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What is Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI)?

Cavity Wall Insulation (CWI) is an effective method of making your home warmer, more comfortable and healthier by filling the air gap also known as the ‘cavity’ in-between your walls.

How will I know if my home has cavity walls?

It's likely that your home requires this type of insulation measure if it was built after the 1920’s when they typically constructed external walls in two layers of brickwork, inner and outer leaves, with an empty space in the middle called the cavity. This can be the cause of around a third of your home's heat being lost.

What are the benefits of new Cavity Wall Insulation?

Installation typically takes half a day. Cavity wall insulation can save you up to £135* per year on your energy bills. It is covered by a full 25 year guarantee. Your home will be warmer and more comfortable. It will also discourage future condensation which can cause mould to grow, as the walls and air will retain the heat. This is particularly important for people who suffer with certain allergies or chest complaints.

How does it work?

Cavity Wall Insulation will slow down the rate at which heat escapes from your home. The insulation material such as mineral fibre and bonded beads is made of lots of tiny air pockets and is injected into the cavity space using specialist equipment. The air pockets make it difficult for heat to escape, therefore reducing heat loss and saving money on your energy bills.

What should I expect from the work?

It should typically take up to 4 hours to install this type of insulation. Before we begin, we’ll need access to all the outside walls of your property so please remove cars, caravans and garden furniture away from the building.

Trained installers will drill small holes (about the size of a 10p piece) at intervals of 1 metre to 1.5 metre in the outside walls. Using specialist equipment our installers will inject the insulation through these holes into the cavity space. The holes are then filled matching the existing walls as closely as possible.

During the work our Liaison officer will be your main point of contact. They’re there to let you know exactly what’s going on at every stage and to give you all the help, support and information you need.

*These are estimated figures provided by the Energy Saving Trust based on insulating a gas-heated, semi-detached home with three bedrooms. Actual savings may vary depending upon your individual circumstances.

What is loft insulation?

Loft Insulation is an effective method of making your home warmer and more comfortable. Lofts can be poorly insulated or not insulated at all. These homes lose on average 25% of their heat through the roof. Without adequate insulation your home is very inefficient and very expensive to heat.

What are the benefits of Loft Insulation?

Installation can typically be completed within 2 hours (depending on size of your property). Typically around 25% of heat is lost through poorly insulated rooms. Increasing your loft insulation to the recommended 270mm could save you up to £175* a year on your energy bills. The insulation should last for over 40 years.

How does it work?

Loft insulation is a material made up of lots of tiny air pockets; these pockets trap heat, reducing the rate at which heat escapes. Our installer uses loft roll insulation, which is unrolled, cut to length and placed within the loft space. A minimum thickness of 270mm will be achieved. Your home may already have some degree of loft insulation and may only need a top-up to ensure its depth is sufficient to keep your heat in, making your home warmer and reducing your energy bills.

What should I expect from the work?

It should typically take 2-3 hours to install this type of insulation. Before we can start we’ll ask you to clear your loft space of things such as suitcases and boxes so our installers can easily move around. If any existing insulation needs to be removed we will do this.

The installation process is quick and easy and will cause little disruption to you and your family. You’ll be able to place any items back in the loft afterwards but always ensure secure floor spaces are used. The insulation material will not hold heavy objects.

During the work our Community Liaison Officer will be your main point of contact. They’re there to let you know exactly what’s going on at every stage and to give you all the help, support and information you need.

*These are estimated figures provided by the Energy Saving Trust based on insulating a gas-heated, semi-detached home with three bedrooms. Actual savings may vary depending upon your individual circumstances.

What is Room-in-roof (RIR) insulation?

Not all properties have a room-in-roof. If you have a room in a converted loft or attic with a permanent staircase, not just a loft ladder, this is a room-in-roof. 

Room-in-roof insulation is an effective method of making your existing loft room more energy efficient and a more comfortable living space.

How will I know if my home requires Room-in-Roof insulation?

The type of roof insulation required will depend entirely on the type of roof your property has. If your home has a pitched roof, and has an attic room with a staircase leading to it, and it is uninsulated then it is likely you can have room-in-roof insulation. Flat roofs are more of a challenge to insulate.

What are the benefits of Room-in-roof (RIR) insulation?

Room-in-Roof (RIR) insulation may be the best option if your property requires a lot of heating in winter and is very hot in summer. Lofts can be poorly insulated or not insulated at all. These homes lose on average 25% of their heat through the roof. Without adequate insulation your home is very inefficient and very expensive to heat. Room-in-roof insulation can make a massive difference to your energy bills all year round and make the home much more warmer and comfortable living spaces.

How does it work?

Room-in-roof (RIR) insulation typically takes one to two weeks to install. There are three main types of insulation commonly used in roof conversions, which are rigid insulation, flexible insulation and thermal lining boards. Rigid insulation boards are available in various thicknesses. Flexible insulation and thermal lining boards, though thinner and cheaper, are not as effective as rigid insulation boards but can be a good compromise in difficult to insulate and small areas where the size of the room may become reduced as a result of adding thick insulation materials to walls and roof.

What should I expect from the work?

Before we begin work we’ll ask you to clear the room where the work is being carried out. This type of insulation typically takes three days to install. Once building regulations are approved, the work will involve battening and putting an insulated board on to the sloping walls and flat ceilings, plaster boarding and skimming. The final thickness will be between 75m and 150mm.

