How to stop rising heating bills
8 Sep 2022
The rise in heating bills is a concern for everybody right now. With record-breaking prices that show no signs of slowing, everyone is looking at ways to reduce their heating bills. Fortunately, there is a simple and effective method that can help decrease consumption and therefore lower costs: spray foam insulation.
Why are heating bills rising?
Various factors have led to heating bills rising steeply. This is due to supply and demand in the global wholesale market. This has driven up the amount providers pay for gas and electricity, and they are passing that on to customers.
In January 2019, Ofgem introduced an ‘energy price cap’ in the UK following concerns that many people, particularly homes that don’t switch suppliers to find cheaper deals, were paying too much for their energy. The cap decides the maximum amount that energy suppliers may charge customers for energy.
Ofgem, the UK government Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, review the cap twice a year, in April and October. In April 2022, it increased for 22 million customers for those paying default tariffs by direct debit who saw bills rise to £1,971 per year, up from £1,277. Prepayment customers saw an increase of £708 from £1,309 to £2,017.
How spray foam insulation reduces heating costs
Spray foam insulation is a highly effective solution for bringing down your heating bills. There are three core areas of insulation that can be highlighted:
- Poorly insulated walls can see up to 35% of a home’s heat lost
- Roofs with no or low-performing insulation can be responsible for up to 25% of heat loss
- Up to 10% of heat can be lost through floors that are lacking in insulative properties
Wasting this much energy isn’t just bad for the environment, but also for your pocket. Fortunately, spray foam insulation can help save up to 56% on your bills* by keeping this heat in your home instead of it escaping, reducing reliance on heating systems and creating more sustainable homes.
Spray foam wall insulation
Spray foam insulation can be applied to a variety of surfaces, strengthening the thermal barrier between the inside and out. While available in two different forms, authorised installers will recommend to use open-cell spray foam in residential properties, providing the best levels of performance and giving homeowners peace of mind around their installation.
Cavity spray foam insulation
A cavity wall is formed of two layers of brickwork or blockwork with a gap – or cavity – between them. In modern houses, the exterior walls are likely to be cavity walls to allow for effective insulation, however, older properties may have singular exterior walls which limit their insulative properties.
Cavity spray foam insulation fills that gap between the two walls to create more comfortable environments and contribute to the efficiency of a home. By using spray foam in this application, rather than traditional alternatives, homes can benefit from a more effective and longer lasting insulative material. Additional benefits such as soundproofing can also be enjoyed by homeowners who choose spray foam insulation.
Spray foam roof insulation
In homes lacking in effective loft insulation, up to 25% of heat can be lost through the roof. This makes it a common starting point when creating a better-insulated home and can contribute significantly to reducing heating bills.
Spray foam insulation is the most effective insulation for your roof, significantly outperforming traditional materials such as mineral wool. Using specialist equipment, it is sprayed onto surfaces where it expands on impact, filling cracks and gaps, to create a vapour-permeable layer which maximises thermal efficiency.
Underfloor spray foam insulation
While heat can also escape through floors, spray foam insulation can be applied to better insulate these areas and minimise heat loss. Applied in the same way as in loft spaces, the material will expand on impact to fill the desired area, provide effective insulation and save homeowners money.
There are many areas in the home that can benefit from insulation, but addressing your roof, walls and floors is vital when looking to save money on your heating bills through the creation of comfortable and energy efficient spaces. Before installation, it is recommended that professional advice is sought, both to assess application areas and install spray foam insulation effectively.
Huntsman Building Solutions (HBS) insulation solutions can save you up to 56% on your heating bills* while making your home healthier and quieter. As pioneers in the development of spray foam insulation, HBS has helped make spray foam the go-to choice in many countries around the world.
Get a quote from an HBS authorised installer today with Huntsman Building Solutions or contact us today.
*Based on a study led by RGU’s Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and Built Environment, Heriot-Watt University and Icynene (now known as Huntsman Building Solutions) in September 2018.