With winter fast approaching homeowners will rightly be looking at ways to ensure they can keep their property warm through the cold months.  A warm home requires an effective combination of central heating and insulation.

There are two main types of insulation available to homeowners; cavity wall insulation and loft insulation.  As much as a third of your homes heat is lost through the walls and roof.  With insulation installed you can reduce this amount significantly helping to keep your home warm and reduce your central heating bills.

In the UK most modern homes consist of both inner and outer walls set with a small gap of a few centimetres between them.  The intention of this gap is to provide extra protection against outside elements particularly damp.  Cavity wall insulation means filling this gap with a type of insulating material which will keep warm air inside your home. Loft insulation on the other hand involves installing insulating material in your loft or attic to prevent heat escaping from your house through the roof.

Of course the most important factor in keeping your home warm is an effective central heating system.  Installing a newer more efficient heating system is a good way to reduce the amount of energy needed to heat your home and so reduce your bills.  If your central heating system is over ten years old you may want to consider replacing it. Although they tend to be more expensive than other alternative boiler systems through their extra efficiency and the resulting savings on energy bills they make a worthwhile long term investment.