Insulating your home

[Mike]

Hi all

What do people think of this type of offer ?

http://www.house.co.uk/cgi-bin/house...strType=INLINE

Thanks

Mike

[Rob]

The government is starting to get proactive on energy use. I'm not sure if they are actually giving the energy companies grants to help reduce the costs of installation, or just forcing the companies to do this cheaper.

For a number of years local authorities were able to get energy efficiency grants to improve their housing stock. Special cases, usually low income households in the private sector might alos have been able to get grants. Now it looks like the money is going to get into private housing as a whole. That makes sense.

In the future, when the new house selling legislation recently passed by government comes into force, probably 2007, sellers will have to provide an information pack on their property for any potential purchaser. That will include a condition survey, and the condition survey will highlight the expected energy use. It's not only going to save heating bills, is also green, and will improve saleability.

As for the British Gas costs, they are probably quite reasonable, but check they apply to your size of house. Also do they apply where you also have some level of insulation, but want to upgrade?

Oh and if they are laying 200mm thick (the current standard) insulation in the roofspace over the ceilings, you wont be able to use the roofspace again for storage. Moreover, you need to ensure ventilation is provided to the loft, especially if you have felt linings beneath the tiles, otherwise there is a risk of condensation damage.

Wall insulation is cheap and easy to do, but only of use to detached householders. If you are a semi, terrace, or flat, you need to have everyone willing to do it, as there will probably not be barriers in the cavity at junctions between one dwelling and the next (should be to stop spread of fire, but there rarely are. Property built pre war, may not be cavity construction. Property built 1970s or later probably already has some level of wall insulation.

[STONEISLAND]

British Gas Rocks

[zoombini]

Our local organisations are always trying to push insulating offers.
The power companies are doing good deals to insulate your house.

The linked one looks quite high, B&Q do insulation cheaper than I the local builders yards, it may even be cheaper to do it yourself that way.

If getting a power co to quote, I heard that they are even better grants if you have none at all in the loft ;-)

[Ramrod]

Originally Posted by Mike

Hi all

What do people think of this type of offer ?

http://www.house.co.uk/cgi-bin/house...strType=INLINE

Thanks

Mike

Offer looks good, just make sure they do a good job...

The energy companies are forced by the government to spend money on reducing emmisions. (ie insulation) and they do this via grants. Seems a bit silly as they are bieng forced to cut their own throats!

In my experience you can insulate your loft for half the price they are offering it to you via a contractor if you do it yourself

[Mike]

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

The government is starting to get proactive on energy use. I'm not sure if they are actually giving the energy companies grants to help reduce the costs of installation, or just forcing the companies to do this cheaper.

For a number of years local authorities were able to get energy efficiency grants to improve their housing stock. Special cases, usually low income households in the private sector might alos have been able to get grants. Now it looks like the money is going to get into private housing as a whole. That makes sense.

In the future, when the new house selling legislation recently passed by government comes into force, probably 2007, sellers will have to provide an information pack on their property for any potential purchaser. That will include a condition survey, and the condition survey will highlight the expected energy use. It's not only going to save heating bills, is also green, and will improve saleability.

As for the British Gas costs, they are probably quite reasonable, but check they apply to your size of house. Also do they apply where you also have some level of insulation, but want to upgrade?

Oh and if they are laying 200mm thick (the current standard) insulation in the roofspace over the ceilings, you wont be able to use the roofspace again for storage. Moreover, you need to ensure ventilation is provided to the loft, especially if you have felt linings beneath the tiles, otherwise there is a risk of condensation damage.

Wall insulation is cheap and easy to do, but only of use to detached householders. If you are a semi, terrace, or flat, you need to have everyone willing to do it, as there will probably not be barriers in the cavity at junctions between one dwelling and the next (should be to stop spread of fire, but there rarely are. Property built pre war, may not be cavity construction. Property built 1970s or later probably already has some level of wall insulation.

House in about 20 years old and is a 4 bedroom detached so I guess it has wall insualtion.............so really it just upgrading what is already in the loft. Basis on all the comments I might as well just nip down the local DIY and roll it over what's already there. We will not be using the space for storage so 10 ft it is then

Originally Posted by Mike

What do people think of this type of offer ?

http://www.house.co.uk/cgi-bin/house...strType=INLINE

Make enquiries through your local council or the Energy Advice centre http://www.energy-advice.co.uk/ and see what deals are available.

