Five Benefits of Having Loft Insulation

As the cost of living crisis continues to bite, we are all looking for ways to save money on our bills. Making our homes as energy efficient as possible has become a top priority in the face of soaring energy prices. One simple yet highly effective change you can make to your home is adding loft insulation. When done correctly using the right materials, this can help to slash your energy bills and reduce your carbon footprint at the same time.

Loft insulation is often described as being like 'a blanket for your home.' Various materials can be used for insulation, but the most common are mineral fibre wool and sheep wool. These fabrics can be rolled into the space between loft joists, into hollow spaces and around the rafters. When purchasing mineral wool or sheep wool, it is important to look at the R-value. This measures how well a material resists heat flow. The higher the R value, the better the insulation it will provide.

Insulating your loft space is a fairly cost-effective move and one which, in many cases, you can do yourself. Here are the top five benefits you can gain from insulating your loft.

1. Stops heat escaping through the roof

The main point of insulating your loft is to minimise heat loss through the roof. Heat rises and for the average home, it is estimated that around a quarter of the heat is lost through the roof. Insulating your loft space will dramatically reduce or slow down the rate at which heat escapes through your roof, keeping more heat within the home.

2. Reduces energy bills

If heat is no longer escaping through the roof, your home will therefore be more energy efficient. It will require less energy to heat the home as less heat is escaping. This means your energy bills will be reduced - something we are all looking to achieve amidst the current cost of living crisis. According to the Energy Saving Trust, a typical detached home in the UK could save as much as £590 per year on its energy bills thanks to insulation of the roof space. For a semi-detached home, the saving could be around £355 or for a mid-terrace house, around £330.

3. Improves the value of your home

Insulating your loft could help to increase your home's value and make it easier to sell in the future. Not only will an insulated loft make your home more attractive to potential buyers, but it will also help you to get a more positive Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Anyone who is putting their home on the market needs an EPC, which provides information about a property's energy use and costs. Homes are given an energy efficiency rating from A to G, with A being the most efficient. Loft insulation can help improve that rating.

4. Improves your green credentials

As well as seeking ways to save money, many of us are looking for ways to improve our green credentials. Insulating your loft is an easy way to make your home greener and reduce your carbon footprint. Better insulation means less energy is used, which means a reduction in carbon dioxide coming from your home. Many of the products that can be used to insulate a loft space today are eco-friendly too

5. Reduces noise pollution in the home

Loft insulating materials can also provide a noise-absorbing layer too. This means your home will be less noisy once it is installed. It can reduce the vibrations from passing traffic, lower external noise coming into the home and improve the acoustics within the home too. These benefits will be particularly noticeable on the top floor of your home.

If you are looking to minimise your energy bills and do your bit for the environment, then adding loft-insulating materials to your home is a simple and cost-effective step. It is also one that soon pays for itself, as high-quality insulation laid correctly in your loft can be expected to last for as long as 40 years. It will help to reduce the amount of work your boiler has to do too, resulting in less wear and tear. If you are looking for simple home improvements that really make a big difference, look no further than loft insulation from the range of products available at Mill Timber Direct.