Skip to content Accesskeys Newsroom

Insulating and heating your home efficiently

Play Energy efficiency video Households in Northern Ireland may be eligible for financial support towards the cost of loft and cavity wall insulation. A range of other energy saving devices like low energy light bulbs, real time displays and energy saver plugs are also available.

play energy efficiency video

Save money on bills

Using these measures could help you save up to £300 every year on your energy bills, and you can access them through energy suppliers. Pensioners or those from low income households may also be eligible for free improvements to their homes, such as insulation, along with other support.

Available grants

To find out more about what financial support is currently available, speak to the advisors on freephone 0800 512 012 at the Energy Saving Trust. Their website also allows you to search for grants and offers in your area, so you can see what specific support will be available.

Take control of your heating

Turn down the thermostat by one degree and you could save 10 per cent on your heating bills. You can cut out a surprising amount of wasted energy with clever use of your central heating controls. These can include:

  • thermostats for heating and hot water
  • radiator valves with thermostats included
  • electronic timers

Taking a few simple steps can pay financial dividends

  • using the timer makes sure the heating is only on when you need it
  • when you move house, ask the landlord or the people moving out to show you how the controls work
  • if you're having a new boiler or hot water cylinder put in, ask the installer to talk you through the controls - and ask for a follow-up visit
  • try turning the thermostat down by just one degree Celsius - you could save as much as 10 per cent on heating bills
  • Energy Saving Trust - Learn more about how heating controls work    

Choose an energy efficient boiler

More than 80 per cent of home energy use is for heating and hot water, so getting a more energy efficient boiler can make a very big difference. Look out for the energy saving recommended label when you're choosing a new boiler - it can only be used on the most energy efficient products, usually the top 20 per cent of those available.

Insulate your walls and loft

Did you know the recommended thickness of loft insulation is 270 mm? The best place to start is to check the insulation in your walls and roof - more than half the heat lost in a typical home escapes by one of these routes. Installing loft and cavity wall insulation will not only reduce the amount of heat escaping, but could also reduce your fuel bills by up to £180 every year.  

Cavity wall insulation

Installing cavity wall insulation can take just a couple of hours for a typical three-bedroom house and can be done from the outside. Your building needs to have cavity walls - you can insulate solid walls too, but this is a bigger and more costly job to do.

Loft insulation

Loft insulation is easy to install - you can even do it yourself. Even if you already have loft insulation, check its thickness. Adding another layer to bring it up to the recommended 270 mm will save energy and wasted money.

Other ways to keep the heat in

Walls and roofs are the biggest heat loss culprits, but you don't have to stop there:

  • double glazing can cut heat loss through windows by half
  • insulate your hot-water tank
  • lag your pipes
  • put draught-proofing strips round windows and doors - if you can feel cold air coming in, it means warm air is going out the same way
  • if your home has a cellar space, under-floor insulation can help keep the warmth in
  • Energy Saving Trust - Information on insulating and draught-proofing your home    

Switch to renewable energy sources for your heating

Renewable energy can sometimes be an option for both heating and powering homes. Follow the links at the end of this section to find out more on the practicalities of using different renewable energy technologies.

The most common methods of renewable energy:

  • solar power uses the sun's energy either to directly heat water (solar water heating) or to generate electricity (Photovoltaic or Solar PV)
  • wind power can be used to generate electricity using turbines
  • running water can also be used to generate electricity using a turbine
  • biomass (plant products or animal waste) can be burnt to heat your home or to heat water - the most common fuel used is wood, although plant oils, sugar cane and other crops can also be used (if you live in a smoke control area, you can get advice about what fuels you can burn from your council)
  • ground source heat pumps make use of heat stored in the ground to directly heat homes or water - water is pumped through pipes buried in the ground and heat is captured and transferred to radiators or to a hot water tank  
  • Northern Ireland Air - Information on smoke control areas    

More useful links

Do it online