Free and Cheap Insulation Official Discussion

taffy056

I beleive British Gas only install mineral wool insulation, there are companies installing bead insulation, it's pretty hard to advise though as not sure what area you are in, if you look on the energy saving trust website for your area , and pop me a PM with results and I will tell you who installs bead, or if you are comfortable just pop your location down here and will tell you in the thread who installs bead in your area.

rangler2

taffy056 wrote: »

I beleive British Gas only install mineral wool insulation, there are companies installing bead insulation, it's pretty hard to advise though as not sure what area you are in, if you look on the energy saving trust website for your area , and pop me a PM with results and I will tell you who installs bead, or if you are comfortable just pop your location down here and will tell you in the thread who installs bead in your area.

Hi taffy056, thanks so much! I'm in the Bristol area (BS32) not sure where to look on the EST website, is it the Grants and Discounts database?

taffy056

Okay there are two companies that offer this for you in that area, will pop you a PM on them

taffy056

For clarity these are the two companies

Exenergy Ltd
http://www.exenergy.co.uk
Domestic and General
http://www.dgi.org.uk/

taffy056

Can I just say that free insulation is ending soon for a huge number of people, as reported below with the Green Deal coming in. The Cert Grant finishes at the end of March 2012, and is being replaced by the Green Deal in October 2012, we don't know what is going to happen between April and October as yet.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-16552404

So you have less than 3 months left on this, so don't miss out if you are just thinking about it, go to the Energy Saving Trust and find your local installer, here is a direct link for you to find one.

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Take-action/Grants-and-Discounts-Database

2010

rangler2 wrote: »

Hi,

Sorry if this has already been covered.. I want to get CWI but I have read too many horror stories about the foam / mineral wool so I want to get the expanded polystyrene balls instead. Do you know if any of these companies offer this either under the 'free' offer or otherwise for good value? I asked BG who said they could not offer this.

Thanks,
Andy

EDF energy were offering free CWI, they may still be doing so.
They basically pass your name to one of their installers (SIG Energy management / Millar Pattison).
I certainly wouldn`t pay for it because the energy companies are giving it away freely, to meet the government`s emissions targets.

What you should be asking yourself is do I really want CWI which in turn could cause you a severe damp, condensation problems.
There is no concrete evidence that CWI saves you money or even makes your house warmer.
I`m talking real evidence and not the spiel from the installers.

Google CWI and damp and get a cross section of views and have a rethink because this stuff is easy to put in but an awful lot harder to remove.
A cavity is there for a reason.

taffy056

2010 wrote: »

EDF energy were offering free CWI, they may still be doing so.
They basically pass your name to one of their installers (SIG Energy management / Millar Pattison).
I certainly wouldn`t pay for it because the energy companies are giving it away freely, to meet the government`s emissions targets.

No they are not, they are working under the Cert Scheme, so people over 70 and on benefits will currently get it for free, if you ask the energy companies most will say the same, I know Briitish Gas will give one measure for free if you are a dual fuel customer, and you are not a millimetre above 60mm in the loft, and awkward building with conservatories and they will be saying scaffolding is required at a cost of at least £250 a shot

2010 wrote: »

What you should be asking yourself is do I really want CWI which in turn could cause you a severe damp, condensation problems.
There is no concrete evidence that CWI saves you money or even makes your house warmer.
I`m talking real evidence and not the spiel from the installers.

No concrete evidence it saves you money ? I think there are plenty of people around the UK who will contradict you on that! And the Energy Saving Trust who is independent quite clearly show that insulating your home means a warmer home.

Can I ask why you invested into insulation if it makes no difference?

2010 wrote: »

Google CWI and damp and get a cross section of views and have a rethink because this stuff is easy to put in but an awful lot harder to remove.
A cavity is there for a reason.

And can a search for damp problems give a cross section of views, you can also put a search for cavity wall success stories into google for views as well.

Can you tell me what reason a cavity is there ?

2010

I`ll repeat there is no concrete proof that CWI insulation saves you money and makes your house warmer.
If you know of such proof, post a link.
I do believe that research is being undertaken at the moment into this but it will take several years to provide proof one way or another.

Last December in the email and on this site there was an article and a link for ANYONE to apply for loft/CWI from EDF who passed your name onto their installers.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/free-cavity-loft-insulation#edfoffer

I invested in loft insulation through the N Power £1 a roll delivered free from Build Centre.
Loft insulation has made an significant difference to my home and I would wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.
I choose the route of DIY so I know the job has been done correctly.

I have twice declined FREE CWI from both B Gas, who do their own installation and EDF`s installer SIG Energy.
I have read articles about the pros and cons of CWI and the reason a cavity is there in the first place and have taken a balanced view that I would rather not risk damp and condensation problems when there is no concrete proof available that I would benefit from having it.
The cons outweighed the pros, IMO.
If people want to risk damp and condensation problems to a valuable asset, it`s their choice.
I choose not to.

taffy056

2010 wrote: »

I`ll repeat there is no concrete proof that CWI insulation saves you money and makes your house warmer.
If you know of such proof, post a link.
I do believe that research is being undertaken at the moment into this but it will take several years to provide proof one way or another.

The proof is in the many people who have installed CWI over the last 20-25 years, and the fact that all new builds must have insulation in the form of either Thermo Blocks, Cavity bats or CWI when built.

And I know a lot of my customers who call me to say that I have helped them make their house warmer by insulation, and have reduced their bills! Though that can be a moot point when energy costs are increasing year on year by about 25% , so if the bills are slightly reducing or not going up significantly then you know it is reducing the costs of heating house when you take away the increase of fuel bills.

You are basically just saying insulation doesn't work, which you have not provided proof for, the EST website below is very extensive, they have done a lot of studies into this field, I suggest you read some of it.

http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/In-your-home/Roofs-floors-walls-and-windows/Cavity-wall-insulation

rangler2

I'm pretty sure there have been studies done and proof found, though I haven't got any links to hand.. think of the thermal imaging pictures which show clearly the amount of heat escaping through the walls and how it is reduced when CWI is installed. I'm pretty sure it makes a difference just like loft insulation does.

But I agree I have read some nasty things about damp problems, it worries me a bit that it is being pushed so much with no mention of potential problems. I know a few builders and engineers and they recommended to me to stay clear of the mineral wool type of insulation and use beads which can not allow the damp to penetrate the cavity.