Social housing is an important part of the welfare state, providing not-for-profit homes – often to the people who need them most. But as the cost of living rises, attention is turning to measures to keep those homes affordable.
Enter social housing insulation. In this post, we’ll explore why it’s so important, the different types available and how it’s installed.
The National Housing Federation recently reported that social housing insulation and draught-proofing could reduce residents’ heating bills by 42%. It focused on homes with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating below C, and the impact of improving that rating to C or above.
On average, doing so would cut a £1,343 annual spend on heating down to £776, based on the October 2022 Price Guarantee. That’s a saving of £567 each year, which could become even higher as prices continue to rise.
Above all else, this is the primary reason why social housing insulation is so vital. Affordability is one of the four key requirements of social housing, outlined by Shelter. But there are two other key benefits on top of that…
Alongside availability and stability, the final requirement listed by Shelter is that social housing is quality controlled. Put simply, it should meet the standard for ‘decent’ housing. That includes insulation and energy efficiency, as well as ensuring basics like smoke alarms are working.
Over time, this can prevent more serious problems, like the emergence of mould in homes. Because it causes a range of health issues, mould can essentially make homes uninhabitable – hence why social housing associations want to avoid it.
Insulation helps them do that by keeping homes warmer. Preventing walls from getting too cold stops them attracting moisture as much. As an added benefit, SprayCork internal wall insulation creates a moisture-resistant coating on walls, which stops damp settling on them altogether.
You can find out more in our article on damp in social housing.
Another benefit of insulation for social housing is the savings for local councils and housing associations. Keeping homes warmer means fewer callouts for issues like damp and mould, not to mention the cost of combatting those problems.
The saying goes that prevention is better than cure. Preventing damp and mould from developing is easier and often cheaper over time, compared to continuously removing mould and redecorating.
It also ensures that housing stock is kept up to standard, which could minimise disruption in the long run – if the minimum EPC rating for properties goes up, for example.
There are a number of different types of insulation for social housing. These vary by the area being insulated, as well as the type of insulation being used. First, here are the different areas that can be insulated:
To dig a little deeper, here are some of the different options available for each broad type of insulation.
Underfloor insulation is suitable for social housing with suspended floors. It involves filling the cavity below flooring with an insulative material, which can be anything from mineral wool rolls to rigid insulation boards.
Air bricks (ventilation bricks) below floor level on the outside of your house are a tell-tale sign of suspended floors. It’s important not to block these when fitting insulation as it will hinder ventilation and cause floorboards to rot over time.
If you’re dealing with a solid floor (typically concrete), insulation needs to be laid on top of it. That can be done using solid insulation boards, or by laying a floating floor to create a cavity, which is then filled with insulation.
Alternatively, insulation can be fitted underneath a concrete floor when the floor is replaced. This is the most disruptive option, so it should only be considered if floors are damaged or due for renewal.
Flat roof insulation can be warm or cold. A warm roof has insulation on the outside, applied on top of the deck before a waterproof membrane is applied. Cold flat roof insulation is installed between the rafters, directly above the ceiling.
The different terms simply describe whether the roof itself is kept warm or left cold when insulating the living space below. So, you won’t be warmer or colder depending on which option you choose.
A cold roof is harder to install, because boards need to be removed before insulation can be fitted. While a warm roof is less disruptive, it does add height to the roof. This also calls for more expensive materials, because they need to be higher quality to withstand the elements.
Similarly, pitched roof insulation can create a warm or cold pitched roof. A warm pitched roof has insulation between and over the rafters, keeping the roof space warm. Alternatively, a cold pitched roof has insulation at ceiling level – also known as loft insulation – where the roof space is left cold.
In both cases, it’s important that the roof space is well ventilated to prevent a build up of moisture in social housing. This is a common mistake with many kinds of social housing insulation, with breathability sacrificed to keep heat inside.
Cavity wall insulation can take the form of polystyrene beads, expanding foam or mineral fibre. If cavities are being insulated during the building process, there’s also the option of insulation rolls or rigid boards.
It’s important to note that cavity wall insulation is not suitable in areas with wind-driven rain – typically across the west coast of Scotland, Wales and England. It’s also unsuitable in properties with existing damp issues, as moisture can stop the insulation working and even worsen the damp problem.
Solid walls can be insulated from the inside or outside, using either panels, fibre-based systems or a sprayed insulative coating. The latter is advantageous as it doesn’t require fixtures to be adjusted externally or eat away at internal space. It provides similar or even better thermal insulation without the downsides of traditional options.
Let’s not forget fixtures on social housing, which can become the weak point in a home’s thermal envelope if they’re left ignored. While measures like draught-proofing or secondary glazing can help keep more heat in, it may be best to bite the bullet and replace fixtures every 15-30 years to ensure they’re not letting lots of heat escape.
While new-builds will be adequately insulated from the get-go, there’s still the challenge of over 1.2 million energy inefficient social homes – in England alone – which need retrofit insulation. With most of these homes occupied, councils and housing associations need insulation solutions that are as quick and easy as possible.
Unfortunately, that’s not the case for many of the options mentioned above. Underfloor insulation requires floorboards to be pulled up at the very least, for example. Going one further, solid floor insulation can raise the floor level, which requires electrical work to adjust the position of plug sockets.
The same can be true for wall insulation if panels are used. Externally, their bulk might make it necessary to adjust fixtures like gutters and windows. Internally, they can impact the living space available to tenants.
While roof insulation and cavity wall insulation are relatively simple to install, this box has already been checked for many properties – and hasn’t done enough. According to government figures from the end of 2020, 70% of properties with cavity walls have them insulated, while 66% of properties with a loft have loft insulation.
If you’re looking for a way to improve insulation on social housing stock without causing major disruption, CorkSol can help. Our SprayCork coating can be used to reduce heat loss by 30% and cut energy bills over time.
Applied on internal walls, it provides an insulative layer that’s only 8mm thick, so it won’t impact tenants’ living space. It’s also moisture-resistant to stop damp and mould forming on the surface. Thanks to its spray application, it’s equally simple to retrofit on external walls, where it provides additional protection from the elements, alongside added heat retention.
Best of all, CorkSol has a fully trained network of approved applicators, ready and waiting to help councils and housing associations across the UK. All of our applicators are skilled and experienced in using our products and totally independent from ourselves. You can find your nearest applicator online, simply by entering your postcode.
Or want to find out more? Contact us today on 01484 442420 or email [email protected].
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