External Wall Insulation
Adding external wall insulation to your home is a highly effective way to dramatically reduce heat loss, making it much easier to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. This can lead to significant savings on your energy bills over time, allowing you to enjoy a cosier living space without breaking the bank.
Additionally, there are aesthetic benefits to consider; the insulation can be finished in various materials such as render, pebble-dash, cladding, or brick slips, enhancing your home’s exterior look and increasing its overall value. External wall insulation is a smart choice for energy efficiency and curb appeal.
Getting external wall insulation
Get in touch with us, even if you’re unsure of your wall type, and we’ll advise over the phone or by email. Then we’ll book you a FREE home visit for a Home Surveyor to come and take a look at your property and confirm suitability, do a few checks and take some measurements.
The insulation will be fitted shortly after by one of our friendly technician crews.
We aim to get back to you by the next working day
What is external wall insulation?
External wall insulation involves affixing a layer of insulation material to the exterior walls of a building. This is then covered with a protective finish, such as render or cladding, to weatherproof the insulation and improve the building’s appearance. Learn more about how our process works and the benefits of choosing external wall insulation:
Uninsulated solid walls allow around one third of the warmth in your house to escape, so your heating system has to work really hard to keep your home warm. That means higher heating bills.
How It Works
- Preparation: The process begins with thoroughly inspecting your home’s exterior walls. Any necessary repairs are made to ensure a smooth surface for insulation application.
- Insulation Layer: High-quality insulation boards are fixed to the exterior walls using adhesive and mechanical fixings.
- Reinforcement Layer: A base coat is applied over the insulation boards, followed by a reinforcing mesh to add strength and durability.
- Final Finish: The exterior is finished with a render or cladding in your choice of colour and texture, giving your home a refreshed look.
Benefits of External Wall Insulation
Reduce Energy Costs
- External wall insulation significantly reduces heat loss from your property.
- Expect to save around £410* per year on your energy bill for a gas-heated semi-detached home.
- Savings for a gas-heated detached home can rise to £710* per year.
Improve Energy Efficiency
- Keeps your home warmer in winter and cooler in summer.
- Less strain on your heating system, leading to energy use reduction.
- Cutting your energy consumption means lower carbon emissions.
Enhance Home Appearance
- Available in various finishes like render, pebble-dash, cladding, and brick slips.
- Gives your home a modern and fresh exterior look.
- Increases your property’s curb appeal and potentially its market value.
Increase Weather-proofing
- This type of wall insulation adds an extra layer of protection against the elements.
- Helps prevent moisture ingress, reducing the risk of dampness and mould.
Improve Sound Resistance
- Acts as an additional barrier to external noise, making your home quieter.
- Particularly beneficial in urban areas or near roads that are busy.
Boost Occupant Well-being
- Improved insulation may add to a more comfortable living environment.
- Balanced indoor temperatures enhance well-being and health.
- Reduces drafts and cold spots within the home.
External wall insulation gallery
This 1930s detached home was treated with external wall insulation in early 2023, providing the occupants with a significant improvement to their home’s comfort levels, a reduction to their heating bills and a modernised home exterior.
What Does the Installation Process Look Like?
Our professional team ensures a smooth installation process that prioritises your experience every step of the way:
- Initial Consultation: At Evolve, we begin the process with a thorough phone consultation, taking the time to understand your unique needs and preferences. Our goal is to assess your home’s suitability for our services, ensuring that we have all the information needed to provide the best solutions tailored to you.
- Home Visit: Next, we schedule a complimentary home visit at your convenience. During this visit, our team will inspect your property in detail, noting any specific requirements. We’ll also discuss the various options available, answering any questions you may have to help you make informed decisions.
- Cost Estimation: We provide a comprehensive and transparent cost estimate after assessing your needs. This includes a breakdown of all expenses, allowing you to see where your investment is going. Additionally, we explore various funding options available to you, ensuring that our services are accessible and within your budget.
- Installation: Our expert team will perform the installation precisely and carefully. We prioritise minimal disruption to your daily routine, working efficiently to complete the installation while ensuring high-quality workmanship. Our team is well-trained in maintaining a clean and organised workspace, respecting your home throughout the process.
- Completion: Once the installation is finished, we conduct a thorough final inspection to ensure everything meets our quality standards. We want to guarantee that you are completely satisfied with the results, so we take this opportunity to address any final questions or concerns you may have. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we aim to leave you with a sense of confidence in your newly installed insulation.
Identifying your wall type
Homes built with solid walls are most suited to external wall insulation, because there is no cavity that can be filled with cavity wall insulation
Look at the the brick pattern of your property to help you determine whether you have solid walls or cavity walls.
Solid wall
The bricks will have an alternating pattern so that some bricks are laid lengthways and some bricks are laid widthways, showing the smaller ends.
Cavity wall
The bricks will have an even pattern with all the bricks laid lengthways.
Energy efficient and beautiful
External wall insulation can be particularly beneficial when the exterior of your home could benefit from a makeover as the finished look of external wall insulation can be done to suit your tastes. There are many colours and textures to choose from which our team will expertly install for you.
After having external wall insulation fitted, you’ll have a home that is energy efficient, less expensive to heat and has great kerb appeal.
External wall insulation considerations
All of the work for external wall insulation happens outside of the property so there isn’t too much disturbance for you. The application of insulation to the exterior also improves weather-proofing and sound resistance, plus cracks and gaps in brickwork will be covered which will eliminate draughts.
Some properties may need planning permission but we will advise fully on this.
The alternative to external wall insulation
There is another option if external wall insulation isn’t right for you: internal wall insulation.
This is a method of insulating solid walls from the inside, rather than the outside.
Why choose Evolve?
We’re great at what we do and our team has over 450 years’ experience between us so we know how to do an excellent job. We only use the best materials and all our surveyors and engineers are highly trained and take pride in their work.
2015
Established in 2015
60
60 members of staff
450
450 years of combined experience
15,000
Over 15,000 homes decarbonised since 2015
80
A further 80 homes decarbonised every week
3000
3,000 cavity extractions project managed
We’re open between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Or drop us a message and we’ll get back to you ASAP.
External Wall Insulation FAQs
External wall insulation is a highly efficient material that is attached to the exterior walls of a home, dramatically reducing heat loss through the walls. External wall insulation has the added feature of giving a property a new look as it can be finished in a range of attractive finishes.
External wall insulation will save you money on heating bills and is an excellent option when the home is constructed from solid wall and there is no cavity to fill with insulation. Plus your home gets a makeover in the process.
Around five to seven days is a good guide, but it really depends on the size of the home. We’ll advise during our home visit.
Your property’s walls need to be free of obstructions such as hanging baskets and climbing plants. Anything that can be removed should be taken down and then put back after the work is complete. Our team may be able to do this for you. We will endeavor to work around plants and shrubs as much as possible. We will discuss this all with you during the home visit and let you know what you need to do, and what we can take care of for you.
The Energy Saving Trust estimates up to £710* per year can be saved on heating bills on a detached home.
External wall insulation can be costly but the benefits of lower heating bills, a more energy efficient home and a new and improved exterior look are significant. The exact cost depends on lots of factors, including property size and the decorative finish you choose. Our Home Energy Surveyor will give you a full quote once the home visit has been completed.
* Estimates taken from the Energy Saving Trust, August 2023 (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk)
