Insulate your home this winter

As the cold weather begins to creep in, make sure your home is insulated to keep the heat in and cold out.  

By insulating your home, you can save money on your energy bills this winter as an uninsulated home can lose up to 60% of its energy through its walls and roof space!

Draught-proof your home 

A cold draught sneaking its way into your house through a door, letterbox or window can very easily ruin your chances of escaping the cold outdoor weather.  

Here are a few ways you can avoid draughts coming in through the problem areas of your home: 

Skirting Boards 

Gaps in between the floorboards and skirting can be filled in with flexible sealant. Simply squeeze sealant between the floorboards and skirting in a smooth, continuous motion. If the gaps are above 5mm, pin a strip of quadrant-shaped moulding over them. 

External Doors 

Ensure that your front door only has a 2mm-3mm gap at the top and sides and a 5mm gap at the bottom. Self-adhesive foam can be used to seal around the door frame. 

Using a draught excluder can reduce cold air from making its way through the bottom of doors, these strips have either a rubber seal or a row of nylon bristles that act as a barrier, they must overlap the door frame in order to be effective. 

Insulating your floor 

If you’re about to put down some new flooring, make sure you insulate at the same time! Insulation can be placed underneath the floorboards, between the floor joists. You’ll feel the benefits for years to come and will recoup the cost through your energy bills lowering. 

Insulate under your floorboards by: 

1. Lift up the boards with a thin bladed chisel and club hammer. Lever them up, working your way up the board to prise away all of the nail fixings. 

2. To avoid the insulation dropping between the joists, either staple some garden netting between them or nail lengths of roofing batten along the side of each joist. 

3. Lay down rolls of insulation between the joists. 

4. Once you have covered the whole floor, re-lay the floorboards. Be sure to replace any damaged sections and nail them down firmly to avoid any movement or squeaking. 

5. Make sure you don’t leave any big gaps between the boards. 

Insulate your loft ready for the winter

Insulating your loft is a great way to be energy smart and save some money on your energy bills. It is a relatively simple DIY job that doesn’t require any special skills.  

Safety Tip! Make sure that your loft is safe to work in before you begin! Use crawl boards to avoid causing any damage to the ceiling below. Lay any electrical wiring over the top of the insulation. It is recommended to wear a dust mask, goggles and protective gloves throughout this job. 

What will you need? 

• Insulation Material 

• Protective Gloves 

• Tape Measure 

• Craft Knife 

• Knee Pads 

• Lighting 

• FFP3 Mask 

How much insulation will you need? 

The minimum recommended thickness is 270mm, this could help you cut energy costs by up to 15%! In order to work out exactly how much you would need, follow the simple steps below.  

Depth 

• Measure the depth of your current insulation 

• Subtract your current depth of insulation from the recommended 270mm to find out how much you will need to buy. 

Top Tip! You may need more than one layer to achieve this. 

Area of your loft 

• Measure the size of your loft. Total area required = Length X Width. 

Joist gap 

• Ensure that your insulation is level with the joists but don’t squash it down.  The majority of joist gaps are between 400mm & 600mm wide. Measure the distance between your joists to figure out what type of roll you will need. 

How to fit loft insulation 

• Clear out your loft. 

• Use crawl boards and start at the furthest away corner. 

• Unroll the first length so it sits between the joists or sits on top of the existing insulation. If there is already existing insulation there, place the newer material across the joists to the minimum depth of 270mm.  

• Press down your insulation, but don’t compress it as this will make it less effective. 

• When you finish one roll, butt the end together with that of a new roll, ensuring no gaps. 

• When you reach the end of the wall, cut the material with a craft knife or utility knife. 

• We also recommend insulating your loft hatch as heat can escape from that. Cut a piece of insulation material to the size of your hatch and secure to the back of it.