The biggest heat loss hot spots in YOUR home revealed and how to fix them for free or cheap
The biggest heat loss hot spots in YOUR home revealed and how to fix them for free or cheap
Share:
ENERGY bills can be crippling during the winter months. But many households could save £760 a year by tackling heat loss hotspots around their homes. The five most common heat loss areas are your walls, roof, windows, doors and floors. Poor insulation forces your heating to work harder to keep your home warm, driving up your energy bills.
![[Illustration of a house cutaway showing areas of heat loss and potential savings.]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/RW-01-24-heat-loss-hotspots_a480ac.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
“Heat loss occurs when warm indoor air escapes to the outside environment, which in turn requires more energy to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature and leads to higher heating bills,” explained James Elston, founder of energy-saving firm Eco Happy.
We look at how small energy-saving improvements could cut your costs and the cheapest ways to do it. Lofts and roofs are a huge heat loss hotspot as they tend to cover the whole home. Around a quarter of heat is lost through uninsulated lofts, according to the Energy Saving Trust (EST).
Yet, loft insulation is one of the most cost-effective ways to make your home more energy efficient. It costs around £900 to insulate a semi-detached home with 270mm of loft insulation, the EST says. But it could save you around £230 a year, meaning you would make the cost back in around three years.
The easiest way is to use a layer of mineral wool or sheep wool. The EST says you can probably DIY with rolls of wool if you don’t have damp problems in your loft, but otherwise, consult a professional. Avoid getting spray foam insulation installed, as this could actually damage your home and make it difficult to sell.
