6 million homes in Britain have now had cavity wall insulation installed, and it's easy to see why - it's the smart way to save money. The Government regards cavity wall insulation as one of the most effective energy savings measures that most people can carry out on their homes and apart from saving money it's a major contributor to reducing emissions of carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas. By far the most heat lost from your home escapes via the walls as much as a third, so this is where its most important to insulate. Just this measure alone could cut your heating costs by up to 35%. By saving energy, your household will cause less CO2 to be produced. Studies suggest that every square metre of Cavity Wall Insulation will save more than a tonne of Carbon Dioxide over the average life of the building. For a semi detached house with an external wall area of 80m2, this equates to savings of 80 tonnes or more. Most homes built since the 1920s have two layers of bricks with an air gap between them. Cavity wall insulation involves filling the gap between the inner and outer skins of brick with an insulating material which reduces the amount of heat that is lost through the walls.
