About a third of heat lost in an average home is lost through the walls, though this figure will be less if you live in a mid-terrace house.  Walls are either solid or cavity walls - two layers of bricks with a small gap between them. If your home was built before the 1920s, like much of our housing in South Yorkshire, its external walls are probably solid walls. Stone walls are usually solid. All insulation types require specialists and cavity wall insulations can only be done via a registered installer. 

Solid walls can be insulated via internal wall insulation or external wall insulation. Internal wall insulation is cheaper but you lose space inside the home and there is more disruption during the works. According to the Energy Savings Trust you can save up approximately £200 per year on energy bills by installing wall insulation. 

Typical costs to insulate a terraced house are £14,750 for external wall insulation and £9,700 for internal wall insulation. 

Cavity walls can be insulated by injecting specialist insulation material into the gap between the bricks. Typical costs for a mid-terraced house are £1,500-£2,000. Energy savings are lower than for insulating solid walls as cavity walls already provide some insulation. The Energy Saving Trust estimates an annual energy bill cost saving of £140.

Insulating your ground floor - and any spaces above unheated spaces such as a garage - can help retain heat. Newer homes are likely to have concrete flooring whilst older homes are likely to have suspended timber floors. Both can be insulated. If you feel confident lifting up floorboards you could do this job yourself. Otherwise a professional can help. Annual energy cost savings depend on the size of your home but could be between £75-200. Costs depend on floor size but a typical suspended floor installation costs between £1,600 and £2,900.

According to the Energy Savings Trust, uninsulated lofts can account for up to 25% of heat loss in your home. Installing or upgrading loft insulation can save you around £355 a year on heating bills for a typical detached home, or £200 for a mid-terraced home. It’s an easy and cost-effective step to ensure the heat stays where it belongs—in your living spaces—not escaping through the roof.

Room in roof insulation is designed for homes with converted loft or attic spaces. By insulating the walls and ceilings of the room, you reduce heat loss and help your home maintain a stable temperature, making your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer. You need a professional installer to ensure that the insulation is appropriate and complete, and that adequate ventilation is provided where needed.

Costs vary depending on loft size, accessibility of spaces and other factors but generally it costs around £3,000 to insulate a loft space and between £3,000-£5,000 to insulate a room-in-roof space.

A good ventilation system keeps fresh air circulating in your home without losing warmth. It extracts stale air and brings in fresh air from outside. This keeps your home well-ventilated, comfortable, and energy-efficient - perfect for modern airtight homes. Costs vary depending on the size and needs of each home. 

Air-tight windows are designed to eliminate drafts and prevent heat from escaping your home. Fitted with robust seals and precision-engineered frames, they ensure energy efficiency and improve comfort. These windows are especially important in energy-efficient buildings, helping to maintain a consistent indoor temperature and reducing reliance on heating. Your window and door openings will always be the weakest point in the wall from a thermal point of view, so it’s worth investing in the best quality double, or even triple, glazing that your budget allows.

Modern composite air-tight doors help to keep heat inside during winter and out during summer, contributing to energy savings and a more sustainable home.

Heat pumps are not new technology. They’ve been the backbone of Scandinavian home heating for over 30 years and in Sweden, 70% of households stay warm with heat pumps. Heat pumps pull warmth from the air, ground, or water and transfer it to provide your heating and hot water. Unlike traditional heating systems that burn fuel, heat pumps use a small amount of electricity to transfer heat, making them about 400% more efficient than gas or oil boilers. 

Costs depend on the type of heat pump, necessary heating upgrades and the size and demands of your home which is why you should make insulation improvements before installing a heat pump. A trusted online source of further information is the Energy Saving Trust - or contact us! 

The government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides £7,500 grants to encourage uptake. Your heat pump installer will manage the paperwork. 

Installing Solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on your home can significantly reduce your electricity bills. These panels turn sunlight into electricity you can use right away, meaning you rely less on power from the grid. You may even earn money back by exporting extra energy to the grid. 

Generally, domestic solar panel systems cost around £7,000. There are no dedicated solar power grants but you may be able to access funding as part of other schemes.  Contact your local council to find out if they’re taking part in the Energy Company Obligation scheme, or contact an energy supplier directly.