Loft insulation is a simple and cost-effective method of keeping your home comfortable and energy bills lower throughout the year. Here are the signs that suggest your loft could do with some additional insulation, and advice on how to get loft insulation grant support.
Many homeowners disregard their loft space when it comes to home improvements because they do not consider them as contributing to heat loss. Besides, it’s probably the room in our house in which we spend the least time!
It’s not always easy to tell if there’s something incorrect or missing, regarding the way your loft is set up. Residential Energy Services specialise in assisting homeowners with identifying potential improvement areas and securing loft insulation grant support to help reduce the cost of running your home.
Loft insulation grants can make your home energy efficient at no cost to you, as well as reduce heating bills going forward. For now, here are some of the ways your loft might be in need of some attention.
1. You are paying more than usual on energy bills
There are two clear financial indicators that you may be paying too much for energy, a cost which can be reduced by loft insulation. If you’re paying too much for heating in the winter and cooling in the summer, you’re probably dealing with an overly high transfer of heat between the indoors and outdoors.
This makes it harder to control the temperature, putting more pressure on boilers and air-conditioning units to keep you comfortable. With loft insulation installed, it helps to control the temperature within the house as heat rises upwards, most of which escapes your home through the roof.
2. Drafts
An overall feeling of draftiness in select areas of the home could also be a sign that surrounding areas are not well insulated enough. The loft could very well be one of those.
Drafts are caused by air escaping into rooms it is not wanted, making your home uncomfortable all year round, especially in the UK. Loft insulation fills those gaps above, significantly reducing the threat of drafts in the rooms below.
3. Inconsistent temperature in rooms
Do you ever find there is one particular room in your home that always seems to be colder than the others? Rather than a lack of loft insulation, this could be a sign of inadequate loft insulation, in which particular patches within the loft space are not adequately treated.
This results in an inconsistent level of control over the heat circulating in your house. This is why it is so important to look to trusted installers to install loft insulation correctly.
4. Struggles with seasonal allergies
Anyone with seasonal allergies, particularly in the summer when the pollen count is high, will tell you how frustrating it can be. The last place you want seasonal allergies to flare up and make you uncomfortable is in your own home.
The lack of insulation in your home can increase airflow from the outside during the summer months, leaving you vulnerable to allergic reactions, even within the confines of your property. Adding loft insulation reduces airflow and controls the environment within, shielding you from the outside elements.
5. Signs of water damage
If there are any damp patches, cracks or signs of water damage around the ceilings and walls on the top floor of your property, look for signs of damage to your loft insulation.
Unfortunately, if loft insulation is water damaged, it must be completely replaced. It must stay dry in order for it to effectively do its job of trapping heat and preventing it from escaping. Water damage within the loft can also lead to a great deal more costly structural problems.
6. A few too many birds on the roof
Have a look at the rooftops of the homes on your street; you’ll often find a rooftop or two where the local birds enjoy taking up residence. This could be a sign of a lack of loft insulation.
Heat travels upwards and escapes through the roof space; a lack of insulation, therefore, creates a warm environment for birds to get comfortable. This is particularly common in the cooler months of the year.
Free loft insulation grants are available
We specialise in identifying requirements for better energy efficiency measures at home. Loft insulation schemes like the Great British Insulation Scheme and the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) are there to help address fuel poverty in the homes that need it most. Energy efficiency improvements include loft insulation, solid wall insulation and cavity wall insulation, depending on scheme and availability.
Check your eligibility for these schemes, before buying loft insulation.
You could be just a few steps away from free loft insulation and a safer, more comfortable home.