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Double glazing and energy efficiency, some of your questions answered by the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC).

Q: My home is quite cold and draughty - what is the best remedy?

A: There are many proprietary draughtproofing systems around, which you can find in your DIY store, builders merchants or hardware shop. They are easy to fit around doors and windows if you follow the instructions. Loft insulation is important, too. It’s available in three different ways.

You can buy it in a roll, slab or granular forms but whichever you choose, to be really effective, it must be a minimum of 4 inches (100mm) thick. Of course, up to 35% of heat loss can occur through poorly insulated external walls, so many people these days opt for cavity wall insulation which needs to be carried out properly by a specialist.

Q: How can I make my home more energy efficient?

A: Well, a good starting point is to look at your central heating system and how well your home is insulated. If you have cavity walls then installing cavity wall insulation can save up to 35% of your heating bills. It will also improve the comfort of your home. You should choose a CIGA (Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency) registered installer to ensure that the installation will be covered by an independent 25 year guarantee providing peace of mind.

If your loft has less than 150mm of insulation then this should also be topped up to current standards, typically 270mm for mineral wool insulation. If you own a gas boiler that is more than 15 years old it might be as well to consider changing it.

Today's state-of-the-art gas boilers with dedicated controls can cut your heating and hot water bill by up to 30%. There are now models that fit comfortably and unobtrusively inside a kitchen cabinet and provide high performance and will probably pay for themselves in terms of running cost savings within a couple of years. But don't forget - anything to do with gas must be dealt with by a CORGI (Council for Registered Gas Installers) installer. CORGI is the UK’s national watchdog for gas safety.

Q: Will I really save money by improving the insulation of my home?

A: By reducing the amount of energy that is required to maintain your home at a comfortable temperature, insulation can substantially cut your heating bills and contribute to all our futures by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, you may choose to take some of this benefit by improving the comfort of your home and ensuring it is cosy and warm in winter.

Q. Is it simple to improve the levels of insulation?

A: Well, certain jobs, such as cavity wall insulation, are covered by detailed technical standards and require specialist equipment operated by trained technicians. Others, such as improving levels of loft insulation, can be carried out by the householder, although it is Important to check manufacturers guidance on the correct handling of products and ensure that adequate safety measures are taken. In either case, the use of an appropriately registered contractor will ensure that the installation is carried out to the highest standards and that the maximum savings will be achieved with the minimum disruption.

Double Glazing

Double glazing will practically halve the heat loss from windows, showing a possible fuel saving of around 10%, and more if the windows are large ones. Double glazing will eliminate draughts that come from gaps around frames or ill-fitting windows and, of course, replace rotten or rusted casements. The insulation properties of double glazing can be enhanced by about a third again with the use of Low-E glass (which stands for low emmissivity).

What's more, modern glazing systems will almost certainly dramatically reduce maintenance to a quick wipe over with a damp cloth every year or so. The most common forms of double glazing are sealed units and secondary glazing, and in virtually every area of the UK there are several firms who are competent installers. Good DIYers can do it themselves but it much less of a hassle to call in the experts.

Get at least three quotes because you can have considerable variations on price although the product may be basically the same. And make sure the system you choose is in character with your property and its environment, or your house may stick out like a sore thumb and that may not please the local planners.

Sealed units are those most normally fitted by a professional and entail replacing the whole of the existing window complete with frame. Once fitted you can usually forget them, especially if they come from one of the major proprietary brand makers. PVCu, aluminium and wood are the normal materials used with PVCu probably the favourite because it is maintenance free.

Secondary glazing can be carried out by a contractor or fitted on a DIY basis and will be cheaper. There is virtually no difference in the insulation properties of the two, although secondary glazing may prove a false economy if you find you have to replace the windows eventually in any case.

Secondary glazing and sealed units each have their pros and cons. The former involves little or no disruption but it doesn't solve the problem if the existing windows are in need of repair. Sealed unit double glazing, on the other hand, will usually enhance the value of a house.

Information supplied by the National Home Improvement Council (NHIC).

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