Did you know that if the exterior walls are not insulated properly your Irish home could be losing between 20% to 30% of its heat?
As Part of the House2GreenerHome content series LifeCU is providing you an ultimate wall insulation guide, with external wall insulation tips as well as internal wall insulation.
What Is Wall insulation and why is it important ?
Wall insulation is any type of insulating material that is attached to or placed within walls. The main function of wall insulation is to increase the climate efficiency of the space by making it easier to heat and cool the room. Depending on the structure or location of the walls of your house, there may be different options to consider. Also, the type of wall insulation used may help to soundproof the space and minimize the amount of noise that enters or escapes from the room.
The principal forms of wall insulation are:
- Internal wall insulation
- Cavity wall insulation
- External wall insulation (also called wrapping) the home.
Internal Wall Insulation (Also Known as Dry Lining)
An internal insulation involves attaching extra insulation to the inside of a wall. The insulation board itself contains insulation, a vapour barrier and plasterboard. It reduces the rate of heat transferring from room to room as well as heat escaping your home via external walls. It helps lowering heating costs by improving your home’s energy efficiency. Internal insulation is an affordable option. We should highlight that you will lose internal room space and it may cause some disruption as it will require the removal of skirting boards, presses, built in appliances, cabinets and anything else which may be fixed to a wall.
Internal Wall insulation will reduce your home’s greenhouse gas emissions and make your home a little more climate friendly.
External wall insulation
It has been described ‘like wrapping your house in a blanket’. External wall insultation wraps the building’s outer surfaces in one continuous layer of insulation. Then the isolation is covered with a special render that makes it resistant to the weather. A mesh is also embedded to provide strength and resistance to impact.
The external wall insulation can involve significant cost, but it significantly enhance the energy rating of any Irish home It will generally form part of a deep retrofit work.
The downside to external wall insulation it’s the fact that you will lose the original external finish, which is particularly problematic if it is a brick finish. Installing external insulation will also mean that windows will be recessed quite deeply into the wall.
Cavity Wall Insulation
As its name states it, you need cavity walls. A cavity wall consists of two rows of brick or concrete block with a cavity or space between them. Solid block or hollow block walls are not suitable for cavity wall insulation. It’s not always apparent if a house has cavity walls.
You can find out if your house has cavity walls by determining:
1. The age of your home might give you a good steer. If your home is built after the 1980s, it’s likely that you have insulated cavities.
2. If you can see some exposed brickwork, and all the bricks are laid lengthwise in a regular pattern, it’s likely that the home has cavity walls.
3. If the brickwork has been covered, it may be possible to tell by measuring the width of the wall. It has been suggested that if a brick wall is more than 260mm thick then it probably has a cavity. You do need to get some expert guidance on this.
4. If you are unable to determine if your home has cavity walls the best approach is to ask a registered installer to drill a small hole in the wall and let you know whether the wall is empty or insulated.
If your home has unfilled cavity walls made of brick, the cavities are of sufficient size and the external walls are in good condition, accessible and dry a Cavity Wall Insulation is ideal for your Irish Home.
Grants for Wall Insulation
The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) offer a range of grants for wall insulation. Homeowners, including landlords, whose homes were built prior to 2006 can apply. A grant of €400 is available for cavity wall insulation. Grants for internal dry lining range from €1,600 to €2,400, with grants for external wall insulation (wrap) starting at €2,750 for an apartment or mid-terrace house to €6,000 for a detached house.
If you need additional information on wall insulation, you can download the SEAI’s guide to Wall Insulation by clicking here.
Get a Quick Insulation Quote Today
Life CU , in partnership with Energia and House 2 Home, have launched CU Greener Homes, a one-stop-solution for all your home energy upgrades. Using the Home Energy Efficiency Calculator on the CU Greener Homes website, you can find out:
The cost of insulation for your home
The grant support which you may be eligible for
The cost of credit union finance to help you fund the project
The impact of the work on the energy efficiency of your home
GET A QUOTE NOW for your Irish Home according to your Wall Insulation Needs
A Green Home Improvement Loan with Life CU
If you need any help to fund a warmer, greener home, talk to us about a green home improvement loan today, or submit an online loan enquiry by clicking here.
