Home Improvements
Q.How can I make my home more energy efficient?
A. Well, a good starting point is to look at your central heating
system and how well your home is insulated. If you have cavity
walls then installing Cavity Wall Insulation can save up to 35%
of your heating bills. It will also improve the comfort of your
home. You should choose a CIGA registered installer to ensure
that the installation will be covered by an independent 25 year
guarantee providing peace of mind. If your loft has less than
150mm of insulation then this should also be topped up to current
standards, typically 270mm for mineral wool insulation. If you
own a gas boiler that is more than 15 years old it might be as
well to consider changing it. Today's state-of-the-art gas boilers
with dedicated controls can cut your heating and hot water bill
by up to 30%. There are now models that fit comfortably and unobtrusively
inside a kitchen cabinet and provide high performance and will
probably pay for themselves in terms of running cost savings within
a couple of years. But don't forget - anything to do with gas
must be dealt with by a CORGI installer.
Q. Will I really save money by improving the insulation of my
home?
A. By reducing the amount of energy that is required to maintain
your home at a comfortable temperature, insulation can substantially
cut your heating bills and contribute to all our futures by reducing
greenhouse gas emissions. However, you may choose to take some
of this benefit by improving the comfort of your home and ensuring
it is cosy and warm in Winter.
Q. Is it simple to improve the levels of insulation?
A. Well, certain jobs, such as Cavity Wall Insulation, are covered
by detailed technical standards and require specialist equipment
operated by trained technicians. Others, such as improving levels
of loft insulation, can be carried out by the householder, although
it is Important to check manufacturers guidance on the correct
handling of products and ensure that adequate safety measures
are taken. In either case, the use of an appropriately registered
contractor will ensure that the installation is carried out to
the highest standards and that the maximum savings will be achieved
with the minimum disruption.
Q. What should I be looking out for so far as maintaining my home
is concerned?
A. It doesn’t take long to check your home. First give the walls
a look over and if they are rendered make sure that none has dropped
off and is likely to allow rain penetration and therefore cause
damp patches on the home interior. Check the roof and chimney,
preferably using binoculars. Broken tiles or slates should be
replaced as a matter of urgency by an expert who has the right
equipment to work safely at height. Also check gutters and drain
pipes for damage and leaks.
Q. I want to build an extension but where do I start?
A. The first thing to consider is whether you want to go out or
up? Some properties are especially adaptable to utilising roof
space. Once you’ve agreed how you would like to extend, you will
then need to seek professional advice from an architect, architectural
technician, building surveyor or a builder. Each of these disciplines
is covered by an association who will point you in the right direction
for an appropriate contact in your area. Also you may need planning
permission although many around-the-house projects present no
legal or statutory problems in this respect.
Q. My home is quite cold and draughty - what is the best remedy?
A. There are many proprietary draughtproofing systems around,
which you can find in your DIY store, builders merchants or hardware
shop. They are easy to fit around doors and windows if you follow
the instructions. Loft insulation is important, too. It’s available
in three different ways. You can buy it in a roll, slab or granular
forms but whichever you choose, to be really effective, it must
be a minimum of 4 inches (100mm) thick. Of course, up to 35% of
heat loss can occur through poorly insulated external walls, so
many people these days opt for cavity wall insulation which needs
to be carried out properly by a specialist.
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