Solid Wall Insulation Grants
Did you know that solid walls let out twice as much heat as cavity walls. It therefore makes a great deal of sense to insulate them.
Do I need solid wall insulation?
Did you know that solid walls let out twice as much heat as cavity walls. It therefore makes a great deal of sense to insulate them. It is possible to insulate either the inside or outside of your solid wall and each option has its pros and cons.
If your home was constructed before 1920 then there is a high change it was built with solid external walls rather than cavity backed walls. For homes that were made of bricks you can also tell how your home was constructed by checking the thickness of your external walls. You can check the thickness of the homes bricks by measuring them through an external doorway or window. If a wall is less than 10 inches thick, it is probably solid. Stone built houses can, in some cases, have much thicker walls. In most cases these are very rarely cavity walls.
What is internal solid wall insulation?
Solid walls can be insulated on the inside of the property. This is carried out through the fitting of rigid boards to the walls, or constructing a separate stud wall and filling the gap with insulating material. The rigid insulation boards are around 2.5 inches to 4 inches thick and are plasterboard backed with insulation material such as foamed plastic providing the insulation properties needed. They are then normally fixed to the wall with strong adhesive or fitted to battens if the walls are uneven. Once the boards have been fitted securely any exposed joints will then be sealed.
Internal solid wall insulation is usually less expensive than external insulation and it is for that reason that it is generally easier to install as there is no need for scaffolding surrounding the property. Internal solid wall insulation will also not change the outer appearance or character of your home, so therefore internal insulation is the go to choice for any homeowners who do not want to lose these aesthetic properties. Internal solid wall insulation is also more suitable for flats and maisonettes. It is also more suitable for properties that are situated in conservation areas where there are strict rules on altering the outside appearance of your home.
What is external solid wall insulation?
External solid wall insulation involves the process of adding the insulating materials to the outside of your property. An installer will fix a layer of insulating materials to the wall using mechanical fixings and adhesive. This is then covered with protective layers of render or cladding. If the existing render is old and cracked then this will be removed which unfortunately adds to the cost of the operation. Before any work starts it is important to make sure there is no rising or penetrating damp within the walls; covering up the damp with outside wall insulation will cover up the patched but the actual damp problem will get worse over time.
There are a number of benefits to external solid wall insulation. The process does not reduce the size of rooms as the work is carried out on the outside of the property. It can improve the appearance of your homes outside walls and you can also choose what finish you would like, giving you complete control over the outside appearance of your home. External solid wall insulation also helps fill cracks and gaps in the brickwork which can reduce draughts.
Can I qualify for a solid wall insulation grant?
Yes, with the government’s ECO Scheme you can get cavity wall insulation and loft insulation for free if you’re eligible to improve your home’s energy efficiency. The long-running Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme helps people on certain benefits to cut their energy costs through home improvements.
Solid wall insulation costs and savings
Here’s how much you could save on your energy bill (£/year) as well as how many kilograms of CO2 emissions you could save each year with solid wall insulation:
Energy bill savings (£/year)
Carbon dioxide savings (kgCO2/year)
