New Year resolution for householders – check your loft 

Every householder should make one important New Year resolution and that is to go up into their loft to check the insulation in 2023.

Energy expert Ron Fox was commenting after a survey showed that three out of ten homeowners had never been into the top of their home.

Their many excuses included that it was cold, dark and dirty; they were scared of spiders; there was poor lighting (25 per cent); they didn’t have a ladder (16 per cent); they were frightened of falling through the ceiling (16 per cent); or they were afraid of getting stuck up there (13 per cent),

“These figures are incredible as loft insulation should be checked regularly because it can have a significant impact on household energy bills,” said Ron, of Noreus Ltd on the University of Keele Science Innovation Park.

The research, conducted via OnePoll for the gas and electricity supplier EDF, also showed that a quarter, 26 per cent, of the 2,000 homeowners polled, admitted they didn’t like exploring their loft and of those who have insulation, 42 per cent they had no idea what type it was.

Only 6 per cent admitted they had gone up to check the insulation, while nearly one in ten said they had gone up only to fetch or put away Christmas decorations and 14 per cent went up to store something out of the way.

Those who did go up, one in four or 26 per cent, found interesting and unexpected items including a World War One German coin, £500 in cash, a telescope – and even a false leg.

“Surprisingly,” said Ron, “just a third or 34 per cent of residents were aware that loft insulation should be inspected regularly.

“And just one in ten people plan on checking that their loft insulation is good enough next year while 19 per cent admitted they were not sure what to look for,” he added.

“But the most shocking statistic is that 24 per cent of people surveyed had no loft insulation and half of them didn’t believe installing it was a cost-effective way to reduce their energy bills.”

According to the Energy Savings Trust it costs an average of £480 to install insulation into a loft at the recommended depth of 270mm for a semi-detached home, which could result in a saving of up to £355 a year on their energy bills.

“The best advice I can give householders,” said Ron, “is to go up into the loft and check the insulation every few years. If it is looking old, worn and damaged, then it probably needs to be replaced.

“Another way is the touch test where the interior ceilings, walls and floors in your home should feel warm and dry as nowhere should feel damp or cold. On the other hand, an exterior wall should feel cold because the insulation is keeping warm air inside the home.

“If you want any advice on loft insulation, contact me on 0845 474 6641,” said Ron.