As Energy Saving Week gets underway, homeowners are being urged to take action now to stop their heating bills from going through the roof … and the walls.

Every homeowner should make Energy Saving Week a time to check to see if their insulation is adequate: With no insulation, about 15% of heating bills go through the roof, and about a third through the walls in the average home, warns Rockwool, the leading manufacturer of stone wool insulation products.

“The payback speaks for itself. Installing loft insulation to the recommended 270mm (10 ins) depth could save £110 a year in an average house. It will pay for itself in two years if you do it yourself, or in four years if you have it professionally installed,” says Rockwool’s Managing Director Hans Schreuder.

“Installing cavity wall insulation could save £90 a year, and pay for itself within five years,” he adds.

If all homeowners topped up their loft insulation to the recommended 270mm (10 inch) depth, £380 million would be saved in fuel bills each year. Installing insulation will save millions of tonnes of carbon emissions. Every home with loft insulation saves an average of 1 tonne of CO2 and a further 750g with cavity wall insulation.

To find out how energy efficient your home is, complete the BuildDesk on-line Home Energy Check at www.rockwool.co.uk. In five minutes you will receive an energy rating and advice on measures you can take to improve energy efficiency in your home. Try BuildDesk home energy check

Visit the Energy Saving Trust website, www.energysavingtrust.org.uk. To find out what grants and savings you may be eligible for.

Email: Victoria.O’Toole@iassmarts.com