With the latest round of sky high energy price increases, saving energy has become even more of a necessity in British homes. According to Eon, new research shows that £1 billion is wasted every year as people “can’t be bothered” to insulate their homes.
In a survey carried out by OnePoll on behalf of Eon, one in 10 UK households are missing out on big savings for not having their lofts and cavity walls insulated. Insulation experts at Eon calculate that the average home can save up to £390 per year on their energy bills.
These savings are in line with the Energy Saving Trust statistics on how different types of insulation can save householders money.
In the Eon survey, reasons for not having the insulation improvements included:
- Couldn’t afford it – 17 per cent
- Not knowing how to go about it – 15 per cent
- Too much clutter in the loft – nine per cent
- Not having a ladder – three per cent
DIY-laziness was cited as another reason for not insulating their homes, as one third of men making excuses to avoid the perceived hassle. Some said that they “can’t be bothered” to do the improvements.
Kevin Bryant, Energy Fitness Instructor at E.ON, said: “When we feel the cold, it’s very tempting to turn on or turn up the heating, but there are other long-term solutions which can make a big difference and help you save money on your bills.
“With a quarter of heat lost through uninsulated roofs and a third through uninsulated walls, installing cavity wall or loft insulation is one the best long-term approaches you can make to getting your home more energy fit.”
The Eon research did not cover how these money saving insulation improvements can in turn help to protect the environment.
As reported on Green Abode previously, Brits seem completely unaware as to how energy saving measures can help the environment. According to the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), a quarter of the UK’s carbon emissions comes from energy used at home.
The findings of the Eon survey puts more pressure on the government to outline what the benefits of the Green Deal are going to be to both householders and the environment.
There seems to be a great deal of confusion about what the Green Deal is, and this survey suggests that insulation is not at the front of people’s minds about energy efficiency.