Home Insulation Standards

Year by year home quality standards are changing and insulation is no exception. The current loft and cavity wall standards are described below.

Loft Insulation Grants

As much as 25% of all the heat lost from an average home escapes through the roof. Over 1 million homes have no loft insulation at all.

Most UK houses have some loft insulation, but the majority with 100mm (4”) or less should be substantially topped-up to around 250mm (10”), the requirement for new homes. The insulation material is rolled between the joists and may then be applied in a second layer across the joists to avoid cold-bridging.

 

 

 

 

Cavity Wall Insulation Grants

Wall Insulation
The external wall of a house is constructed of two brick or block walls with a gap of at least 50mm between, joined by metal ties.

Cavity wall insulation is normally applied from the outside. A trained technician drills small holes in the external wall using a pattern specified within the industry technical standards.

The insulation material is then pumped into the holes using a blowing machine; this has an automatic cut-out (like a petrol pump) that actuates when the wall area is full. The holes are then made good to match the existing finish as closely as possible. Once installed, the cavity wall insulation requires no maintenance and will last for the lifetime of the building.