A ROOFER has revealed how a little-known DIY essential could help you to slash your energy bills by up to £300.
Households are beginning to feel the winter chill but coupled with rocketing energy costs, many are being left out of pocket.
Darren McGhee is a roofing contractor at DMG Services in Scotland
At the moment, average energy bills are capped at £2,500, but that’s just the unit charge.
How much you pay can be higher depending on usage, so it does pay to keep it as low as possible.
Households are trying to cut back as much as possible during the colder months when bills are typically higher.
Putting the heating on is one of the biggest drains on your energy bill.
But insulation is a great way to prevent heat from escaping from your home, and in turn, can save you some cash.
As heat rises in your home, it’s got to go somewhere, so if the top of your house isn’t properly insulated, you’ll lose all that precious heat right out of the roof.
Darren McGhee, who owns DMG Services, has been working as a roofing contractor in Scotland, since the age of 16.
The 42-year-old, who was crowned Screwfix Top Tradesperson in 2019, told The Sun that not many people realise they can install insulation themselves.
It is estimated that loft insulation can help you to save up to £300 a year.
He said: “Fitting insulation in your loft space is the best way to stop heat escaping from your home – and it’s also pretty cheap.
“Anyone can do this, you don’t need to be a tradesperson.
“You can buy insulation from all local builder merchants or retailers such as B&Q and Wickes.”
You can purchase a 100mm thick roll for around £20 for around eight metres.
You’ll typically need three layers of rolls to really notice the difference.
The recommended thickness is 270mm, says EnergyHelpline.
Darren says to install the insulation, all you need is a Stanley Knife to cut through the material before placing it along the floor of the loft.
But the tradesmen said it’s important to remember to wear a disposable dust mask and gloves while laying the material down.
This is to stop the fibres from irritating your eyes, or your lungs.
When laying the insulation, Darren said there is just one key thing to remember.
He said: “Do not fit the insulation tight to the eaves, as it still needs to circulate around the loft space and breathe.
“You should leave a 150mm gap for airflow at least so mould doesn’t build up.”
Opening the trickle vent in your window frames is also a good way to make sure your home is ventilated without letting heat escape.
Other ways to draught-proof your home
Seal up your windows and doors
Your windows and doors are draughty hotspots, but a simple and cheap fix could help you save cash on your bills.
Buy draught-proof tape to seal them up and stop the cold air coming in.
On Amazon, you can buy 10 metres of the self-adhesive seal for only £2.85, for example.
While you’re at it, put clingfilm up against your windows to provide an extra layer of insulation.
Use draught excluders
Put draught excluders up against your door to save money on your bills.
It’s a good way of plugging the gaps where hot air can escape.
They don’t have to break the bank, and if you get creative, they can be free.
You can use a pair of old tights and fill them with socks, for example, to turn them into a makeshift draught excluder.
f you’re looking to buy one, they will set you back between £8 and £10 from retailers like Dunelm, Wayfair and The Range.
Keyhole cover
If you don’t have a keyhole cover, you could be driving up your energy bills without even realising it.
Keyholes may be small, but they’re still letting hot air out of your home.
Cover it up to cut your energy usage. B&Q sells them from a fiver, and Amazon sells them for under £8.
Cover up your floorboards
Your floorboards could be costing you a small fortune when it comes to your energy bills.
If you have wooden floorboards and no carpet, there are plenty of cracks which are sucking out hot air from your home.
Put down rugs to cover gaps.
Good-sized rugs can be expensive, but we spotted some in the sale for under a tenner from Dunelm.
Here are five of the cheapest electric heaters under £30 so you can avoid putting the central heating on.
Plus, we round up other ways to save on your energy bills with a number of small tweaks.