks in the outer wall, an empty cavity will also be a benefit. For most of us, though, cavity wall insulation will help reduce the chances of experiencing damp.
You Can't Insulate Older Homes : Many older homes do not have wall cavities. This does not mean you cannot use wall insulation, though. For a start, you can put the insulation on the outside or the inside of the home. You can even change the wall to install a cavity. There is currently a scheme called the Energy Company Obligation that helps homes without the means to install wall cavity insulation and other forms of insulation.
Old Junk Provides Effective Loft Insulation : Some people believe they can retain the heat pumped out by their electric heating boiler by having a lot of rubbish sitting in their loft. This is a myth. Possessions do not act as a good layer of insulation. In fact, having many items sitting in your loft on top of your insulation is a bad idea all round.
Loft insulation works by trapping tiny pockets of air. If you have something heavy sitting on top, this air is going to be squeezed out, thus reducing the effectiveness of the insulation.
Double-Glazing is the most Cost-Effective Way of Trapping Heat : Although double-glazing is far more effective at retaining heat than single glazing, most heat is not lost through the windows. Experts predict only about 10% of heat is lost through the windows. The rest of it is lost through the walls and the roof. You would be better off investing in loft and wall cavity insulation if you want to see a significant drop in your heating bills.
The same principle applies to the less common triple glazing. Unless you have a gap between the window frame and the wall that is creating a draught, you will not be losing a lot of heat through your windows anyway.
See what insulation options are open to you, so you can make the right decision when it comes to where you invest your money.
