Insulated Cladding Cuts ENERGY BILLS
Insulated Cladding Cuts Homeowners’ Energy Bills
New research confirms that UK housing is among the oldest, leakiest, and worst in Europe for energy efficiency. The Green Living Index, which researched the thermal efficiency of homes in 28 countries, found that the UK ranked 23 out of 28 European countries.
To improve the energy performance of our homes – and put a dent in rising bills – there are lots of measures that homeowners could consider, such as upgrading their heating system or installing solar panels.
But these are all very costly, and unless the fabric of the building is well insulated and draught-free, their potential impact will not be fully realised.
DID YOU KNOW?
Poorly insulated homes could be spending an extra £246 a year on their gas bills.
And that’s before the energy cap rises again.
Here is where cladding comes into its own.
CUT YOUR FUEL BILLS!
PVC cladding is an increasingly popular choice for homeowners looking to transform the appearance of the outside of their property, or to cover a feature which is too costly to remove or replace, such as hanging tiles or pebble-dashing. While most homeowners choose it for its aesthetic affect, cladding when paired with non-combustible mineral wool insulation, weatherboarding installations achieve an A+ rating from the BRE.
Cladding and non-combustible insulation installations are suitable for a variety of building envelopes, including brick, block, masonry, and concrete. For older pre- first world war homes with solid walls, the energy savings are very impressive, with figures from the Energy Saving Trust estimating the potential savings to be £650 a year for a detached property.
As well as providing an insulating layer to keep a home’s heat in for longer, there are many other ways that cladding benefits the homeowner too. It is a barrier for any cracks or gaps in the brickwork to reduce draughts and make the living areas cosier. It will improve the weatherproofing of the brickwork to reduce maintenance costs and help protect walls to increase their lifespan. It can reduce condensation and damp, and, as it’s applied to the outside of the property, there is no loss of floorspace and there’s little disruption to the homeowners.
To ensure homeowners have the widest possible choice, all Freefoam cladding boards can be fitted with standard insulation. This includes our popular single Shiplap range, available in white and smooth woodgrain finishes, and our Fortex® range that has an attractive embossed wood effect finish for both Double Shiplap and Weatherboard in an array of colours including on-trend greys. The Freefoam range is completed with the X-Wood cladding range, a 16mm premium grade solution made from durable composite board.
BUT DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
Glen Young runs a home improvement company in Berkshire. He fits fascias, soffits, guttering and, most recently, Freefoam cladding.
Glen says: “It definitely improves energy efficiency to put in the insulation with the cladding. When I’m surveying a house, I can often actually touch
the back of the plasterboard when removing old render, cladding, or hanging tiles. So adding insulation behind the cladding makes sense.
“I had a customer who had cladding with insulation fitted at the front and back of his house and it saved him 30% on his heating bill! Cladding with insulation changed his house and bills.”
Visit mycladding.com to find out more.
Get a quick quote from a local Freefoam cladding installer.
