Quick energy tip No 7: Insulate your roof for some easy savings

This week's quick energy tip looks at the simple task of insulating your roof. It's a quick and cost-effective way to save energy, and a nice chunk of change too.

Ceiling level attic insulation

Did you know that if your roof isn’t properly insulated you could be losing up to 35 per cent of your home’s heat? That means that over a third of your home’s heat could be escaping through the roof without you even knowing it, so why would you want to pay for something you can’t even keep?

The best way to retain the heat that your home produces is by simply insulating it, but you probably already knew that. So what exactly do you have to do to properly insulate your home? There are a few things to look for, so listen up.

If your home has a pitched roof and an attic space that’s currently not in use, then the most common insulation solution for you is to put down two layers of quilted insulation on the attic floor. It’s as easy as that.

If you’re attic is converted then insulation is generally fitted in between the rafters of the roof itself. This will provide a warm cosy attic space for you (or the kids) to live in. Both ceiling level and rafter level insulation can be used together where an existing attic space is converted, so it will be next to impossible for heat to escape out.

You can't see heat escape... unless you have a thermal imaging camera

That’s all well and good for people who have pitched roofs, but what do you do if your roof is flat? Well, flat roofs can be insulated from the outside or within. Installing flat roof insulation with new plasterboard slabs and a vapour control layer on the underside of the existing ceiling is the easiest solution - or so we’re told - and it causes the least disruption this way, but there are other ways to insulate that will suit your needs.

The typical cost of attic insulation for a 3 or 4 bed semi-detached house is around €460. However, with Electric Ireland’s 10% discount offer that’s running until the end of July, that cost could be closer to €414.

For more on the best way to insulate your attic, head over to the Electric Ireland website here to see their wide range of insulating services.

To find out more ways to save money on electricity around the home check out the Electric Ireland website.