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Renovations that Improve Insulation & Heat Retention

With energy prices at the forefront of most homeowners’ minds, improving your home's insulation and heat retention is essential for energy efficiency and Reducing Your Bills.  

Experts say that cutting heat loss from our homes is the most effective way of combating rising energy prices during this cost-of-living crisis. We’ve put together our top insulation tips for greener homes and how Wiser's Smart Heating can help eliminate energy wastage.  

How does insulation work? 

Insulation is a protective layer you add to your home to maintain the desired temperature indoors. Because up to half of your home’s heat can escape through the surfaces, a well-insulated home means that rooms will be Warmer in the Winter and cooler in the Summer.  

Insulation significantly contributes to your home’s energy efficiency as the ‘leakier’ a building is, the higher the heating costs will be. 

The types of insulation that you can install include:  

  • Cavity wall insulation – Prevents up to a third of your heat escaping  

  • Solid wall insulation – Improves the Heat Retention of Older Homes  

  • Roof insulation – Stops up to a quarter of your energy wastage  

  • Floor insulation – Helps to retain the heat in your ground floor rooms  

  • Window and door insulation – Keeps the warm air inside and the cold air out 

  • Draught-proofing – Limits any heat escaping through holes or cracks 

  • Pipe insulation – Keeps the water hot in your pipes, tanks, and radiators 

What green insulation alternatives are there? 

Using sustainable insulation is a win-win for a green home — not only will the insulation help to make your home more energy-efficient and reduce your bills, but the materials themselves are also sustainably produced and recyclable.  

You can choose from recycled insulation, which uses existing artificial insulation that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill, or you can go for natural insulation. It’s worth noting that you can’t use natural insulation in brick and block buildings, block, and cavity wall constructions or below the damp-proof course.  

The most common types of green insulation include: 

  • Sheep's wool – a breathable natural fibre that is just as energy efficient as mineral wool and can neutralise indoor air pollutants to increase the air quality in your home.  

  • Plant fibre – made from organic materials like wood and hemp, you can install plant fibre insulation without timber supports, reducing thermal bridging for minimised heat loss. 

  • Cotton – usually made from recycled, treated denim, cotton is a relatively affordable and effective choice for cutting heat loss. 

What should you insulate in your home?  

Ideally, all your home’s surfaces should be fitted with some form of insulation. But, given that your walls and roof usually contribute to the most heat loss, starting with these major surfaces is recommended. Fitting double or triple-glazed windows and doors is another essential long-term investment for a Green Home. 

As it’s relatively cheap and easy to do yourself, draught-proofing and hot water pipe insulation should also be a priority.  
 

How can improving heat retention reduce energy prices? 

With the Current Energy Price Crisis pushing up the cost of living, many people are looking for simple, green ways to lower their bills.  

While improving your home insulation is vital to combating rising energy prices, there are also affordable, cost-effective ways to improve the heat retention of your home, such as:  

How can smart heating help reduce prices?  

Smart thermostats are the future of efficient home heating, giving you increased control over how and when you heat your home. Tools such as scheduling, Smart Modes, Insights and Heat Reports mean that you can manage your energy usage to improve heat retention.  

The Wiser smart heating system can also give you Room-to-Room Control to avoid heating spaces when they’re not in use, reducing your energy bills by £575* per year.