Insulating Your Home
The main types of insulation, which homes they suit, and what to check before work starts.
Insulation is usually the most cost-effective way to cut heat loss. It makes a home more comfortable, lowers bills and improves its EPC rating, and it helps any heating system work better.
Types of insulation
- Loft insulation: mineral wool, blown fibre or rigid boards laid between and over the joists
- Cavity wall insulation: fills the gap between the inner and outer leaves of a cavity wall
- Solid wall insulation: fitted inside or outside walls in older homes without a cavity
- Floor insulation: particularly useful under suspended timber floors
- Natural materials: sheep’s wool, wood fibre, hemp and cellulose
Before you start
Insulation changes how moisture moves through a building. Older, solid-walled and listed homes in particular may need breathable materials and good ventilation to avoid condensation and damp. Ask installers how they will deal with ventilation.
Spray foam insulation under roofs can cause problems with mortgage lenders and surveys when you come to sell, so take advice before choosing it.
Choosing an installer
Look for TrustMark registration and, for cavity wall insulation, a guarantee from an independent body such as CIGA. Work funded by government schemes is normally carried out to the PAS 2035 retrofit standard.
Please noteThis guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and schemes change, so confirm the current position on GOV.UK or with a qualified professional before making a decision.
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