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How To Insulate Your Home

How To Insulate Your Home

Instructions

Shockingly around half of all your heat can escape if your home isn't insulated. So instead of turning that thermostat up, get insulating, and we friendly people at Homeserve are going to show you how. This will save you hundreds on your energy bills, as well as making a massive reduction to your carbon foot print - everyone's a winner.

Step 1:
Do you ever notice it gets a little chillier near doors? This is because the warm air is escaping and cold air is creeping in.

Fit draught excluders around all exterior doors, and interior if needs be. Sealant strips can be bought cheaply from DIY stores and are dead easy to fit, just like applying sticky tape. Don't forget to get a brush trim for letter boxes and the bigger gaps and the bottom of doors.

Step 2:
Cracks and crevices around window frames are also a popular escape point for warm air. To check for weak points run the palm of your hand around the edge of the frame. If you feel a breeze, you've got a hole. Patch these up with a putty or sealer. To make it really easy on yourself get the type that comes in a tube. Squirt it on, smooth it over, job done.

It's worth investing in double glazing if you don't already have it. This could save you between £80 and £100 pounds on your annual heating bill.

Closing curtains or blinds after dark also traps in the warm air and prevents draughts. And it looks cosier too!

Step 3
Most homes have gaps between the skirting board and the floor, and if your have floorboards there's likely to be a few gaps between them too. This is another jobs for our trusty silicone sealer.

If you have a wood floor and want to go the whole hog, you could get the experts in to fit floor insulation beneath the boards. Putting a rug down isn't a bad idea either.

Step 4:
Laying loft insulation on the average home can save a whopping 1 tonne of carbon dioxide a year, and make a major dent in you bills. Have a look at our 'How to install loft insulation' to see how it's done.

Step 5:
Wrapping your hot water tank in a cosy 80 mm jacket will cut heat loss by 75 %, and you'll recoup the cost of it in less than 6 months.

Get those pipes insulated too, watch our film 'How to lag pipes' for the know how.

There you have it, a little work and cash up front will save you, and the planet, a hell of a lot more in the long run. Now sit back and enjoy your energy improved home.