We may also need to move or adjust pipework, wiring, radiators and skirting boards. The works will produce dust and could be noisy at times. The newly insulated walls and adjacent surfaces will need to be re-decorated when the work has finished.

During the work our Liaison officer will be your main point of contact. They’re there to let you know exactly what’s going on at every stage and to give you all the help, support and information you need.

What is a High Efficiency A-rated Condensing Gas Boiler?

Installation of a High Efficiency Gas Boiler is an effective method of making your home warmer and more comfortable. How will I know if my home requires a new boiler? If your boiler is more than 10 years old it's likely to be G-rated meaning it could be inefficient and expensive to run. Replacing your old system could make your home warmer and save you money on energy bills.

What are the benefits of a new boiler?

By replacing an old G-rated boiler with a new high efficiency condensing boiler and improving your heating controls, you could cut your home’s carbon dioxide emissions – saving as much as £300 a year*. You will have instant hot water. Your home should be warmer and more comfortable.

How does it work?

Gas boilers can be used for heating your home and providing hot water. They do this by heating up water that circulates around the pipework connecting to your radiators. Many homes still have old G-rated boiler systems that can be very inefficient because they lose a lot of heat through the flue: these are known as non-condensing boilers. High efficiency condensing boilers re-use heat that would normally be lost into the atmosphere from the flue, keeping your home warmer and more energy efficient.

What should I expect from the work?

It should take around two days to complete the installation and will be done by one of our Gas Safe Registered engineers. Replacing your heating system means we’ll usually fit a new gas boiler, and may also put in new radiators as well. Sometimes, we’ll need to remove the main fire in your living room, and if necessary you may need a new electric fire.

Before we arrive please put away any fragile or valuable items and remove things from the wall to save them getting knocked. Boiler replacements can be quite noisy and dirty so we’ll always use dust sheets to protect floor coverings and furniture that has not been removed.

During the work our Liaison Officer will be your main point of contact. They’re there to let you know exactly what’s going on at every stage and to give you all the help, support and information you need.

*These are estimated figures provided by the Energy Saving Trust based on insulating a gas-heated, semi-detached home with three bedrooms. Actual savings may vary depending upon your individual circumstances.

Do Better Homes Yorkshire Offer Oil Boilers?

Better Homes Yorkshire are now able to offer oil boilers to people who are off gas. Installing a new oil boiler could save you up to 30%* a year on your annual fuel bills compared to your current off gas method of heating.

Why choose us?

• Get up to a five-year manufacturer’s warranty on our market-leading boilers.
• Finance options are available from £39.50 a month* from our installer Scarbrook to help spread the cost.
• No deposit necessary, don’t pay a penny until you are 100% satisfied.
• You may qualify for funding to help pay for the boiler

 

*Source: OFTEC.org

How do solar panels work?

Solar panels are made out of photovoltaic cells (which is why generating electricity with solar panels is also called solar PV) that convert the sun’s energy into electricity.

Solar panels generate a direct current of electricity. This is then passed through an inverter to convert it into an alternating current, which can then be funnelled into the National Grid or used by the home or business the solar panels are attached to.

What are some of the advantages of solar power?

Solar panels give you guaranteed power when the sun is shining – providing a consistent, stable form of generation throughout the day. After they’ve been installed, solar panels need little to no maintenance – just occasional cleaning to keep them clear of dirt and debris.

Solar panels don’t create any noise pollution while generating electricity. This means that installations aren’t intrusive – whether they’re in crowded urban locations or quiet rural ones.

Solar panels are very safe. They're mostly made from silicon sheets, and there's no danger of the photovoltaic cells leaking or emitting any toxins or fumes..

Do solar panels work on cloudy days?

Solar panels react to the visible light spectrum. This means, if it’s light enough to see, there’s enough light for solar panels to start generating electricity. But the stronger the sunlight, the better.

How do I know if my home is suitable for Solar Panels?

Most homes are suitable for solar panels, to get the maximum performance solar panels need to face South, however solar panels will generate even if they’re not facing south, it just won’t be as much.

However, you will need to own the roof (so no ground floor flats with a first floor flat above), and the roof will need to be free from any shading. The roof will also need to be structurally sound and there will need to be sufficient capacity within the National Grid in your home’s location to connect back to the grid, but we will assess these aspects on our survey of your home.

What will the work involve?

The works will typically take three days, day one will be erecting the scaffold to access your roof, day two will consist of installing the solar panels on the roof, fixing the inverter (generally in your loft space) and then running a cable from the inverter down to your consumer unit so that any power generated can be used within your home.

We will also install a generation meter next to your consumer unit so you can see how much electricity your Solar System has generated.

Then on the final day we will commission the system and remove the scaffold, leaving your home tidy so that you can enjoy the benefits of free electricity generated from your new Solar PV System.

What is Underfloor Insulation?

Applying underfloor insulation can help to reduce your energy bills by keeping your home warmer for longer.

Insulation works by trapping air and preventing drafts, it also prevents heat from escaping your home.

Timber floors can be insulated by lifting the floorboards and laying mineral wool insulation supported by netting between the joists.

Underfloor vents, trickle vents and mechanical vents will also be added to homes – where these are required. This helps to make sure air can flow around the building and helps to prevent condensation.