Poor wall and ceiling insulation could be causing unacceptable levels of heat loss from your home. With today’s high energy prices, this could be having a major impact on your home energy bills.
Typical Areas / Percentages of heat loss in your home
Ceilings 30-35%
Walls 18-25%
Windows 21-31%
Floors 12-14%
Draughts 6-9%
There are a number of reasons that your home can be ‘under-insulated’ e.g:
- Occasionally, a house may not have been sufficiently insulated when it was first built.
- The older your home, the more likely your level of insulation will be inadequate, especially if it was insulated prior to current minimum Building Code Standards (October 2008)
- The thermal resistance & effectiveness of ceiling insulation will significantly reduce over a period of 15-20 years as it ‘settles & thins’
Do any of the following situations sound familiar?
- Your energy bills seems very high for the number of people in your home
- You avoid heating your home because its too expensive.
- If you use a heater in a room, it isn’t very effective
- You have noticed problems with dampness and condensation
- You have mould developing on walls and in cupboards
- You seem to be catching more colds and flu than the average person, particularly during Autumn / Winter
If the highest level of heat loss is typically through the ceiling, what are the signs of an under-insulated ceiling or roof space?
- The existing insulation is uneven – thin in areas & other places, especially the corners, piling up.
- The wooden joists / rafters are exposed, with the level of insulation being lower that the joists.
- Look at your ceiling inside your living space – are there any dirty lines forming ? (When hot air rises & is able to escape through the ceiling due to poor insulation, dust particles gather – the lines are showing where the wooden joists are)
If your home is more that 15 years old & you not had your insulation checked – act now! There are plenty of affordable solutions available to correct any problem areas so you will not only keep you home warm in the winter & cool in the summer – but potentially save money in the long run as well.
During the winter months, your heating and radiators work the hardest. To keep it in optimum condition after 5 or so years, flush it out before winter arrives. Flushing the system helps remove the sediment buildup, which causes internal corrosion of your water heater, shortens its lifespan, and reduces heating efficiency. Connect a hose to the faucet near the bottom of the tank and drain several gallons by directing the water into a nearby drain, or ask your plumber to do this for you..