SOLID WALL INSULATION
First of all: what is a solid wall? Solid walls are exactly what they sound like: walls that are solid all the way through. They’re a bit trickier to insulate than cavity walls (which have space inside), but it can be done! It’s estimated that over 8 million homes in the UK have solid walls.
How can I tell if my home has solid walls? If your home was built before 1920, it probably has solid external walls rather than cavity walls, which only came into widespread use in the 1920s. For brick-built homes, you can also tell by checking the thickness of your external walls. Do this by measuring them in an external doorway or window. If a wall is less than 10 inches thick, it’s probably solid. Stone-built houses can have much thicker walls, but these are very rarely cavity walls.
What is external wall insulation? External wall insulation (EWI) is a layer of insulation which is secured, using adhesive and mechanical fixings, to the exterior walls of your property. In an age of rising energy costs, the majority of householders are burning money unnecessarily. Older homes, not built to modern energy efficiency standards, are unable to retain heat; the Carbon Trust states that up to 45 percent of heat can escape through walls and into the environment.
Developed across Europe over the past 40 years, EWI systems markedly improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings such as solid wall or non-traditionally constructed homes which are unsuitable for cavity wall insulation. Using a formulation of mineral wool, wood fibres and polystyrene, EWI acts as a thermal jacket around the building. The process is finished with a breathable, waterproof render which comes in a range of finishes, including a smooth, coloured surface, and pebbledash.