The boards would need a stud wall, adding 2 ½ - 4 inches to the current walls, and would require the refixing of items such as switches, radiators and kitchen units. The installation would result in a loss of space in the property. The majority of costs will be labour, so acquiring the thickest insulation possible is recommended.

Lining paper is significantly cheaper than internal and external wall insulation. However, it is not as energy efficient, and may not add any value to the property.

A cavity wall is made up of two walls with a gap in between, known as the cavity; theouter leaf is usually made of brick, and the inner layer of brick or concrete block. It is a common feature in houses built before the 1920s.

External insulation for solid walls requires an installer to fix a layer of insulatingmaterial to the wall using mechanical fixings and adhesive. The layer is then coveredwith a protective layer of render or cladding.

External insulation for solid walls requires an installer to fix a layer of insulating material to the wall using mechanical fixings and adhesive. The layer is then covered with a protective layer of render or cladding.

NEEDS DONE

If you have a pitched roof, like the vast majority of properties, then you can either install simple loft insulation which reduces the useability of the space, or you can addwarm-roof insulation, where insulation is placed directly under the pitched slope of the roof. Polystyrene insulation panels, often backed with foil, are the most commonly used form of insulation.

Loft vents are installed to alleviate condensation problems. However, it is advised that you investigate how to reduce the amount of moisture reaching the loft. Tile vents are installed mid-roof and are compatible with 90% of roof tiles. Typically, you would need four tile vents for maximum performance.

Installing lagging to water tanks and pipes and insulation behind radiators reduces the amount of heat lost, so you spend less money heating water up, and hot water stays hotter for longer.

Rainwater harvesting systems collect, story and distribute recycled rainwater. The system takes rainwater from the roof, down the drain pipes and into a tank underground, where it is cooled and sent to various outlets around the property. However, they are most suitable to be fitted when a house is being built, or when youare doing significant renovation, as they will need changes to the plumbing system and considerable digging in the garden to bury the tank.

Alternatively, water butts are an inexpensive option for rainwater harvesting. Water butts allow you to collect rainwater via guttering and supplement your main water supply. You can use the stored water for flushing toilets, watering plants etc.

Works by forming a sealed, insulating air gap on the inside of existing, single glazed windows. Reduces noise by 80% and reduces heat loss by 65% (10% more than double glazing).

Double-glazed windows have two sheets of glass with a gap in between, usually about 16mm. The gaps between the glass panes are completely sealed and filled with either air or an inert gas such as argon.

Similar to double glazed windows, triple glazed windows have an three sheets of glass, and two sealed gaps. This can make them better insulating than many double-glazed windows, but it’s not always the case.

Draught proofing existing doors is usually an inexpensive fix. The bottom of a door can be fit with a door brush, whilst the top and sides can be fit with a draft proofing set.

Are similar to conventional gas boilers; providing space heating and hot water. However, instead of using gas/oil, they combust sustainably sourced wood pellets. Every year approximately 8.5 million tonnes of wood per year goes into landfill. Alternatively, these could be used to provide heat and hot water for households.

These types of boiler contain both a high efficiency water heater and a central heating boiler in a single compact unit. The boiler’s hot water tank enables you to heat water at night when tariffs are lower, and store it for use the next day. Additional storage technologies listed below can also provide radiator heating at a lower tariff rate.

These types of boilers produce both heat and electricity in one single process, allowing the household to rely less on the central generation of electricity from the grid. However the main limitation of this type of boiler is that it only produces electricity when you have the central heating on.

A condensing boiler captures heat that usually escapes when using a non-condensing boiler. The leftover gas is then used to heat water from your central heating system. It therefore requires less heat from the burner and is more efficient. Generally, all new modern boilers are condensing boilers.

Alternatively, you could use storage heaters to replace a boiler and the existing radiators in the property. However you would still need a hot water tank. Storage heaters extract energy at night when tariffs are lower, and store it for use the next day.

Unit placed outdoors at the side or back of a property which extracts heat from the air. As heat developed by the heat pump is not as high as that delivered from a conventional boiler, a larger surface area is needed to achieve identical temperatures. Therefore, these heat pumps work best when underfloor heating or large radiators are already installed in a property. Air source heat pumps are a cheaper alternative to ground source heat pumps, but are less efficient during winter months when the temperature is low.

Heat is extracted from the ground using a ground loop or borehole. The system is more efficient than an air source heat pump and can maintain a constant temperature throughout winter. However, these heat pumps are more expensive and require a much larger outdoor area below the surface for installation.