British Gas always claim to be offering a great deal, but then it often turns out to be more expensive, eg that "Price Protection" offer is offering you a fixed price on energy, but most pundits are of the opinion that prices will *fall* over the next two years, so this is the energy equivalent of tying yourself into a high fixed-rate mortgage deal for two years.

Yes, you'll know how much you're paying, but that is probably *too much*!

[Rob]

Originally Posted by Mike

House in about 20 years old and is a 4 bedroom detached so I guess it has wall insualtion.............so really it just upgrading what is already in the loft. Basis on all the comments I might as well just nip down the local DIY and roll it over what's already there. We will not be using the space for storage so 10 ft it is then

If laying DIY (and it's a job that easily can be), I do strongly recommend a dust mask, and thick pair of gloves.

[altis]

Check this out for grants and useful advice:

http://www.est.org.uk/

[zoombini]

Search around for the insulation too.
I paid £19 for it at a builders yard only to find i at £12 at B&Q.
Actually laying it is a pice of cake, all you need is a long knife (I.E. bread knife) to cut it & it's simple to lay.

Strip down & wear one of the disposable suits, dust mask, hat, rubber gloves etc. have a shower afterwards.

If you want to be able to store things up there afterwards, think about shelving etc before you lay it, so you can put supports etc in place & then insulate underneath.

Depending upon the size of yur loft, it could cost around £70 to do yourself. Far less than the utility companies charge AND you still get to save on your bills.

[goldoni]

I have seen quite a few homes where they had one of the insulating companies do the work for them. They just lay new insulation across the ceiling joists so it’s hard to gain access to the F&E tanks that sometimes are the far end of the loft.

Just a few don’ts if you are thinking of doing it yourself.

Don’t forget your DHW F&E tank needs lagging as well along with the small heating F&E and all the pipe work (that’s if you have any in your loft)

Don’t lag the area just under these tanks.

Don’t block the air ventilation (the area above the eves)

[Mike]

Originally Posted by goldoni

I have seen quite a few homes where they had one of the insulating companies do the work for them. They just lay new insulation across the ceiling joists so it’s hard to gain access to the F&E tanks that sometimes are the far end of the loft.

Just a few don’ts if you are thinking of doing it yourself.

Don’t forget your DHW F&E tank needs lagging as well along with the small heating F&E and all the pipe work (that’s if you have any in your loft)

Don’t lag the area just under these tanks.

Don’t block the air ventilation (the area above the eves)

DHW & FE tank ??? also why not under these tamks ?
__________________

Originally Posted by zoombini

Search around for the insulation too.
I paid £19 for it at a builders yard only to find i at £12 at B&Q.
Actually laying it is a pice of cake, all you need is a long knife (I.E. bread knife) to cut it & it's simple to lay.

Strip down & wear one of the disposable suits, dust mask, hat, rubber gloves etc. have a shower afterwards.

If you want to be able to store things up there afterwards, think about shelving etc before you lay it, so you can put supports etc in place & then insulate underneath.

Depending upon the size of yur loft, it could cost around £70 to do yourself. Far less than the utility companies charge AND you still get to save on your bills.

What did you use.............rock wool rolls ?

[Rob]

Rockwool rolls, are probably the easiest to handle, but glass fibre is very similar, but a tad more irritating to the skin, hence recommendations for glove.

It is common practice not to insulate under the tanks, simply to allow them to get a little warmth from the house. Reduces risks of freezing, and more importantly condensation on the ooutside of the tank. That condenstation would drip, and eventually stain ceilings below.

[Mike]

Originally Posted by MovedGoalPosts

Rockwool rolls, are probably the easiest to handle, but glass fibre is very similar, but a tad more irritating to the skin, hence recommendations for glove.

It is common practice not to insulate under the tanks, simply to allow them to get a little warmth from the house. Reduces risks of freezing, and more importantly condensation on the ooutside of the tank. That condenstation would drip, and eventually stain ceilings below.

My local Wickes quotes for Volcanic Mineral Wool ...is that the irritating glass fibre stuff ?