Internal Insulation

Is it me or does it seem like every time I turn on the news they're telling me how much the cost of gas and electricity are rising and that we better stop eating - just so we can pay our bills! Ok that might seem a little extreme but there's no doubt about it a lot more people are struggling with their energy bills than at any time in the last 20 years.

There are many ways to cut down on your energy bills, for example simple things like wearing an extra jumper instead of raising the radiators are simple yet effective ways to reduce our bills over the long term. But another way to do this is by insulating your internal walls.

How does that work! I hear you ask...

Well, it’s quite simple really; a layer of internal insulation board is affixed to the "internal" side of your external wall (see picture attached). This insulation keeps the home at a more consistent temperature by preventing massive heat loss in winter and in turn by preventing massive heat intake in summer.

Because of this, it means you won’t be so reliant on your "heating and cooling" systems and in turn you can reduce your bills significantly.

Obviously there will be an initial cost for outlay, but look at it like a great investment - not only will you save money EVERY year but your house will also increase in value...a win - win if ever there was!

Ok so whilst internal insulation will save you quite a reasonable amount of money there are a few drawbacks which are:

• The initial investment can be quite high (depending on the size of the house etc) but on average would be in the region of €5,500 or $6,500.
• Because the internal boards are being put on the inside walls (these boards can be as thick as 110mm) a small amount of floor space will be lost. This won't be so bad in very large rooms, but if the room is already tight for space then you would need to give some serious thought to this.
• There will be a good bit of disruption during the installation process - but can be isolated to a room at a time. Dust can be quite bad too so any asthmatics or allergy sufferers would need to prepare accordingly.
• Skirting boards, door frames etc. also need to be removed and reattached.
• Any issues with rising damp would need to be fixed first.

So if you have some spare cash burning a hole in your pocket and are looking to cut costs then this could definitely be a viable option - just as long as your house is large enough to cope with losing a few inches here and there!!