Insulation for lofts, walls and floors in Ireland

Loft insulation between and over the ceiling joists is the simplest measure where the loft is accessible and unconverted. If you want to use the loft for storage, boards should sit on raised legs so the insulation is not squashed. A converted loft or room in the roof needs insulation in the sloping ceilings and walls instead.

Many houses built from the 1920s onwards have cavity walls: two leaves of masonry with a gap between them. Cavity wall insulation is blown into the gap through small holes drilled in the outer wall. Whether it suits your house depends on the cavity width and condition, the exposure of the walls to driving rain and the state of the brickwork and pointing.

Older homes usually have solid walls, which can be insulated internally, with boards fixed to the inside and a loss of room space, or externally, with insulation and a new render or cladding outside. Suspended timber ground floors can be insulated from below, from a cellar or crawl space, or by lifting the floorboards.

Insulation changes where a building is warm and where it is cold, and moisture follows. Loft insulation pushed into the eaves blocks the ventilation that keeps roof timbers dry. Cavity fill in a wall exposed to driving rain, or with defective pointing, can carry water across to the inner leaf. Internal wall insulation without proper vapour control, or with gaps around joists and window reveals, can create cold spots where condensation and mould form.

As a home becomes more airtight, it needs controlled ventilation: working extractor fans in kitchens and bathrooms, trickle vents and, in some whole-house projects, mechanical ventilation. A careful installer surveys first and tells you if the walls are unsuitable or need repairs before any insulation goes in.

Be cautious about spray foam applied to the underside of roof slopes. It can hide the condition of the timbers, and some surveyors and mortgage lenders are reluctant to accept it, which can cause trouble when you sell or remortgage.

Cavity wall insulation fitted by a registered installer can come with an independent 25-year guarantee from the Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA). Ask for it in writing, and keep it with the house deeds, because buyers' surveyors ask about cavity fill.

• the areas to be insulated and the material, thickness and product used
• a survey of the walls or roof, including damp, pointing, rain exposure and ventilation
• how ventilation will be kept or improved, for example at the eaves or in wet rooms
• for internal wall insulation, how sockets, radiators, skirting and window reveals are dealt with
• for external wall insulation, the render or cladding finish, scaffolding and details at windows, eaves and pipes
• the guarantee and who provides it

For attic, wall or floor insulation, SEAI grants may help; the details are below with sources. For a complete upgrade, the National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme works through SEAI-registered One Stop Shops, which manage the whole job to at least a B2 BER and deduct the grant from the cost upfront.

A Building Energy Rating (BER) is needed when a home is sold or let, and an assessment is part of most upgrade schemes. Ask the installer whether they are SEAI-registered, because only registered contractors can carry out grant-aided work.

Source: seai.ie

SEAI Individual Energy Upgrade Grants (Better Energy Homes – insulation, windows and doors): Fixed SEAI grants for individual upgrades: attic insulation up to €2,000 (up to €2,500 for first-time buyers and homeowners on qualifying welfare payments), wall insulation up to €8,000, windows up to €4,000, doors up to €1,600 and heating controls up to €700. Grant approval must be in place before works start.

National Home Energy Upgrade Scheme (One Stop Shop) (SEAI, through registered One Stop Shops): Complete home energy upgrade to at least a B2 BER, fully managed by an SEAI-registered One Stop Shop from assessment to final BER; the grant is deducted from the cost of works upfront and low-cost financing is available.

Only the scheme operator decides whether you qualify. For SEAI grants, approval must usually be in place before work starts, so agree the timing with the business before you sign.

Source: seai.ie · seai.ie

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