A common question these days, especially with high energy bills, is: why is my home so cold?
The truth of it is that many homes in the UK have the same problem – they are too cold because of the poor state of insulation. Our existing housing stock is the oldest in Europe, which means that many properties don’t have any insulation – in fact, only about 50% have cavity or solid wall insulation.
Heat loss happens faster in poorly insulated homes. So, with no insulation, existing houses aren’t as energy efficient as they could, and should, be.
It’s generally considered that houses lose about 35% of heat through the walls and 25% through the roof. This means that cold, external walls are the chief culprit for heat loss because, without adequate -or, in fact, any - insulation, they don’t keep heat inside the home, which makes it harder to maintain a comfortable temperature. This, in turn, results in higher energy bills because thermostats are turned up higher and are left on for longer. And with the majority of heating systems being reliant upon fossil fuels, not only do energy bills increase but the impact on the planet is also significant.
